GERAKAN ISLAM DI MALAYSIA: 1920-90

Abstrak

Perkembangan Islam di Malaysia dapat dilihat dari dua sudut yang penting. Gerakan islah yang

diterajui oleh falsafah tajdid dan pembaharuan akal serta pengaruh politik Islam di Nusantara.

Kertas ini cuba menghuraikan kesan dan pengaruh gerakan Islam di Malaysia dalam memangkin

pembaharuan dan nahdah. Ia melihat sumbangan yang dicetuskan oleh pemikir Islam di

Malaysia seperti Syed Syeikh al-Hadi, Ustaz Fadhil Noor, Ustaz Abu Bakar Baqir, Dato Seri

Anwar Ibrahim, Prof Muhammad Kamal Hassan, Prof Naquib al-Attas dan sebagainya dalam

menghuraikan kefahaman Islam yang rasional dan membuka ruang ijtihad serta kepentingan dan

pengaruhnya kepada umat melayu. Falsafah Islam yang segar yang dizahirkan telah membuka

ruang dan wacana segar ke arah penggemblingan masyarakat madani yang jati dan unggul.

Perjuangan dakwah yang mantap dan konsisten telah memangkin kekuatan baru dalam

menggarap warisan perjuangan untuk memartabatkan Islam, memperkukuh dasar dan idealisme

politik, menggerakkan wacana islah, mempertahankan maruah umat, mendukung sistem khalifah

dan islamisasi ilmu. Kertas ini turut membahaskan pencapaian dan pengaruh gerakan Islam

dalam mempertahankan idealisme jihad dan fiqh al-haraki yang inklusif.

Belajar Mengenal Tabii EyjatjallajokullPosted on Mei 12, 2010 oleh samadsaid

IKLIM siasah di tanah air tampaknya hampir sepayah mengeja nama

Gunung Eyjatjallajokull di Iceland. Gumpalan asap debu gunung berapi itu

masih mengacau laluan udara. Sementara di permukaan bumi, pembuakan

minyak mentah sedang mencemari Teluk Mexico. Bisik atau jerit alam,

tampaknya, mempunyai bahasanya sendiri yang kurang kita fahami susunan

abjadnya.

Di balik latar resah alam dan insan itulah, suka atau benci, kita terpaksa

tekun belajar. Kita sedar bahawa alam mempunyai tabiinya sendiri—indah

dan hodoh. Dan manusia—lebih-lebih lagi kuasawannya—mempunyai tabii

aneh yang setara—indah dan hodoh juga.

Begitulah seminggu ini, kita sempat belajar membaca perangai alam dan

tabii manusia. Pada waktu-waktu tertentu memanglah sukar kita bedakan

antara yang manusia dan yang Eyjatjallajokull. Tapi, masih ada yang boleh

dipetik sejernihnya daripada sekeruhnya. Gelora tenang kesan pilihanraya

di negara J.K. Rowling, contohnya. David Cameron (Conservative), Gordon

Brown (Labour) dan Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrats) sudah pun bercongak

mewaraskan hirarki dan manfaat kuasa. Rundingan pergi balik yang

berlansung meresahkan murbawan Great Britain akhirnya jinak apabila

terbayang Cameron menggantikan Brown. Kita sempat petik iktibarnya.

Tapi, yang sangat awal boleh bantu meranum kita ialah renungan kita

terhadap cara siasahwan Britain membabat geram dan cinta politiknya.

Ternyata, mereka berlari atas padang munasabah. Contohnya, di negara

Stephen Hawkins itu tidak terhembur kempen cemuhan atau tohmahan

yang mula kita budayakan. Para kuasawan Britain tidak menjerit atau

menghadirkan projek pembangunan mendadak di kawasan kempennya.

Malah mereka tidak menggila dan spontan mencurahkan dana dulang emas

kepada keluarga tua, sekolah uzur, kompleks retak dan peladang tersisih,

yang sebelum pilihanraya terlupa—atau memang dilupakan—ditangani.

Hanya pada masa pilihanraya kecil mendadak kesemua kemacetan itu tiba-

tiba ingin disembuhkan secepat silap mata sehingga payah bagi kita

mengadili apakah yang dibelanjakan dalam kempen pilihanraya itu wang

parti calon yang bertanding atau dana kerajaannya—wang rakyat. Belanja

yang salah adalah rasuahan.

Terlalu banyak kekalutan Eyjatjallajokull dalam kerenah kita

mengendalikan pilihanraya. Kita sebenarnya lupa menjinakkan jentera itu

sebagai kuda sopan atau kita memang sengaja ingin menungganginya saja.

Jewish and Muslim Mysticism

Jewish Mystics on the Sufi Path

The Middle East conflict has dug deep trenches of enmity between Jews and

Muslims. That makes it easy to forget that, for centuries, the two religions

contributed much to each other's philosophy and spirituality. Nimet Seker looks

at the influence of Muslim Sufism on Jewish mysticism

A mystic discovery in the secret hiding-place of a Cairo synagogue: manuscripts of mediaeval texts by Muslim and Jewish

mysticsJews do not traditionally destroy texts which include the name of God – even when they

are no longer needed. Such texts are kept in the synagogue in a special room called

the geniza, "hiding place" in Hebrew. Over 100 years ago, thegeniza of the Ben Ezra

synagogue was opened, and extraordinary things came to light.

The bricked-up room contained works in Arabic and Hebrew by mediaeval Muslim mystics

and pietistic texts by Jewish writers which were clearly inspired by Sufism.

Many of the texts date from the lifetime of Rabbi Abraham Maimonides (1186–1237), the son

of the Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides. Rabbi Abraham he-Chassid ("the pious") was

the religious and political leader of the Jewish community at the time, and was a significant

proponent of a Sufi form of Jewish piety which the Jewish texts call chassidut. The title he-

Chassid indicates someone pious who follows a spiritual path, similar to that of the Muslim

Sufis. 

Sufism as a prophetic tradition 

A significant proponent of a Sufi form of Jewish piety: Rabbi Abraham Maimonides (1186–1237)Rabbi Abraham wrote

openly in his works of his admiration for the Sufis. He describes biblical figures as pietists

with Sufi characteristics and sees the Sufis as the real heirs to the traditions of Israel. He

considers that important Sufi rituals are based on the Jewish prophets; through the

sufferings of exile, the Jews had forgotten this spiritual tradition and now had to rediscover

it.

Abraham did not just see the matter theoretically; he introduced a number of changes in the

synagogue services, such as the washing of hands and feet before prayer, which is not

traditional in Judaism; the ordering of the congregation into rows, as in Muslim practice;

facing Jerusalem in prayer, as Muslims face Mecca; and various gestures, such as standing,

kneeling, bowing and stretching out the hands during petitionary prayers.

Most noticeable were typical practices of the Sufis such ashitbodedut, solitary meditation in

the dark, and the ritual ofdhkir (Arabic for "thinking of God"). Abraham found sources for all

these new practices, which he rediscovered in Islam, in the Jewish Bible.

Muslim rituals stemming from the Jewish bible: as head of the Egyptian Jewish community, Abraham Maimonides introduced

Muslim practices, such as praying in orderly rows, to the synagogueThe family of Abraham Maimonides

continued these Sufi-influenced tradition for another 200 years. And this Sufi-Jewish pietism

was not a local Egyptian phenomenon: there is evidence of Sufi-based Jewish mysticism

among the Jews of Andalusia, of Damascus, Yemen, Palestine and Persia.

The cabbalists of Spain and Palestine 

The esoteric teachings of the Spanish cabbalists around Rabbi Abraham Abulafia (1240–

1291) exhibit considerable similarities to the rituals of Muslim mystics: they include, for

example, complicated songs, controlled breathing techniques and typical head movements.

These were all practices which did not exist in the Kabbalah before the Middle Ages. Abulafia

introduced into Judaism the ecstatic aspects of the Sufi dhikr rituals, in which the name of

God is repeated so often that one reaches a trance-like state. 

Inspiration across the religious divide: the Spanish Kabbalists around Rabbi Abraham Abulafia (1240-1291) adopted rituals which

were very similar to those of Muslim mystics, such as the ecstatic dhikrritualThe famous Kabbalistic school of Safed

in Galilee also seems to have been influenced by Sufism. During the sixteenth century, when

the Kabbalist Isaac Luria was active, Safed was also a flourishing centre of Muslim

mysticism. It boasted a Sufi convent, as reported by the Turkish traveller Evliya Chelebi.

There are striking parallels: the Kabbalists held spiritual concerts (baqashot) at which

mystical verses were sung, as did the Mevlevi dervishes. Spiritual brotherhoods were

established around a saint, and here too there was the practice of hitbodedut (in

Arabic khalwa) and dhikr (in Hebrewhazkarah).

The Sabbateans and the Chassidim 

During his exile to Ottoman Adrianople (today Edirne in Turkey), the mystic Jewish Messiah

Shabbatai Tzvi, or Sabbatai Zevi, who later converted to Islam, took part in dhikrrituals with

the Bektashi dervishes. His followers adopted some Bektashi rituals and spiritual songs in

their own ceremonies.

Sufi-Jewish cult: The coronation of Shabbatai Tzvi, Amsterdam, 1666Even the Eastern European Chassidic

movement in the eighteenth century may have been influenced by Islam. The Southern

Polish province of Podolia, once under Ottoman rule, was the cradle of Chassidism. It was

also a centre for the followers of Shabbatai Tzvi, who maintained contact with Ottoman

Saloniki, which was a stronghold of Sabbateanism. 

Cabbalistic and Chassidic rites are still an important part of Jewish tradition, especially in the

USA and Israel. 

Those who speak of the "Judeo-Christian roots of Western culture" thus close their eyes to its

Judeo-Muslim roots and the common spiritual and philosophical tradition of the two religions.

As so often, as well as that which divides, there is also much that unites them.

Nimet Seker

© Qantara.de 2010 

Editor: Lewis Gropp/Qantara.de

Literature: Paul B. Fenton: "Judaism and Sufism" in: "Encyclopaedia of Islamic Philosophy",

edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, published by Suhail Academy, Lahore, 2002, pp. 755-768.

Letter to the Editor Add a comment

Qantara.de

Sufism

A Soft Form of Islam?

Sufism, Islamic mysticism, enjoys great popularity in the West, including in Germany. One of

the reasons for this is that Sufism seems far removed from orthodox Islam. This is only half

right, as Inga Gebauer discovers

Sufi Traditions in Northern Africa

Mysticism as a Means of Fighting Religious Extremism 

Politicians in the Maghreb nations are re-discovering Sufi Islam and its brotherhoods as an

effective means of combating religious extremism. Beat Stauffer reports

Navid Kermani's "Metaphysical Revolts"

Is the Creator a Sadist? 

In his new book Navid Kermani explores the question of divine justice and the meaning of

suffering. His starting point is the Job motif and "The Book of Suffering" by the Persian

mystic Fariduddin Attar. By Lewis Gropp 

Al-Andalus

Jews, Muslims and the Myth of the Interfaith Utopia 

According to Professor Mark R. Cohen of Princeton University, mutual resentment between

Jews and Muslims is a rather new phenomenon. In this article, he investigates the status of

Jewish minorities under both Christian and Muslim rule

Sinopsis: 

Di saat intelektualisme tasawuf pasca Ibn ‘ArabÊ didominasi oleh metafizik WaÍdat al-WujËd, muncul seorang tokoh yang mengkaji ulang dan mengkritik tradisi tersebut. Beliau ialah Imam AÍmad al-FarËqÊ al-SirhindÊ (971H/1563M -1034H/1624M) atau terkenal dengan panggilan Mujaddid al-Alf al-ThÉnÊ dan ImÉm RabbÉnÊ. Dengan kemampuan rohaniah dan ketajaman ilmiahnya, beliau telah mengkritik beberapa aspek ajaran WaÍdat al-WujËd lalu mengungkapkan semula pengalaman ‘Kesatuan’ tersebut dalam bahasa yang lebih menepati kehendak syariah. Pandangan alternatif yang

dibangunkannya sering dijuluki dengan gelaran WaÍdat al-ShuhËd. Namun begitu, di sebalik kemasyhurannya, beliau masih kurang dikenali di Alam Melayu. Justeru, karya yang diusahakan oleh Sdr. Mohd Nasir bin Mohd Tap, Pensyarah Pengajian Islam, Kolej Dar al-Hikmah yang juga Fellow Penyelidik di Akademi Kajian Ketamadunan ini dapatlah dianggap sebagai suatu usaha yang amat berharga khususnya bagi memperkenalkan aspek-aspek pemikiran tokoh penting tersebut. Kami merasa bertuah dapat menerbitkan buku ini yang berbobot dengan analisis ilmiahnya serta terperinci huraiannya. Semoga karya beliau ini dapat menambahkan lagi kepustakaan berbahasa Melayu khususnya di dalam bidang UÎËl al-DÊn dan Pemikiran Islam.

Imam AÍmad bin ‘Abd al-AÍad al-FÉrËqÊ al-SirhindÊ (971H/1563M-1034H/1624M) yang juga dikenali sebagai Mujaddid al-Alf al-ThÉnÊ (Mujaddid Alaf Kedua) dan ImÉm RabbÉnÊ merupakan tokoh penting tasawuf. Kemasyhurannya sering dihubungkan dengan kritikannya terhadap fahaman WaÍdat al-WujËd. Beliau hidup di tengah-tengah krisis akidah dan pemikiran yang melanda umat Islam di India pada era pemerintahan Maharaja Akbar. Beliau tampil sebagai tokoh penyelamat umat dari serangan pemikiran liberal dan inklusivisme-pluralisme agama Din-i Ilahi yang dirasmikan sebagai ‘Agama Negara’ oleh Akbar. Begitu pentingnya tokoh ini, sehinggakan seseorang yang mengkaji perkembangan Islam di India tidak dapat mengabaikan keutamaannya

sebagai perintis rantaian gerakan pembaharuan Islam yang membariskan tokoh-tokoh penting seperti ShÉh Waliyyu ‘LlÉh, ShÉh ‘Abd al-‘AzÊz al-DihlawÊ, Sayyid AÍmad ‘IrfÉn al-ShahÊd, ShÉh ‘Abd al-GhanÊ al-DihlawÊ, Sayyid AÍmad KhÉn, MuÍammad IqbÉl, Sayyid AbË al-A‘lÉ al-MawdËdÊ, Sayyid AbË al-×asan ‘AlÊ al-NadwÊ dan ramai lagi. 

    

Penulis :Mohd Nasir Mohd Tap

ISBN :978-983-41872-6-2

Harga :RM60.00

Follower and Heir of the Prophet: Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi as Mystic

The book under review is the result of the author's doctoral dissertation, submitted in 1989 to the University of Leiden. It deals with the mystical thought of the Indian Muslim Sufi, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, one of the most celebrated figures in the history of Indian Islam. It is based on an extensive examination of Sirhindi's epistles and other works.

Sirhindi has been a subject of numerous works of research, and it is only natural that the author had to start his work where former scholars left off. In many ways, he has been successful in this endeavor. He displays, however, a distinct tendency to refer to works of former scholars mostly when he quotes their conclusions in order to explain why he chose not to deal with certain aspects of Sirhindi's thought or activities, or when he wants to show that his own interpretations differ from those of his predecessors. In the numerous places where he closely follows the work of others, he repeatedly refrains from indicating that certain topics had been dealt with before, mostly in a manner fairly similar to his own. I have noted a dozen such cases. (See pp. 157-58, n. 105, for an exception.) This is cause for regret; ter Haar's book reflects sound research that is in no need of omissions that may be construed as attempts to enhance the appearance of the book's originality.

Journal of the American Oriental Society, The, July-Sept, 1994 by Yohanan Friedmann

When the present reviewer published more then twenty years ago his own study of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, he concluded that Sirhindi was first of all a Sufi and must be evaluated as such; his political views were not very important in his thought and his political influence on the Mughul court was at best marginal. It is gratifying to see that the author of the book under review has been convinced of the correctness of that conclusion, and has refrained from taking up the subject of Sirhindi and politics again. It is to be hoped that the theory of Sirhindi's decisive political influence, which had been so prevalent in scholarship produced at mid-century, has now been finally laid to rest.

J. G. J. ter Haar has rightly devoted his book almost entirely to the exploration of Sufi mysteries, which are the core of Sirhindi's work. The elucidation of the mystical concepts used by Sirhindi is, indeed, one of the main virtues of the book. The author deals lucidly with issues such as Sirhindi's initiation into the Naqshbandi order, his "following" (muta-baat) of the Prophet; concepts such as "wardship" (wilayat), prophethood (nubuwwat), the various mystical "realities" (haqaiq); the mystical path and its various stages; the relationship between God and His creation, and the differences and similarities between the thought of Sirhindi and that of Ibn al-Arabi.

I would now like to give my attention to one detail. On p. 61, the author deals with Sirhindi's view of the fate of non-Muslim children in the hereafter. On the Day of Judgment, minor children of non-Muslims will be reduced to nothing "at least those in non-Muslim lands, for in lands where Muslims live the true religion rubs off on them to a certain extent, enough to accord them entrance to Heaven." Sirhindi's letter quoted by the author (vol. 1, letter 259) mentions separately the children of the polytheists in the dar al-harb and the children of the ahl al-dhimma. It therefore lends itself with some difficulty to this interpretation, but I do not think that this is the correct one. While the children of the People of the Book have some attachment (tabaiyyat) to the abode of Islam (dar al-islam), belief is completely lacking in them; their entrance into Heaven is therefore unimaginable (agarchih tabaiyyat-i dar al-islam bashad chunanchih mar at-fal-i ahl-i dhimma-rast wa iman dar haqq-i inha mutlaq mafqud ast dukhul-i bihisht inha-ra mutasawwar nabashad). On the other hand, eternal suffering in hell can be imposed only as a result of polytheism (shirk) which persists despite the proven imposition of commandments (taklif) of the polytheists in question. Since this is not the case with regard to the minor children of non-Muslims, they cannot be punished, but they can be reduced to nothing (idam): like animals and polytheists who lived in a period in

which no prophets were sent (fatra), they will be neither punished in hell nor rewarded in heaven, but rather "annihilated."

The book has been carefully produced. There is a useful glossary of technical terms. Among the few errors in transliteration, the following deserve to be corrected: on p. 131, read amthal instead of imthal; on p. 150, n. 65, read salli instead of salla; on p. 136, read amanatdar instead of imanatdar.

The value of the book under review lies in the analysis of Sirhindi's mystical concepts, which is more extensive than that of former scholars, and in the reexamination of the relevant source material.

YOHANAN FRIEDMANN THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY

COPYRIGHT 1994 American Oriental SocietyCOPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

SUFI Journal Authors

Title Category Issue

Wallace Putnam Articles 4

Conference Report News 13

Conference Report: 'The Legacy of Medieval

Persian Sufism'

News 8

Persian Sufism News 10

The First Nimatullahi Center in Africa News 6

The Opening of a New Nimatullahi Center in

Australia

News 14

The Legacy of Medieval Persian Sufism Speech 6

The Dog from a Sufi Point of View Stories 4

Abid MohiuddinTitle Category Issue

Awakening Poetry 30

Craving Poetry 20

Eternal Quest Poetry 19

Love Poetry 21

Merciful Waves Poetry 32

Merging of the Souls Poetry 27

Adam DupreTitle Category Issue

Expression and the Inexpressible Articles 23

Service and Freedom Articles 29

Akhtar Ali BasitTitle Category Issue

The Mystic Trumpeter Stories 26

Alex CowieTitle Category Issue

Alone on This Path Poetry 62

Avoidance Poetry 45

Balancing Poetry 37

Beyond Measure Poetry 15

Day of Execution Poetry 55

Dear Friend Poetry 60

Donkeys Poetry 65

Foolish Dream Poetry 48

Forgetfulness Poetry 43

I Know Poetry 44

If You Wish Poetry 4

Lost Forever Poetry 33

Mask Poetry 51

Mercy Poetry 17

My Ship Sails Close to Fire Poetry 5

Nativity Poetry 31

Nearness Poetry 29

Open Window Poetry 61

Optimystic Message for the Nafs Poetry 25

Purification Poetry 39

Raging Madness Poetry 46

Ransom, o Beloved Poetry 7

Stepping into Infinity Poetry 63

Surrender Poetry 16

The Real Poetry 47

The Reckless Moth Poetry 53

The Scent of Your Moon Poetry 50

The Serpent Poetry 36

The Truth Poetry 66

The Turning Tide Poetry 26

Vain Pretensions Poetry 27

When We Meet Poetry 30

Your Eyes Poetry 21

Love Stories 20

Ali A. MazhariTitle Category Issue

A Remembrance of Mr. Niktab Narratives 59

Attar's story of Shaikh San'an Retold Stories 4

Layla and Majnun Stories 12

Moses and the Shepherd Stories 3

The Old Harpist Stories 1

The Parrot and the Merchant Stories 6

The Seven Valleys of Love Stories 7

Alireza NurbakhshTitle Category Issue

Bayazidian Sufism: Annihilation without Ritual Articles 46

The Nimatullahi Order Articles 1

Love's Disciple: Some Recollections About Mr.

Kobari

Stories 17

Amin Yousef OdehTitle Category Issue

The Language of the Sublime: A Partial Reading of

the Works of al-Niffari

Articles 38

Ana Maria Schluter RodesTitle Category Issue

The Experience of the Beautiful in Zen Articles 53

Annalisa Orselli-DicksonTitle Category Issue

Epiphanies of Light Articles 40

Reading the Tracks Articles 33

Annemarie SchimmelTitle Category Issue

Abo'l-Hosayn an-Nuri Qebla of the Lights Articles 15

Eros-Heavenly and not so Heavenly-in Sufi

Literature and Life

Articles 29

Maulali Near Hyderabad Articles 19

Yusof in Mawlana Rumi's Poetry Articles 10

At the End of the Journey Poetry 12

December Evening Poetry 17

First Beloved Poetry 13

In Flight Poetry 11

Indian Sufi Shrines Poetry 6

Make Me Thirsty Poetry 7

Most Gently Poetry 16

Nightingales Under the Snow Poetry 20

On the Road to Konya Poetry 5

Only You Poetry 8

Revisiting Mawlana Rumi and Konya Poetry 1

The Path Poetry 9

Variations on Mawlana Rumi's Thoughts Poetry 4

Annouchka BayleyTitle Category Issue

I in You Poetry 43

Arnold CombrinckTitle Category Issue

Ibrahim Adham Articles 60

Ma'ruf Karkhi Articles 57

Sari Saqati Articles 58

Arnold CumbrinckTitle Category Issue

Da'ud Tai Articles 56

Muhammad b Fadl Balkhi Articles 66

Ayeda Husan NaqviTitle Category Issue

My Simurgh Articles 56

Ayman El-MohandesTitle Category Issue

His Beam of Light Poetry 7

Barbara SargentTitle Category Issue

The Role of Spirituality in the Healing of the World

Community

Articles 58

Barry McDonaldTitle Category Issue

Immanence Poetry 53

Orison Poetry 57

The Refuge Poetry 65

Vigil Poetry 56

Bill WintersTitle Category Issue

The Moment is a Godsend Stories 20

The Poor Old Goat Stories 2

Caleb LennonTitle Category Issue

The Trick Poetry 30

Cameron KhosraviTitle Category Issue

Abu Ishaq Shirazi (Bushaq) Articles 66

The Realm of Music in Sufism and Beyond Articles 61

The Realm of Music in Sufism and Beyond (Part II) Articles 63

Camran ChaichianTitle Category Issue

'I's' Mist Poetry 46

Carl W. ErnstTitle Category Issue

Sufism and Yoga According to Muhammad Ghawth Articles 29

The Interpretation of the Classical Sufi Tradition in

India

Articles 22

The Stages of Love in Early Persian Sufism, From

Rabe'a to Ruzbehan

Articles 14

The Symbolism of Birds and Flight in the Writings of

Ruzbehan Bagli

Articles 11

Carol BaldwinTitle Category Issue

Mohasaba: The Sufi Way of Self-Examination Articles 17

The Spiritual Journey Articles 2

The Sufi Path Discourse 6

Carol Martinez WeberTitle Category Issue

Back to Africa: A Tale about Baggage Narratives 59

Silence Narratives 58

Slowly, Slowly: A Story of Initiation Narratives 57

A Moment's Breath Poetry 10

A Pansy Poetry 6

Carole GarfieldTitle Category Issue

A Flower Poetry 10

Caroline McCutcheonTitle Category Issue

Rabe'a, The Lover of God Biographical 2

The Song of Unity Poetry 9

Voice of Return Poetry 20

The Blessing of a Friend Stories 17

The Bounty of a Friend Stories 21

The Call of a Friend Stories 18

The Cross of a Friend Stories 25

The Light of a Friend Stories 23

The Mirror of a Friend Stories 22

The Vision of a Friend Stories 19

Charles UptonTitle Category Issue

Romance, Virtue and Character Development Articles 63

Inside God Poetry 56

Jamshid's Cup Poetry 44

The Bitter Edge Poetry 42

The Message Bearer Poetry 24

The Salt of the Guide Poetry 6

Yours Poetry 43

The Fakir with the Golden Cloak Stories 23

Claude AddasTitle Category Issue

The Experience and Doctine of Love in Ibn 'Arabi Articles 63

Clive BayleyTitle Category Issue

Gamblers Awake! Poetry 66

D. R. JirgensonsTitle Category Issue

It is the Infinite That Holds Your Hand Articles 66

Dani KopoulosTitle Category Issue

Test Drive Narratives 66

David CaganTitle Category Issue

The Staff of Moses Poetry 14

Debbie StahlTitle Category Issue

Unmasked Poetry 44

Deborah O'Brien BellTitle Category Issue

Devotion Poetry 33

Deirdre ConwayTitle Category Issue

Islamic Calligraphy: Medium of Transcendence Articles 13

Dharmachari PadmavajraTitle Category Issue

A Glimpse Inside the Tavern of Ruin Articles 55

Donald RaicheTitle Category Issue

A Small Flame In Our Hands Articles 61

Dorothy BuckTitle Category Issue

Mary and the Virgin Heart Part I Articles 24

Mary and the Virgin Heart Part II Articles 28

Dorothy C. BuckTitle Category Issue

A Model of Hope: Louis Massigonon's Badaliya Articles 59

A Shared Muslim-Christian Pilgrimage Articles 65

Louis Massignon and Mariam Baouardy Articles 62

Saint Joan and the Virgin Heart Articles 35

The Nativity: A Conversion of Heart Articles 31

Voicing the Inexpressible: The Virgin Heart of

Christian/Islamic Dialogue

Articles 39

Dorothy Judd HallTitle Category Issue

The Way She Looked Poetry 29

Dr Adam Nayyar and Dr Vikas BhushanTitle Category Issue

Intoxicated Spirit: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Art

of Qawalli

Articles 44

Dr. Javad NurbakhshTitle Category Issue

Love and the Heart Articles 1

The Characteristics of Sufism in the Early Islamic

Period

Articles 13

The Psychology of Masters and Traditional

Physicians

Articles 50

The Psychology of Masters and Traditional

Physicians, Part II

Articles 51

Munes 'Ali Shah Biographical 18

A Selfless Master Discourse 37

Absence and Presence Discourse 11

Annihilation and Subsistence Discourse 12

Anxiety Discourse 39

Associating with the ocean Discourse 50

Attraction and Social Conduct on the Path Discourse 23

Becoming a Disciple Discourse 54

Chivalry Discourse 45

Chivalry and Sufism Discourse 3

Constancy Discourse 10

Detachment from the World Discourse 17

Devotion Discourse 35

Divine Reality Discourse 47

Festival Discourse 21

Freewill and Determination Discourse 24

From Self-worship to God-worship Discourse 63

Giving Priority to Others Discourse 44

God's Feast and the School of Love Discourse 60

God's Grace Discourse 59

God's Remembrance Discourse 61

Guiding Others Discourse 53

Light and Darkness Discourse 65

Love and Desire Discourse 11

Love and Reason Discourse 46

Love: The Path of Unity Discourse 19

Master and Disciple Discourse 32

Neither Offending Nor Taking Offense Discourse 56

One Who Knows One's Self Knows One's Lord Discourse 31

Pain and Cure Discourse 16

Pilgrimage Discourse 33

Practicing Right and Forbearing Wrong Discourse 27

Principles of the Path Discourse 49

Reason and Love Discourse 9

Serving Others Discourse 43

Sin and Merit for Sufis Discourse 25

Spiritual Combat Discourse 29

Submission Discourse 14

Sufi Love Discourse 20

Sufis Who Are Disciples of Their Own Imaginations Discourse 30

Sufism and Psychoanalysis Discourse 5

Sufism and Psychoanalysis (Part II) Discourse 6

Sufism Today Discourse 55

The Call of Love Discourse 19

The Chivalry of Iranian Sufis Discourse 58

The Drop and the Ocean Discourse 28

The Etiquette and Ethics of Sufis Discourse 15

The Evolution of Sufism: From its Origins to the

Present Day

Discourse 34

The Family of Sufis Discourse 36

The Gnostic and The Sufi Discourse 66

The Intellect Discourse 38

The Message of Sufism Discourse 57

The Origin of Sufi Symbolism Discourse 64

The Prerequisites for the Path Discourse 51

The Principles of Sufism Discourse 62

The Prisoners of the Nafs Discourse 40

The Remembrance of God Discourse 2

The Sincerity of the Sufi Discourse 2

The Sufi Path Discourse 7

The Sufi's God Discourse 4

The Sufi's Prayer and Fasting Discourse 1

Travelling and Social Conduct on the Path Discourse 22

Two Approaches to the Principle of the Unity of

Being

Discourse 8

Unbelief Discourse 26

Who is a Sufi Discourse 41

Who is a Sufi Discourse 42

Why Nimatullahi Sufis Say Ya Haqq Discourse 52

Veracity and Sincerity Discourses 48

All Existence Poetry 53

Behold Poetry 36

Cannot Be Done Poetry 60

Come! Poetry 22

Desiring You Poetry 15

Discourse of Thought Poetry 26

For You Poetry 52

Harken to God Poetry 8

Harken to the Reed-Player Poetry 7

He is Living, He is Truth, He is 'He' Poetry 37

He is the Truth Poetry 57

Hearken to the Master

I have read somewhere that the discourse on freedom started from two short dialogues in an ancient

land. One dialogue shows that freedom is a privilege granted from on high by the sovereign for his

subjects to enjoy on condition that they do not ‘misbehave.’ The second dialogue tells us that freedom

is a right so fundamental that no sovereign can take it away for whatever reason.

Now don’t we all wish that the second dialogue holds true for all our life experiences and that all

sovereigns recognize this? If it were so, indeed we would not have to gather here to talk about it. Alas,

we are told time and time again that freedom can never be absolute and that for every right there is a

corresponding duty. So when your freedom is taken away there must always be some justification. I

am neither an anarchist nor a libertarian if by these labels we mean a belief in absolute freedom and

minimalist government whatever that really means. But I do believe that certain liberties are so

fundamental that no sovereign or state or power should be allowed to take them away.

Herman Hesse tells us in Demian that to get to the bottom of a story, sometimes one needs to go back

not just to our childhood days, but even many generations before that. Well, we don’t have that luxury

here. So, to recount my story about freedom, I will modestly go back to just about forty years ago

when I experienced my first major encounter with the powers that be. This episode would be followed

by another two, one more insidious and vicious than the previous ones. In this first encounter, the

main thrust was the fight for social justice. We were championing the cause of the poor, against the

rich and powerful. Unemployment was high and many families in the rural areas were so destitute that

there was literally no food on the table. As the famine spread, riots broke out in the North and nation-

wide demonstrations erupted.

When the authorities detained me for ‘activities prejudicial to the security of the state’, I knew at once

that this was not going to be a simple case of going through the judicial process of them proving my

guilt and I maintaining my innocence.

This was because there was to be no trial where I could defend myself against the charges. This was

the Internal Security Act – a catch-all piece of legislation that allows for indefinite detention without

trial. There was no need for a defence lawyer because I wasn’t going to be given the opportunity to

make my case and get myself out. With the stroke of a pen, I was to be detained for two years.

Freedom was to be replaced by incarceration. The ‘crimes’ that I had committed were meeting up with

leaders of NGOs, giving motivation talks to student leaders, fraternizing with leaders of the Opposition

parties and of course addressing the people in public rallies and demonstrations.

Without meaning to sound overly presumptuous, I would characterize this encounter as the first in a

series of battles between the forces of freedom and the forces of tyranny.

The second phase began on September 2, 1998, two weeks after I was unconstitutionally sacked as

Deputy Prime Minister. On that fateful night, a balaclava-clad gang of commandos armed with assault

rifles stormed into my house while I was holding a peaceful press conference witnessed by thousands

of friends and supporters. I was later forced into a van, blindfolded and taken on a terror ride without a

clue as to where I would be taken or what was going to happen to me. Hours later, I was shoved into a

cell still blind folded and handcuffed. It wasn’t too long before I heard footsteps approaching and

getting louder. The next thing I knew was that blows were raining on me from left, right and centre. I

passed out, and the rest, as they say, is history, though in this case the history will repeat itself in

some other form which I shall recount momentarily.

So, in one fell swoop, the law as mighty as Leviathan banished me from the halls of power into the

labyrinth of solitary confinement. It would be another six years before I could walk out a free man.

Reading Hamlet’s ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy would never be the same again; or Solzhenitsyn’s One

Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, or Ibn Tufail’s Hayy ibn Yaqdhan which had inspired Defoe’s

Robinson Crusoe. The point is, even though I had graduated much earlier with a two-year diploma in

the Science of Incarceration, deprivation of freedom is not something one can readily get used to. Yet,

when contemplating the larger issues that went far beyond my own world, loneliness and despondence

gave way to a renewed zeal and hope for better days to come.

Questions more urgent and more compelling such as why were we still stuck with a prison’s system

almost a century old. What kind of criminal justice system do we have that sanctions a fourteen-year

old boy to be kept in prison awaiting trial just for stealing a few cans of sardine from a supermarket?

Or on what grounds could our law makers justify whipping another human being simply because he

had worked in the country without a permit?

Now, mind you, this was happening in a so-called democracy where fundamental liberties are

supposed to be constitutionally guaranteed. But here I had been bashed up by someone no less than

the Inspector General of Police with the blessing of the Prime Minister, who then had the audacity to

tell the world that my injuries were self-inflicted.

We are dealing here with a systemic breakdown of the rule of law, of governance and of accountability,

and of the insidious abuse of power.

Then came phase three which began in the wake of March 8, 2008 when the people of Malaysia finally

said that enough was enough by voting into power the Opposition to head five states in the State

elections and denying the ruling party their long held two third majority in the Federal Parliament.

In this third phase, the assault on freedom is launched from all angles – full frontal attacks, flank

encroachment and rear ambush. The entire state apparatus is employed, tax payers’ money used to

promote personal and vested party interests and all other means utilized to perpetuate power. The

organs of state power are exploited to the fullest. Bribery, corruption, intimidation, harassment and

persecution are part and parcel of this ignominious process to maintain power. To give the powers that

be the mantle of legitimacy in the eyes of the world, international lobbyists are paid millions of the

people’s money, using the modus operandi not quite different from those adopted in propping up tin

pot dictatorships and authoritarian governments not too long ago.

When the Federal Court, that is, Malaysia’s highest court of the land acquitted me of the frivolous

charges in 2004, there was talk that this was exoneration for the judiciary; that indeed henceforth,

judges in Malaysia were now finally able to decide without fear or favour. I expressed my doubts even

then in as much as an acquittal for one man is no vindication of the entire judiciary.

And history repeats itself. The judiciary continues to be emasculated. The current charges leveled

against me are again politically motivated and the judicial process is again flawed from day one. When

the law is subjugated to the tyranny of politics, the administration of justice becomes both farcical and

perverse. The judiciary is then transformed into principals in the destruction of the very process they

were entrusted to protect. The Internal Security Act still continues to be used arbitrarily against those

seen as threats to the ruling elite. Decisions favourable to the people are overturned on appeal to the

higher courts as integrity and moral conviction are thrown out the judicial window. This is the crux of

the problem. Under these circumstances, can we expect the judges assigned to try me to act

according to the dictates of justice and good conscience and not the dictates of the political masters?

So freedom is not just about overthrowing colonial powers and foreign oppressors. Today, more than

half a century after independence, many societies continue to fight oppression from within, to fight the

tyranny of governments which have the trappings of democracy but are corrupt and self-serving at the

core.

As we all know, this battle for freedom will rage on because freedom is so central that no society is

devoid of its conception. At the same time, because of its centrality, freedom will continue to be under

siege and remain a target to be hunted down and destroyed by those who are threatened by it. So

they will enact laws, rules and regulations, conditions and pre-conditions in order to deprive us of what

is our right. Indeed, as the great humanist Henry Thoreau once said, the law will never make men free.

It is men who have got to make the law free.

Thank you.

Pakatan Rakyat Sarawak Mara Membawa

Agenda Perubahan

Hari ini merupakan hari penamaan calon buat Pilihanraya Kecil Sibu. Pakatan Rakyat meletakkan Sdr

Wong Ho Leng; ahli dewan undangan negeri kawasan Bukit Assek sebagai wakil menentang calon

barisan nasional. Sdr Wong merupakan aktivis yang berpengalaman dan cekal memperjuangkan hak

rakyat Sarawak.

Saya juga mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan selamat maju jaya dan berusaha sedaya

mungkin kepada jentera Pakatan Rakyat. Berusahalah memenangkan Pakatan Rakyat demi membawa

Perubahan serta Kemaslahatan buat Sarawak dan rakyatnya.

Gerhard Böwering has been Professor of Religious Studies in Islamic Studies since 1984. He taught previously

at the University of Pennsylvania and has been a visiting professor at the University of Innsbruck, Princeton

University, and the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. He has published Mystical Vision of Existence in

Classical Islam: The Qur'anic Hermeneutics of the Sufi Sahl at-Tustari (d. 283/896), The Minor Quar'an

Commentay of al-Sulami (Ziyadat haq'iq al-tafsir), Beirut 1995, 2nd ed. 1997, as well as numerous articles,

including those in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, the Encyclopedia of the Qur'an, and the Encyclopaedia Iranica.

Work in progress includes the following books: Islam and Christianity: the Inner Dymanics of Two Cultures of

Belief, Notre Dame University Press 2007; and The Dreams and Labors of a Central Asian Muslim Mystic. He

was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (2005-2006) and fellowships from the Institute for the

Advanced Study, Princeton (1992 and 2006). In 2004-2005 he gave the Erasmus Lectures at Notre Dame.

BENGKEL PENGISLAMAN ILMU (2) 2008 AKADEMI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA

Masa : 8:45pg - 5:00ptg

Tarikh : 18 Oktober 2008

Tempat : Bilek Mesyuarat, Jabatan Matematik, UPM

Anjuran : INSPEM (UPM) dan Akademi Sains Islam Malaysia (ASASI)

Kosmologi Sufi: Ilmu Yang Tertinggi dalam Pandangan Sains Islam

Shahidan RadimanPusat Pengajian Fizik GunaanFakulti Sains dan Teknologi

UKM , Bangi 43600 , Selangor D.EE-mail: shahidan@ukm.my

I. Pengenalan

Tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa ilmu para anbiya’ Allah dan kekasih Allah ( waliyullah) merupakan ilmu

yang tertinggi , sebahagiannya yang dapat dicerap secara zahir berupa mukjizat dan keramat namun

bahagian yang batin atau asrar hanya dapat dicerap oleh para ahli makrifat ( ahli Sufi muhaqqiqin) .

Dalam banyak kajian perbandingan yang dilakukan oleh para sarjana Muslim dan sarjana Barat , seolah-

olah terdapat percanggahan di antara Islam yang diamalkan oleh majoriti Muslim dengan ahli Sufi

(kebanyakannya kumpulan Tarekat) dan juga percanggahan di antara pelaksanaan syariat dan

muamalat yang diamalkan oleh kebanyakan orang islam berbanding orang Sufi. Ada dua sebab mengapa

perbezaan itu seolah-olah wujud, pertama kerana para pengkaji kurang memahami amalan (zahir dan

batin) orang Sufi dan kedua , atas sebab tujuan tertentu (politik , munafik , sabotaj dan lain-lain) untuk

memburukan dan mempertelagahkan pelbagai golongan dalam Islam , sedangkan jelas terdapat tiga

golongan dari segi pengamalan Islam iaitu awam, khawass dana khawasul khawass. Kertas ini cuba

menghuraikan beberapa aspek kosmologi Sufi dengan tujuan agar sebahagian daripada ilmu dan

amalan mereka dapat difahami , sebahagian besar daripadanya merupakan amalan batin Rasulullah

s.a.w dan mengaitkan aspek Kosmologi Alam Semesta ( alam kabir) dengan Kosmologi Insan ( alam

saghir). Dengan cara ini maka jelaslah hubungan harmoni di antara manusia dan alam semesta , yang

kedua-duanya merupakan makhluk yang semestinya menyembah dan mengabdikan diri kepada Maha

Penciptanya.

II. Sejarah Ringkas Perkembangan Sufi

Daripada banyak kajian yang di lakukan oleh banyak sarjana khasnya oleh sarjana Barat dapat

disimpulkan bahawa aliran Sufi ini dikembangkan oleh Hasan Al-Basri , tetapi bibit pendidikan dan

amalan zahir dan batin bagi aliran ini banyak diambil dari Saidina Ali , Abu Hurairah , Salman Al-Farisi

dan beberapa sahabat lain yang rapat dengan Rasulullah s.a.w. Banyak juga amalan batiniah yang

diambil dari Saidina Hasan dan Husin serta ahlil bayt yang lain termasuk Jaafar As-Sadiq. Banyak kajian

telah dilakukan untuk memahami kosmologi sufi di antaranya bagi aliran Ishraqi ( Ayn Qudat Hamadani ,

Suhrawardi Maqtul ) , aliran Malamati -Qalandar ( Abu Sayd Abil Khair , al Qusayri , al Kalabadzi dll) ,

aliran Isyik ((Umar Ibn Farid, Jalaludin Rumi , Sultan Bahu , Baba Tahir Orayan dll) dan banyak lagi aliran .

Hujjatul Islam Imam al-Ghazali telah dapat menyintesiskan aliran falsafah kalam dengan aliran sufi yang

kemudiannya diikuti oleh Ahmad Sirhind dan Shah Waliyullah Dehlawi.

Zaman moden sekarang (pasca 2000) aliran Sufi sudah begitu pesat berkembang di Barat dan

merupakan satu mod atau pendekatan pengislaman penduduk Barat yang paling pesat membangun

dengan pelbagai khanqah dan zawiyah ditubuhkan di seluruh Amerika dan Eropah mengikut model

tradisional khasnya model Morokko dan Tunisia. Dapat dirasai bahawa minat Barat terhadap Sufisme

banyak berkait dengan hal kesihatan jiwa atau psikologi jiwa. Amalan zikir dan cara ahli Sufi berfikir dan

bermuamalat ( dibandingkan cara majority amalan Muslim yang awam) nampaknya telah dapat menarik

minat ramai orang Barat yang rata-rata adalah ateis atau hanya Kristian ikut-ikutan. Kosmologi sufi

mencangkum psikologi dan amalan perubatan ( lihat Laleh Bakhtiar (1) ). Banyak kajian telah dilakukan

terhadap amalan dan kosmologi Sufi ( sila lihat rujukan di Lampiran 1,2 oleh Ken Lizzio (2)). Kertas ini

hanya memberikan satu ringkasan dan pengkategorian kosmologi Sufi berdasarkan perkembangan

terkini.

III. Sains Islam dan Sufisme

Dalam zaman dimana manusia semakin rakus terhadap pembangunan material , Islam yang

menekankan aspek akhirat lebih daripada aspek dunia , pahala lebih daripada harta dan amalan lebih

dari hasilkerja tangan semakin luntur daripada pemahaman dan keutuhan akidah ummah. Maka Sains

islam yang pernah dibangunkan oleh golongan ahli kalam bagi menangani masalah alam ghaib dan sudut

batin Islam secara rasional perlu dikembangkan dan digiatkan lagi pengkajian dan penghayatannya agar

ummah tidak akan tenggelam dengan arus kerakusan material dan harta serta pangkat yang

sebenarnya direka oleh manusia juga. Bidang sufisme yang berkembangan semenjak Hasan al-Basri

(yang belajar daripada beberapa sahabat Nabi s.a.w termasuk cicit Nabi s.a.w iaitu Jaafar as Sadiq ) dan

seterusnya pemuka-pemuka Baghdad yang lain seperti Sirri as-Saqoti dan Junaid al Baghdadi dan Rabiah

al Adawiyyah semakin tercabar pada zaman perkembangan aliran Muktazilah dan kemudiannya

golongan syariati atas nama penyucian agama daripada bid’ah oleh Ibn Taimiyyah. Salah seorang guru

Sufi terkenal yang digelar Sheikh al-Akbar ialah Ibn Arabi al-Hatimi yang telah menukilkan lebih 350

kitab aliran ini , tidak pernah ditentang oleh mana-mana ulama yang muktabar pada zamannya

mahupun dalam masa 200 tahun selepas kematiannya tetapi mula dipertikaikan oleh ulama lain selepas

itu. Di alam Melayu , tulisan Ibn Arabi dan tulisan ahli Sufi lain yang sealiran antaranya dari tareqat

Naqshabandiyah , Shattariyah , Ahmadiah dan Rifaiyah yang mendukong ajaran martabat tujuh , Nur

Muhammad dan wihdatul wujud memang senang diterima (lihat beberapa tulisan mengenainya oleh

Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady (3)) . Ini kerana , konsep dan amalan yang diterapkan di Nusantara

yang diperkenalkan oleh Wali Sembilan adalah dalam aliran ini , diperkuatkan lagi oleh tokoh-tokoh Sufi

Nusantara seperti Hamzah Fansuri , Samshuddin Sumatrani , Abdul Rauf Singkel, Sheikh Abdul Muhyi ,

Abdul Samad al-Palembangi dan tokoh-tokon Pattani seperti Sh. Daud al-Fatani dan lain-lain. Hanya

dalam kes Hamzah Fansuri , beliau telah ditentang oleh Nurudin al-Raniri tetapi itupun selepas

kematiannya – dan huraian tentang kesilapan hujjah Nurudin al-Raniri terhadap Hamzah Fansuri

menjadi tajuk tesis terkenal Syed Naquib al-Attas yang diserahkan kepada Univ. of London pada tahun

1972. Dari banyak segi , pandangan dan tulisan para ahli Sufi sukar digugat – antaranya disebabkan oleh

bagaimana ilmu dan hikmah pada ahli Sufi muhaqqiqin itu didapatkan terus daripada ilmu para anbiya’

dan pengajaran langsung daripada Allah s.w.t sendiri. Pembuktian ilmu pada ahli Sufi didapatkan secara

dzauqi dan pengalaman langsung , tidak kepada rasional atau jalan pemikiran yang boleh dikelaskan

sebagai tasauf falsafi. Bagi pembaca yang berminat terhadap pemikiran tasauf dan Sufisme terkini

bolehlah merujuk kepada kitab Abdul Qadir Isa berjudul “ Haqaiq at Tasawuf” (4).

IV. Wujud dan wajibul wujud *

Wujud dan wajibul wujud merujuk kepada kewujudan Allah s.w.t sebelum Dia memperkenalkan dirinya

kepada makhluk. Dalam hiraki Martabat tujuh ini bermakna di dalam alam ahdah ini semua makhluk,

ilmu tentang makhluk dan apa yang akan terjadi di masa depan terpendam dalam Diri Allah yang Esa

dan Azali itu (lihat Lampiran 1) .Selepas terjadinya makhluk melalui alam wahdah , alam ahadiyah , alam

ruh, alam ajsam dan alam insan itu maka tauhid yang sebenar yang boleh dikekalkan dihuraikan oleh

konsep wihdatul wujud. Bagi aliran Sufi , pemahaman tentang “asal usul” kejadian manusia wajib

diketahui untuk mencapai hakikat penghambaan kepada Tuhan dan mencapai maqam mengenal diri.

Tuhan yang ghaibul ghuyub itu tak bakal akan dapat diketahui tetapi dengan mencapai makam

mengenal diri , maka manusia ini akan dapat berhubung dan berkata-kata dengan Tuhannya .

Pentingnya pemikiran dan tafakur tentang ketuhanan dan tuhid banyak disebut dalam Al-Quran. Junaid

al Baghdadi sendiri pernah berkata : Majlis yang paling mulia ialah duduk dalam medan tauhid dengan

berfikir. Di sebabkan perjalanan ahli kalam yang dating dari pelbagai latarbelakang dan kecenderungan

yang lebih kepada rasionalisasi ( bukan pengimbangan rasionalisasi dengan sunnah ) maka Imam al-

Ghazali kemudiannya dapat mengimbangi dan menjadi aliran Sufi yang dapat diterima ramai . Banyak

daripada ulama Melayu menganggap Imam al-Ghazali tergolong dalam aliran Ishraqi ( lihat misalannya

buku Hikmah Ishraqi oleh Mohd. Zaidi Abdullah). Menurut Ibn Ajibah ( salah seorang pemuka Sufi yang

member I Syarah kepada Kital Hikam Ibn Athaillah) berkata:

Fikir merupakan jalan hati menujut hadhirat Rabb. Ia mempunyai dua bahagian: Pertama, fikir yang

membenar dan berserta dengan iman dan kedua , fikir syuhud dan a’yan. Tiada sesuatu yang lebih

bermenafaat bagi hati berbanding uzlah yang disertai dengan fikir.

Dalam perjalanan menuju hakikat wujud ( alam khalq – semua makhluk yang diciptakan Allah) dan

wajibul wujud (Allah s.w.t sendiri), ada di antara mereka (ahli Sufi yang sampai ke peringkat wahdatul

af’al (perbuatan) iaitu secara dzauq dan syuhud. Ini dibuktikan oleh ayat 17 surah al-Anfal :

Dan bukan kamu yang melontar ketika kamu melontar akan tetapi Allahlah yang melontar”.

Ada ahli Sufi yang mencapai maqam wahdatus sifat secara dzauq dan syuhud. Dia mengecapi makna

yang difirmankan oleh Allh s.wt iaitu ayat 30 surah al Insan:

Dan tidak kamu menghendaki kecuali bila dikehendaki Allah s.w.t

Serta apa yang dihurai oleh hadiths iaitu:

Maka apabila Aku menyintainya, Aku menjadi pendengaran yang dia mendengar dan penglihata yang

dia melihat dengannya.

Peringkat ini juga boleh dianggap sebagai satu peringkat wusul.

Diperingkat yang lebih tinggi lagi ialah maqam fana’ fizzat lalu dia menyaksikan sifat segala sesuatu

berlawanan dengan kewujudan Allah s.w.t. Dia mengecapi apa yang disebut dalam hadiths:

Kalimah paling benar yang dikatakan pentyair ialah kata-kata Labid: Ingatlah segala sesuatu selain

Allah itu adalah batil………..

Syuhud dan a’yan itu merupakan keadaan seseorang itu tercengang dan bingung dengan kebesaran

yang ditunjukkan serta rahsia yanag ditunjukkan oleh Allah s.w.t kepadanya , sehingga dia terdiam dan

tidak dapat berkata-kata. Itu sebabnya beberapa pemuka Sufi membawa doa “ Wahai Allah s.w.t ,

jadikanlah aku lebih bingung lagi!”.

*Ustaz Mohd Zaidi Abdullah telah mencadangkan agar “wujud dan wajibul wujud” menjadi titiktolak

Pengislaman Ilmu atau Pengislaman Sains.

V. Memandang ke Alam Malakut dan Jabarut dengan Mata Batin (Basyirah)

Sheikh Ahmad al-Rifai ( kitab Al Burhan Al-Muayyad) menulis:

Daripada takut akan timbulnya muhasabah. Daripada muhasabah akan timbulnya muraqabah dan

daripada muraqabah , hati akan sentiasa sibuk bersama Allah s.w.t.

Dari sini jelas bahawa kaum Sufi lebih mementingkan pekerjaan dan lintasan hati , walaupun syariat

tetap diutamakan. Tareqat adalah jalan menuju kepada Allah s.w.t yang diambil cara dan jalannya dari

kalangan para sahabat r.a dan tabiin, sedangkan hakikat dipelajari melalui guru yang mursyid yang telah

dibenarkan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w sendiri secara ladunni , mimpi atau rukyah sedangkan makrifat adalah

pemberian dan anugerah Allah kepada mereka yang sentiasa mendampingi (syuhbah) para ulama Sufi

yang muhaqqiqin .

Ajakan kepada jalan tareqat iaitu jalan mengenal diri dan setrusnya mengenal Allah s.w.t demi mencapai

ilmu yang tertinggi ( iaitu ilmu tentang Ketuhanan) disebut dalam al-Quran dalam surah Az Zaariyat ayat

50:

Maka segeralah kembali kepada Allah , sesungguhnya aku seorang pemberi peringatan yang nyata

daripada Allah untukmu.

Itu sebabnya salah satu tanda bahawa seseorang itu diterima dalam jalan tareqat ( jalan suluk , jalan

menyendiri ) ialah selalunya bermimpi berjumpa dengan paran Nabi a.s termasuk Rasulullah s.a. dan

kemudiannya dengan para sahabat r.a , tabiin atau waliyullah yang lain , termasuk para malaikat.

Panggilan untuk bersama (syuhbah) dengan ulama muhaqqiqin ( guru mursyid , termasuk para arwah

yang menjadi kekasih Allah s.w.t) disebut dalam firman Allah s,.wt dalam surah Taubah ayat 119:

Wahai orang yang beriman , bertaqwalah kamu kepada Allah dan hendaklah kamu bersama dengan

orang yang benar.

Mereka mengajak untuk kembali kepada Allah ( surge dunia ketika hidup dan surge akhirat selepas mati)

seperti yang difirmankan dalam surah Al-Qamar ayat 55:

Ditempat yang disenangi (penuh kebahagiaan) di sisi Tuhan yang Maha Berkuasa .

Jelas bahawa perjalanan pemula ahli Sufi (salik) adalah perjalanan batiniah diikuti dengan perubahan

kepada zahiriah dan setrusnya pembaikan kepada batiniah itu sehingga salik itu dapat melihat secara

batiniah alam-alam malakut dan alam jabarut serta mencapai kenikmatan beribadat ( surga dunia)

samada sendirian ( biasanya membawa zikir mufrad dan lain-lain isim ) mahupun berjemaah ( khalwah ,

uzlah , qiyamullail dan muzakarah secara berkelompok).

Para ahli Sufi juga banyak membuat perbezaan di antara amal-amal orang awam , khawas dan khawasul

khawass. Sebagai contohnya , Ibn Ajibah ( dalam kitab Mikraj at Tasawuf Ila Haqaiq at Tasawuf)

menukilkan dalam bentuk nazam (tentang khauf- takut kepada Allah s.w.t):

Khauf awam daripada siksaan dan luput pahala

Khauf khusus daripada celaan Allah dan jauh daripadaNya

Sementara khauf khususul khusus daripada terhijab dengan buruk tingkahlaku dan adab sopan

terhadapNya.

Seterusnya beliau berkata tentang raja” (harapan kepada Allah s.w.t) sebagai berikut:

Raja’ orang awam ialah sebaik-baik tempat kembali dan memperolehi ganjaran pahala, raja’ khawass

ilah mencapai keredhaan dan kedekatan dengan Allah s.w.t sementara raja’ khasul khawass ialah

tamkin dalam syuhud serta bertambah peningkatan terhadap rahsia-rahsia Allah s.w.t yang merupakan

Raja Yang DiSembah.

Kaum Sufi adalah kaum melakukan amal kerana ingin mendapatkan surga atau kerana takutkan neraka,

seperti dalam satu riwayat tentang satu kumpulan ahli ibadat yang ditemui Nabi Isa a.s : Nabi Isa a.s

bertanya “ Siapakah kamu? “. Mereka menjawab : Kami adalah pencinta kepada Allah . Kami tidak

menyembah Allah kerana takut nerakaNya dan tidak pula kerana rindu kepada surganya, akan tetapi

kerana cinta kami kepadaNya dan membesarkan keagunganNya . Maka Nabi Isa a.s pun berkata : Kamu

adalah wali-wali Allah yang sebenarnya . Sesungguhnya aku diperintah untuk berada bersamamu dan

menyeru yang lain.

Kaum Sufi mengenal Islam dan melaksanakan syariatnya melalui pengalaman-pengalaman yang dibuka

oleh Allah untuk melihat kebesaranNya. Lalu mereka mendapat didikan melalui para waliyullah , para

nabi a.s ( secara ladunni) dan melalui ilham daripada Allah s.w.t sendiri. Banyak dari ilmu para Sufi

adalah melalui jalan kasyaf seperti yang ditunjuki oleh hadiths:

Kalaulah bukan kerana syaitan yang mengerumuni hati anak Adam , nescaya mereka akan dapat

melihat kerajaan langit .

Percanggahan pendapat tentang keberadaan alam ( dari aspek wujudnya) sebenarnya timbul daripada

keadaan atau ahwal seseorang manusia itu seperti berikut:

Keadaan/Ahwal Natijah / Kesan

Rasional “Tauhidic Intellectuality” ( meminjam kata

Muhammad Uthman Muhammady)

Fana’ Wihdatus Syuhud (meminjam kata Ahmad Sirhind)

Fana’ baqa’ billah * Wihdatul wujud ( dinisbahkan kepada Ibn Arabi

tetapi istilah ini sebenarnya datang dari Awahudin

Kirmani)

*ahli mistik (Sufi) Jawa ada istilah yang lebih ekstrim iaitu “manunggaling kawula Gusti” – bersatu

dengan Yang Maha Esa – tapi itu dari segi bahasa sebab mereka pun tahu hamba tetap hamba dan

Tuhan tetap Tuhan , tidak akan bersatu dalam ertikata hulul.

VI. Ilmu Yang Tertinggi dan Nafsu Yang tertinggi

Kebersihan jiwa sangat penting seperti yang disebut dalam al-Quran surah…AsSyams 9-10…..:

Beruntunglah mereka yang menyucikan jiwanya dan merugilah mereka yang mengotorinya.

Maka , bahagian batiniah jiwa terletak kepada lataif-lataif yang banyak dihurai dalam kitab-kitab

tasawuf khasnya zaman Ahmad Sirhind dan Shah Waliyullah Dehlawi . Penyucian lataif bermakna

penyucian dalaman dan ini dilakukan dengan melaksanakan zikir-zikir tertentu . Kedudukan nafsu adalah

seperti berikut:

Jenis Nafsu Kedudukan

Kamaliyah Surga

Mardhiah Surga

Rodhiah Surga

Mutmainnah Surga

Mulhamah Neraka

Lawwamah neraka

Ammarah neraka

Jelas bahawa hanya mereka yang mencapai nafsu mutmainnah atau lebih tinggi lagi yang dapat dijamin

ahli surga, sedangkan bagi yang lain , penempatan mereka adalah di dalam neraka. Terdapat 70 lebih

cabang iman dan seorang salik harus memperbaiki semua cabang tersebut atau secara amnya

membuang semua sifat mazmumah dan menggantikannya dengan semua sifat-sifat mahmudah. Zakaria

Ansari seorang tokoh ahli Sufi abad ke-12 ada menulis sebuah kitab yang menghuraikan secara perinci

100 maqam peningkatan perjalanan ahlis sufi ini bertajuk Manazil As Sairin. Hubungan diantara lathaif

yang berada dalam diri manusia dan alam lain dapat dilihat dalam Lampiran 2.

Bagi seseorang Sufi keikhlasan yang tertinggi akan menghasilkan keredhaan Allah s.w.t yang tertinggi.

Jalan singkat dan mudah untuk mencapai keikhlasan tertinggi ini ialah melalui fana’ dan fana’ baqa’

billah apabila melaksanakan sesuatu ibadat . Dengan cara “meniadakan diri” atau “mematikan diri

sebelum mati” , maka Tuhanlah yang mebnjadi sumber segala gerak, fikir, tenaga dan perbuatan amalan

atau ibadat itu, maka tidak aka nada dakwa-dakwi lagi tentang siapa , bagaimana dan pahala amalan

tersebut. Dalam bahasa mudah Sufi , mereka sebut fana’ baqa’ billah ini sebagai “ memulangkan

amanah kepada yang Empunya amanah”. Jika seseorang dapat melakukannya sepanjang masa , maka

Sufi ini sudah mencapai “solat daim”.Mereka yang dapat mencapai solat daim sudah pastinya akan

dapat berhubung dengan Allah s.w.t sepanjang masa dan oleh itu menjadi “alim Rabbani”. Dia dalam

keadaan sentiasa berishtikharah dalam perbuatannya dan dia sentiada dalam keadaan fana’ atau fana’

baqa’ billah. Kita akan dapat gambaran dariapada keadaan ini ( ahwal) para waliyullah seperti yang

dihurai dalam Kashaf al-Mahjub (oleh al-Hujwiri) , al Jami’ Karamatil Auliya’ (oleh Yusuf Nabhahani) dan

Tazkiratul Auliya (oleh Faridudin Attar) tetapi juga dalam biografi kehidupan Ibn Arabi ( yang menulis

Fususu al Hikam dan kitab lain dalam keadaan fana’) dan Abu Said Abil Khayr. Keikhlasan merupakan

kunci agama. Jika solat adalah tiang agama, maka ikhlaslah tiangnya solat. Pentingnya keikhlasan di

sebut dalam banyak ayat al-Quran seperti ayat 11 surah AzZumar, surah 14 surah AzZumar, ayat2 surah

azZumar , ayat 5 surah Al Bayyinah dan ayat 110 al-Kahf.

VII. Kayukur Tahap Pencapaian Sufi ( khasnya Salik atau pemula)

Huraian ini penting bagi mereka yang tidak terlibat dengan perjalanan Sufi atau menjadi ahli mana-mana

kumpulan tarekat muktabar. Tahap pencapaian maqam dan ahlwal murid diberi perhatian khas oleh

guru mursyid. Tanpa kekuatan batiniah ( kasyaf , ilham dan sebagainya) tidak mungkin seseorang guru

mursyid itu melihat perkembangan katakan 30 atau ratusan bilangan muridnya. Antara tahap yang agak

tinggi ialah mendapat nama rahsia . Dalam erti lain , nama yang seseorang itu dikenali di langit. Ini

mempunyai dalil , antaranya Nabi s.a.w sendiri dipanggil Ahmad di langit dan Muhammad di bumi, dan

Uways al-Qarni adalah nama dilangit sedangkan namanya di bumi ialah Abdullah. Selalunya

peningkatan ke makam yang tinggi diikuti dengan pembai’ahan dan pengijazahan yang pelbagai, samada

daripada Rasulullah s.a.w sendiri malahan daripada isteri baginda seperti Saidatina Aisyah r.a dan Jibrail

a.s . Peningkatan ini diikuti dengan perjumpaan dengan para anbiya’ , malah 313 Rasul a.s dan juga

seluruh malaikat yang penting , termasuk ahli Badar r.a dan ahli Uhud r.a. Seseorang itu mungkin

mencapai tahap dianugerahkan Selawat sendiri, Istigfar khusus ( ini mempunyai dalil sebab Nabi Adam

a.s sendiri diberi istigfar khusus oleh Allah s.w.t , juga Nabi Yunus a.s ) dan doa-doa khusus . Lampiran 3

memberikan sedikit penerangan tentang amalan dan kayu ukur pencapaian seseorang Sufi . Ilmu-ilmu

yang rahsia (asrar) juga akan dianugerahkan kepada seseorang yang mencapai maqam tinggi seperti

ilmu ibaratul mithal iaitu melihat dirinya sebagai lokus kosmologi alam semesta. Pada tahap mengenal

diri yang tinggi ini , salik ini akan dapat menghantar ruhnya ke setiap penjuru alam.

Para guru Sufi yang mursyid pula merupakan repositori hikmah. Kelestarian ummah terletak

kepada golongan ini sebab mereka yang diberikan hikmah maka sebenarnya mereka diberikan kebajikan

atau kebaikan yang banyak sekali. Sebagai contoh , betapa banyak pun pakar ekonomi atau pemenang

Hadiah Nobel dalam bidang ekonomi , krisis ekonomi yang teruk tetap berlaku di Amerika Syarikat.

Dunia sekrang tidak ketandusan pelbagai pakar sains tulin, sains keras dan sains lembut , tetapi

sebenarnya ketandusan ahli hikmah. Daripada golongan Sufi ini juga lahir individu atau kelompok afrad ,

muhaddatsun, abdal, akhyar , nuquba’, nujuba’ , rajabiun dan wali qutub. Kedudukan ini sudah cukup

tinggi untuk meraih keberkatan dalam kehidupan sebagaimana yang difirmankan oleh Allah s.w.t dalam

surah Ar Rahman ayat 46 :

Orang yang takut kepada Tuhannya diberi dua surga.

Satu surga di dunia dan satu lagi di akhirat. Dalilnya surga dunia ialah wujudnya taman-taman surga

yang terdiri daripada majlis ilmu dan majlis zikir. Begitu juga tempat tertentu yang disebutkan dalam

hadiths antaranya Raudah yang berada di dalam Masjidun Nabawi.

VIII. Kesimpulan

Dalam zaman moden yang serba mencabar dan batiniah Islam makin terhakis ( apalagi yang zahir seperti

pelaksanaan Hukum Islam dalam Negara) , kekuatan ummah semakin merosot dan jihad an nafs

ditinggalkan , maka tidak ada jalan lain untuk “menggenggam bara” melainkan membangkitkan semula

sunnah , amalan batin Islami dengan bermula melalui jalan rasionalisasi dan konsep Ketuhanan. Jika

manusia mengenali Tuhannya maka mudah untuk mereka melaksanakan apa yang disuruh oleh Tuhan

dan mendapat hikmah terhadap perbuatan , pelaksanaan dan akarumbi maksud kehidupan itu sendiri.

Dari mana kita datang dan ke mana kita akan pergi merupakan soalan falsafah yang telah dikitarsemula

dan hanya jalan ahli Sufi yang akan dapat memberikan jawapannya. Itu sebabnya jalan Sufi juga

dipanggil jalan mengenal diri , kerana dengan mengenal diri maka Tuhan akan dapat dikenal (mafhum

hadiths).

Jalan Sufi , jalan yang ditempuh oleh semua para waliyullah merupakan jalan yang membawa kepada

Qalbin Salim sebab “tidak ada kekhuatiran dalam diri mereka “ (surah Yunus , ayat 62-63). Jalan tasawuf

mereka banyak dibincang dalam kitab-kitab muktabar dalam tiga peringkat iaitu: i) Bahagian awal –

membahas tentang memperbetulkan amal ibadah , kusyu’ serta adab . ii) Bahagian pertengahan –

membicarakan cara mujahadah diri serta penyucian diri , hati serta ahwalnya , menghilangkan sifat

mazmumah dan menggantikan dengan sifat mahmudah. Kedua-dua bahagian (i) dan (ii) dihurai dalam

kitab Ihya’ karangan Imam al-Ghazali dan Qutul Qulub karangan Abu Thalib Makki dan seumpamanya.

Ilmu ini dinamakan ilmu muamalah. (iii) Bahagian akhir –membicarakan tentang makrifat , rabbaniyah ,

ilmu wahbiyyah , dzauq wujdaniyyah serta hakikat kasyaf. Sebahagian besar kitab karangan Ibn Arabi

dalam kategori ini contohnya Futuhat al Makiyyah dan Fushush al Hikam. Kitab Insan Al kamil karangan

Abdul Karim Jili juga termasuk dalam kategori ini. Kitab-kitab ini harus dipelajari secara berguru khasnya

guru yang mursyid. Ilmu bahagian ini dinamakan ilmu makrifat.

Ilmu Sufi adalah ilmu yang haq , sebagaimana alam ghaib itu juga adalah haq, malah lebih kekal

daripada alam fizikal ini. Kehebatan sains dan teknologi jika tidak islami ( contohnya proses PengIslaman

Ilmu tidak dilaksanakan) menjadi Istidraj , bukan anugerah. Jika demikian , semakin tinggi sains dan

teknologinya semakin pula bertambah masalah ekonomi dan masalah sosialnya dan semakin runtuh

akhlak masyarakatnya. Ini berlaku kerana ummah sendiri telah meninggalkan aspek tarekat, hakikat dan

makrifat dalam beragama sehinggakan hanya menekankan aspek syariat sehinggakan menghablur

menjadi ritual kehidupan. Kontroversi timbul apabila terdapat “ulama” yang tidak pernah melalui jalan

Sufi lalu memberi tohmahan dan pemfitnahan kepada golongan Sufi. Banyak buku ditulis bagi menjawab

tohmahan terhadap pertuduhan yang melulu ini dan pada zaman moden ini tulisan ulama Mekah yang

terkenal ( meninggal dunia 29 Oktober 2004) ialah Syed Muhammad Al-Alawi al-Maliki yang menulis

kitab “ Mafahim Yajibu An Tusohhah” ( Kefahaman Yang Wajib diPerbetulkan). Antara tulisannya dalam

kitab ini menyatakan:

Sesungguhnya Tasawwuf telah teraniaya , ditohmah dan dipandang serong. Tidak ramai yang

memandangnya dengan pandangan tepat dan betul. …. Ramai orang yang mengaku dan mendakwa

mereka di atas hamparan kebenaran tetapi kebenaran itu sendiri berlepas diri daripada

mereka…..Mereka berkata : Sifulan tidak boleh dipercayai , hanya kerana dia seorang Sufi. Yang

menghairankan orang yang begitu lancang mencaci tasawwuf dan menentang ahli Sufi mengutip kata-

kata dan perbuatan ahli Sufi untuk dijadikan teks ucapan dan pengajaran mereka di atas mimbar-

mimbar. Mereka berkata : telah berkata Fuhail ibn Iyad , telah berkata Junaid al-Baghdadi, telah berkata

Sahl al Tustari dan seterusnya. Mereka inilah yang telah melayakkan diri mereka menerima gelaran

yang disifatkan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w sebagai “ Orang yang kenyang makan apa yang tidak diberikan

kepadanya , bagaikan orang yang memakai dua helai baju palsu”.

Bukti tentang Sufiphobia orang Islam sendiri terhadap golongan Sufi khasnya di kalangan pengkaji

moden ( berbanding pengkaji tradisional) ialah sedikitnya orang Islam yang mengkaji Sufi handalan

seperti Ibn Arabi, Sahl Tustari , Hakim Tirmizi dan lain-lain (lihat Lampiran 4). Keadaan ini harus

diperbetulkan.

Sekian, wallahu a’lam bissawab.

Rujukan

1. Laleh Bakhtiar , 1993. God’s Will Be Done (Vol 1-3) , Kazi Publication menghuraikan simbol dan ennegram Sufi dan hubungannya dengan psikologi. Beliau juga merupakan wanita Barat pertama yang menterjemahkan Al-Quran dalam Bahasa Inggeris.

2. Ken Lizzio ,2007 . Ritual and Charisma in Naqshabandi Sufi Mysticism , capaian atas tali: http://www.anpere.net/2007/3.pdf

3. Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady , 2003 Konsep Nur Muhammad di Dunia Melayu, atas talian http://www.geocities.com/traditionalislam/Nur_Muhammad.htm

4. Abdul Qadir Isa , Haqaia at Taswuf – terjemahan Mustafa Hussain at Taib ,2007 tanpa penerbit.

Lampiran 1 (Ken Lizzio , 2007)

Lampiran 2 – Ken Lizzio (2007)

Lampiran 3

BEBERAPA BID’AH HASANAH* AMALAN SUFI YANG TELAH DITERAPKAN DALAM MASYARAKAT

MELAYU

1. WIRID –WIRID CONTOHNYA AURAD SH. AHMAD AL-QUSASYI , HIZIB-HIZIB2. AMALAN-AMALAN SALAWAT KHASNYA DARIPADA DALAILUL KHAYRAT OLEH AL-JAZULI DAN

SALAWAT DIBA’IE 3. AMALAN MEMUJI NABI S.A.W MELALUI BACAAN BARZANJI4. DOA-DOA CONTOHNYA DOA NABI KHIDR A.S YANG DIIJAZAHKAN KEPADA SH. ABUL ABBAS AL-

MURSI , GURU KEPADA IBN ATHAILLAH AS-SAKANDARI :Ya Allah, ampuni umat Muhammad , Ya Allah kasihi umat Muhammad . Ya Allah , tutupi kesalahan umat Muhammad . Ya Allah, bantulah umat Muhammad.

5. CARA BERKHALWAT , BERTALQIN , BERWIRID DAN SEBAGAINYA TERMASUK MELAKUKAN SAMA’ DAN TARIAN BERPUTAR ( TAREQAH AL-MAWLAVI)

6. MELAKUKAN TAHLIL PERINGATAN ATAU HAUL CONTOHNYA UNTUK KHADIJAH R.A , SAHABAT TERTENTU ATAU PARA WALIYULLAH SEPERTI SH. ABDUL QADIR JILANI

*ini boleh diterima malah merupakan sunnah khulafa’ ar Rasyidin dimana Saidina Umar r.a merupakan sahabat yang paling banyak membuat bid’ah hasanah tersebut.

PENGALAMAN PENULIS SENDIRI SEBAGAI SALIK JALAN SUFI(hanya beberapa diberikan):

1. Mendapat nama rahsia 2. Diijazahkan hizib , zikirnafas yang sentiasa ditingkatkan : dari mahruf , ke huruf .3. Mengalami pelbagai mimpi dan rukyah bertemu Nabi s.a.w, para anbiya’, para sahabat dan

para malaikat a.s – serta para wali qutub dan para imam rah. Mendapat ijazah secara ladunni daripada mereka.

4. Bertemu secara khusus dengan Nabi Khidr a.s (banyak kali)5. Pembukaan hijab contohnya dapat melihat surga dan neraka , dapat melihat Arsy , dapat ke

Sidratul Muntaha dll.6. Dapat melihat turunnya seekor Burung Nur Muhammad ( 2 kali semenjak 2004)7. Belajar dan melaksanakan pengubatan secara Islami termasuk melawan sihir ,

memindahkan jin, mengIslamkan jin , mengIslamkan qarin sendiri dll8. Di peringkat yang agak tinggi biasanya pelbagai ujian dilaksanakan , seperti ujian doa, ujian

ilmu , ujian dalam khalwat , ditalqinkan dan pelbagai aktiviti batiniah.

Lampiran 4

Tokoh Sufi Pengkaji Moden

Ibn Arabi Isutzu, Claude Addas , M. Chodkiewicz , Sells,

Hirstenstein , Osman Yahia , Kautsar Azhari Noer,

Denis Grill , Annamarie Schimmel , JW Morris,

W.Chittick, Sachiko Murata.

Hakim Tirmizi Sara Sviri , Bernd Radke

Sahl Tustari Gerhard Bowering

Syed Ahmad Alawi Martin Lings (Abu Bakar Sirajudin)

Rabia al Adawiyah Margaret Smith , AJ Arberry

Suhrawardi Maqtul , Ishraqi Hossein Ziai , Parvez Morewedge

Sufi Parsi Leonard Lewisohn

Sufi Asia Tenggara AH Johns , CJW Drewes , Syed Naquib al-Attas dll

Sufi Asia Barat M.B Olcott , Bennigsen , Wimbush.

Muhammad Fuad bin ‘Abd al-Baqi b. Salleh b. Muhammad (w1388H / 1968M).Beliau merupakan

seorang penyusun indeks di dalam lapangan Sunnah Nabawiyah dan juga ayat-ayat al-Quran.

Beliau berasal dari negara Mesir dan pernah mengajar di sekolah-sekolah sekitar kota Kaherah,

kemudiannya menjadi penterjemah Bahasa Arab dari Bahasa Perancis untuk Bank Pertanian di

Kaherah dari tahun 1905 hingga tahun 1933.

Setelah itu, beliau berhenti dari kerjanya dan mula bergiat dalam bidang penulisan secara langsung.

Penglihatannya kabur dan menjadi buta sebelum beliau menghembuskan nafasnya yang terakhir

di kota Kaherah kerana terlalu banyak membaca dan mentelaah buku dan kitab. Seorang yang rajin

berpuasa, bersemangat gigih serta cekal dalam mencapai hasratnya.  

Karyanya:

 Kitab “Miftah Kunuz al-Sunnah” yang telah diterjemahkan dari Bahasa Inggeris ke dalam

Bahasa Arab adalah satu sumbangan beliau di samping usahanya untuk mempelajari bahasa

tersebut,

Kitab “Mu’jam al-Mufahras li Alfazh al-Quran”,

Kitab “al-Lu’lu’ wa al-Marjan Fi Ma Ittafaqa ‘ala Syaikhan” iaitu himpunan hadis yang disepakati

oleh Imam al-Bukhari dan Muslim, setebal 3 jilid,

Kitab “Mu’jam Gharib al-Quran” dan

Indeks untuk kitab “Muwatta’ Imam Malik”,

Indeks untuk kitab “Sunan Ibn Majah” dan

Indeks untuk kitab “Sahih Muslim” di samping sedikit huraian.   

Semoga Allah merahmatinya dan kita semua! Amin ya Rabb! 

Permulaan Pensejarahan Islam.

Amat Anwar Zainal Abidin (M.A.). 1981. Islamiyyat 3: 1-12.

Abstrak Pertumbuhan pensejarahan Islam sering dihubungkan dengan pengaruh asing, terutamanya pengaruh Parsi. Tanpa menafikan sama sekali adanya pengaruh yang demikian, tulisan ini akan cuba mengesani asal-usul dan perkembangan awal pensejarahan Islam kepada tradisi Arab sebelum Islam dan imbasan-imbasan mengenai sejarah yang terdapat di dalam al-Qur'an. Jalinan di antara tradisi tersebut dan imbasan inilah yang telah memainkan peranan penting dalam pertumbuhan pensejarahan Islam. Tetapi, dalam perkembangannya, pengaruh tradisi Arab sebelum Islam telah diatasi oleh pengaruh imbasan al-Qur'an, yang membuka jalan kepada kelahiran berbagai jenis aliran dan bentuk penulisan sejarah Islam, dengan motifnya yang tersendiri, terutama dalam abad-abad ketiga dan keempat Hijrah.

Abstract The growth of Muslim historiography is often attributed to foreign ininfluences, particularly Persian. But, this paper, whilst not to catigorically deny any such influence, will attempt to trace back its origins and incipient development to pre-Islamic Arab traditions and historical allusions of al-Qur'an. It is interaction between these traditions and the Qur'anic allusions, that is influential in the growth of Muslim historiography. However, in its development, the pre-Islamic influence has been

overwhelmed by the Qur'anic influence, which led to the ramifications of Muslim historical writings, with their own motives, especially during the third and fourth centuries A.H. 

Metodologi Ilmu Kalam.

Ibrahim Abu Bakar. 1982. Islamiyyat 4: 67-80.

Abstract This brief and short writing named as ``The Methodology of the Kalam,'' is an effort to explain a problem of the existence and originality of the methodology of the Kalam. Firstly, I quoted some opinions and findings from the orientalists explaining the negative stands and facts on this problem. They showed that Mutakallims were influenced by many external elements such as Christianity, Judaism and Greek philosophy. Secondly, I collected another opinions and explanation from another orientalists and from Muslim scholars in the Kalam to argue the first trend. According to my brief study on this problem, I would like to support the trend that the early Mutakallims were not influenced by external influences especially in their methodology. 

Sufism and Revivalism in South Asia: Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi of Deoband and Mawlana Ahmad Raza Khan of Bareilly and their paradigms of Islamic revivalismThe Muslim World   | July 1, 2009 | Naeem, Fuad S | Copyrightmuch modern scholarship concerned with the Islamic world in the modern period has

relatively neglected the continuing significance and presence of the 'Ulama3 in Muslim

societies. A similar neglect is visible in acknowledging the presence and significance of Sufis

in modern Muslim societies. There are many reasons for this neglect. While many of the

most important 'Ulama5 and Sufis of the classical period (roughly to 1300 CE in most

treatments) have been canonized as 'great men' central to the formation and development

of the Islamic intellectual and cultural traditions, most later figures …

Salafism Revived: Nu'mān al-Alūsī and the Trial of Two AhmadsIn 1298/1881, the Iraqi scholar Nu'mān al-Alūsī published his Jalā' al-'aynayn fī

muhākamat al-Ahmadayn, one of the most astute tracts to be written in defense of the

fourteenth-century Hanbalī scholar, Ibn Taymiyya. This article attempts to read into

the significance of Jalā' al-'aynayn by studying the life and educational environment of

its author, the subject matter of the book, the format in which it appeared, and the

circumstances of its publishing. There is little doubt that Jalā' al-'aynayn is a founding

text in the emergence of modern Salafiyya in major Arab urban centers. Considering

the contribution of the Wahhābī movement to the revival of Salafī Islam, one of the

aims of this article is to look into the variant expressions of modern Salafiyya. An

important aspect of the impact of Nu'mān al-Alūsī's work is related to the way he

treated his subject matter, reconstituting the legacy of Ibn Taymiyya in the Muslims'

imagination of their traditions. The other, was the publishing of Jalā' al-'aynayn in

print. In the following decades, the ecology of Islamic culture would be transformed at

a dramatic pace. But two things would not lose their value for the Salafī circles of

modern Islam, the referential position of Ibn Taymiyya and the power of the printing-

press.

the Unique Necklace Volume I. Al-'Iqd al-Farīd (Ibn 'Abd Rabbih)

Louis Massignon (1883–1962) as a Student of Islam

Risāla-Yi SawāIq Al-Yahud [the Treatise Lightning Bolts Against the Jews] By Muhammad Bāqir B. In a recent paper

"Ihsanic Gatherings" by our friend Prof Aaron Spevack, he writes, commenting on the importance of not allowing orientational differences and matters of disagreement to become a source of division and disharmony in the our communities: 

"It is a simple model. Create your spiritual and social comfort zones where you can do your thing without causing division and separation in the community, and bend over backwards to honor, respect, and connect with your fellow Muslims in the greater community. Make husnul khuluq (perfected and beautified character) the priority in your community interactions, and serve the greater community in any and every way you can. Respect the inherent differences in our communities, and learn the etiquette of disagreement as it relates to commanding the right and forbidding the wrong.

As mentioned in the previous installment of the Suhba Papers, I believe we should make the perfection of our character the central focus of our community interactions and activities, as perfection of character is a means to every good, be it spiritual upliftment, serving those in need, or political activism. When we make this our focus, and follow the simple model above, we are well on our way to creating win-win interactions within our diverse communities. And Allah alone gives success."

Muhammad Taqī Al-Majlisī (D. 1699)*

Hasan Al-Bannâ's Earliest Pamphletal-Ghazali, Abu Hamid (1058-1111)

Al-Ghazali is one of the greatest Islamic jurists, theologians and mystical thinkers. He learned various branches of the traditional Islamic religious sciences in his home town of Tus, Gurgan and Nishapur in the northern part of Iran. He was also involved in Sufi practices from an early age. Being recognized by Nizam al-Mulk, the vizir of the Seljuq sultans, he was appointed head of the Nizamiyyah College at Baghdad in ah 484/ad 1091. As the intellectual head of the Islamic community, he was busy

lecturing on Islamic jurisprudence at the College, and also refuting heresies and responding to questions from all segments of the community. Four years later, however, al-Ghazali fell into a serious spiritual crisis and finally left Baghdad, renouncing his career and the world. After wandering in Syria and Palestine for about two years and finishing the pilgrimage to Mecca, he returned to Tus, where he was engaged in writing, Sufi practices and teaching his disciples until his death. In the meantime he resumed teaching for a few years at the Nizamiyyah College in Nishapur.

Al-Ghazali explained in his autobiography why he renounced his brilliant career and turned to Sufism. It was, he says, due to his realization that there was no way to certain knowledge or the conviction of revelatory truth except through Sufism. (This means that the traditional form of Islamic faith was in a very critical condition at the time.) This realization is possibly related to his criticism of Islamic philosophy. In fact, his refutation of philosophy is not a mere criticism from a certain (orthodox) theological viewpoint. First of all, his attitude towards philosophy was ambivalent; it was both an object and criticism and an object of learning (for example, logic and the natural sciences). He mastered philosophy and then criticized it in order to Islamicize it. The importance of his criticism lies in his philosophical demonstration that the philosophers' metaphysical arguments cannot stand the test of reason. However, he was also forced to admit that the certainty of revelatory truth, for which he was so desperately searching, cannot be obtained by reason. It was only later that he finally attained to that truth in the ecstatic state (fana') of the Sufi. Through his own religious experience, he worked to revive the faith of Islam by reconstructing the religious sciences upon the basis of Sufism, and to give a theoretical foundation to the latter under the influence of philosophy. Thus Sufism came to be generally recognized in the Islamic community. Though Islamic philosophy did not long survive al-Ghazali's criticism, he contributed greatly to the subsequent philosophization of Islamic theology and Sufism.

1. Life2. Theological conceptions3. Refutation of philosophy4. Relation to philosophy

1. Life

The eventful life of Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali (or al-Ghazzali) can be divided into three major periods. The first is the period of learning, first in his home town of Tus in Persia, then in Gurgan and finally in Nishapur. After the death of his teacher, Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni, Ghazali moved to the court

of Nizam al-Mulk, the powerful vizir of the Seljuq Sultans, who eventually appointed him head of the Nizamiyyah College at Baghdad in ah 484/ad 1091.

The second period of al-Ghazali's life was his brilliant career as the highest-ranking orthodox 'doctor' of the Islamic community in Baghdad (ah 484-8/ad 1091-5). This period was short but significant. During this time, as well as lecturing on Islamic jurisprudence at the College, he was also busy refuting heresies and responding to questions from all segments of the community. In the political confusion following the assassination of Nizam al-Mulk and the subsequent violent death of Sultan Malikshah, al-Ghazali himself fell into a serious spiritual crisis and finally left Baghdad, renouncing his career and the world.

This event marks the beginning of the third period of his life, that of retirement (ah 488-505/ad 1095-1111), but which also included a short period of teaching at the Nizamiyyah College in Nishapur. After leaving Baghdad, he wandered as a Sufi in Syria and Palestine before returning to Tus, where he was engaged in writing, Sufi practices and teaching his disciples until his death.

The inner development leading to his conversion is explained in his autobiography, al-Munqidh min al-dalal (The Deliverer from Error), written late in his life. It was his habit from an early age, he says, to search for the true reality of things. In the process he came to doubt the senses and even reason itself as the means to 'certain knowledge', and fell into a deep scepticism. However, he was eventually delivered from this with the aid of the divine light, and thus recovered his trust in reason. Using reason, he then set out to examine the teachings of 'the seekers after truth': the theologians, philosophers, Isma'ilis and Sufis. As a result of these studies, he came to the realization that there was no way to certain knowledge except through Sufism. In order to reach this ultimate truth of the Sufis, however, it is first necessary to renounce the world and to devote oneself to mystical practice. Al-Ghazali came to this realization through an agonising process of decision, which led to a nervous breakdown and finally to his departure from Baghdad.

The schematic presentation of al-Munqidh has allowed various interpretations, but it is irrelevant to question the main line of the story. Though certain knowledge is explained in al-Munqidh as something logically necessary, it is also religious conviction (yaqin) as mentioned in the Ihya' 'ulum al-din (The Revival of the Religious Sciences). Thus when he says that the traditional teachings did not grip him in his adolescence, he means to say that he lost his conviction of their truth, which he only later regained through his Sufi mystical experiences. He worked to generalize this experience to cure 'the disease' of his time.

The life of al-Ghazali has been thus far examined mostly as the development of his individual personality. However, since the 1950s there have appeared some new attempts to understand his life in its wider political and historical context (Watt 1963). If we accept his religious confession as sincere, then we should be careful not to reduce his thought and work entirely to non-religious factors. It may well be that al-Ghazali's conversion from the life of an orthodox doctor to Sufism was not merely the outcome of his personal development but also a manifestation of a new stage in the understanding of faith in the historical development of Islam, from the traditional form of faith expressed in the effort to establish the kingdom of God on Earth through the shari'a to a faith expressed as direct communion with God in Sufi mystical experience. This may be a reflection of a development in which the former type of faith had lost its relevance and become a mere formality due to the political and social confusion of the community. Al-Ghazali experienced this change during his life, and tried to revive the entire structure of the religious sciences on the basis of Sufism, while at the same time arguing for the official recognition of the latter and providing it with solid philosophical foundations.

2. Theological conceptions

Al-Ghazali wrote at least two works on theology, al-Iqtisad fi'l-i'tiqad (The Middle Path in Theology) and al-Risala al-Qudsiyya (The Jerusalem Epistle). The former was composed towards the end of his stay in Baghdad and after his critique of philosophy, the latter soon afterwards in Jerusalem. The theological position expressed in both works is Ash'arite, and there is no fundamental difference between al-Ghazali and the Ash'arite school (see Ash'ariyya and Mu'tazila). However, some changes can be seen in the theological thought of his later works, written under the influence of philosophy and Sufism (see §4).

As Ash'arite theology came into being out of criticism of Mu'tazilite rationalistic theology, the two schools have much in common but they are also not without their differences. There is no essential difference between them as to God's essence (dhat Allah); al-Ghazali proves the existence of God (the Creator) from the createdness (hadath) of the world according to the traditional Ash'arite proof. An atomistic ontology is presupposed here, and yet there are also philosophical arguments to refute the criticism of the philosophers. As for God's attributes (sifat Allah), however, al-Ghazali regards them as 'something different from, yet added to, God's essence' (al-Iqtisad: 65), while the Mu'tazilites deny the existence of the attributes and reduce them to God's essence and acts. According to al-Ghazali, God has attributes such as knowledge, life, will, hearing, seeing and speech, which are included in God's essence and coeternal with it. Concerning the relationship between God's essence and his attributes, both are said to be 'not identical, but not different' (al-Iqtisad: 65). The

creation of the world and its subsequent changes are produced by God's eternal knowledge, will and power, but this does not necessarily mean any change in God's attributes in accordance with these changes in the empirical world.

One of the main issues of theological debate was the relationship between God's power and human acts. The Mu'tazilites, admitting the continuation of an accident ('arad) of human power, asserted that human acts were decided and produced (or even created) by people themselves; thus they justified human responsibility for acts and maintained divine justice. In contrast, assuming that all the events in the world and human acts are caused by God's knowledge, will and power, al-Ghazali admits two powers in human acts, God's power and human power. Human power and act are both created by God, and so human action is God's creation (khalq), but it is also human acquisition (kasb) of God's action, which is reflected in human volition. Thus al-Ghazali tries to harmonize God's omnipotence and our own responsibility for our actions (see Omnipotence).

As for God's acts, the Mu'tazilites, emphasizing divine justice, assert that God cannot place any obligation on people that is beyond their ability; God must do what is best for humans and must give rewards and punishments according to their obedience and disobedience. They also assert that it is obligatory for people to know God through reason even before revelation. Al-Ghazali denies these views. God, he says, can place any obligations he wishes upon us; it is not incumbent on him to do what is best for us, nor to give rewards and punishments according to our obedience and disobedience. All this is unimaginable for God, since he is absolutely free and is under no obligation at all. Obligation (wujub), says al-Ghazali, means something that produces serious harm unless performed, but nothing does harm to God. Furthermore, good (hasan) and evil (qabih) mean respectively congruity and incongruity with a purpose, but God has no purpose at all. Therefore, God's acts are beyond human ethical judgment. Besides, says al-Ghazali, injustice (zulm) means an encroachment on others' rights, but all creatures belong to God; therefore, whatever he may do to his creatures, he cannot be considered unjust.

The Mu'tazilites, inferring the hereafter from the nature of this world, deny the punishment of unbelievers in the grave from their death until the resurrection, and also the reality of the various eschatological events such as the passing of the narrow bridge and the weighing on the balance of human deeds (see Eschatology). Al-Ghazali, on the other hand, rejecting the principle of analogy between the two worlds, approves the reality of all these events as transmitted traditionally, since it cannot be proven that they are rationally or logically impossible. Another important eschatological event is the seeing of God (ru'ya Allah). While the Mu'tazilites deny its reality, asserting that God cannot be the object of human vision, al-Ghazali approves

it as a kind of knowledge which is beyond corporeality; in fact, he later gives the vision of God deep mystical and philosophical meaning. In short, the Mu'tazilites discuss the unity of God and his acts from the viewpoint of human reason, but al-Ghazali does so on the presupposition that God is personal and an absolute reality beyond human reason.

3. Refutation of philosophy

Al-Ghazali's relationship with philosophy is subtle and complicated. The philosophy represented by al-Farabi and Ibn Sina (Avicenna) is, for al-Ghazali, not simply an object of criticism but also an important component of his own learning. He studied philosophy intensively while in Baghdad, composing Maqasid al-falasifa (The Intentions of the Philosophers), and then criticizing it in his Tahafut al-falasifa (The Incoherence of the Philosophers). The Maqasid is a precise summary of philosophy (it is said to be an Arabic version of Ibn Sina's Persian Danashnamah-yi ala'i (Book of Scientific Knowledge) though a close comparative study of the two works has yet to be made). In the medieval Latin world, however, the content of the Maqasid was believed to be al-Ghazali's own thought, due to textual defects in the Latin manuscripts. As a result, the image of the 'Philosopher Algazel' was created. It was only in the middle of the nineteenth century that Munk corrected this mistake by making use of the complete manuscripts of the Hebrew translation. More works by al-Ghazali began to be published thereafter, but some contained philosophical ideas he himself had once rejected. This made al-Ghazali's relation to philosophy once again obscure. Did he turn back to philosophy late in life? Was he a secret philosopher? From the middle of the twentieth century there were several attempts to verify al-Ghazali's authentic works through textual criticism, and as a result of these works the image of al-Ghazali as an orthodox Ash'arite theologian began to prevail. The new trend in the study of al-Ghazali is to re-examine his relation to philosophy and to traditional Ash'arism while at the same time recognizing his basic distance from philosophy.

Al-Ghazali composed three works on Aristotelian logic, Mi'yar al-'ilm (The Standard Measure of Knowledge), Mihakk al-nazar fi'l-mantiq (The Touchstone of Proof in Logic) and al-Qistas al-mustaqim (The Just Balance). The first two were written immediately after the Tahafut 'in order to help understanding of the latter', and the third was composed after his retirement. He also gave a detailed account of logic in the long introduction of his writing on legal theory, al-Mustasfa min 'ilm al-usul (The Essentials of Islamic Legal Theory). Al-Ghazali's great interest in logic is unusual, particularly when most Muslim theologians were antagonistic to it, and can be attributed not only to the usefulness of logic in refuting heretical views (al-Qistas is also a work of refutation of the Isma'ilis), but also to his being fascinated by the

exactness of logic and its effectiveness for reconstructing the religious sciences on a solid basis.

There is a fundamental disparity between al-Ghazali's theological view and the Neoplatonic-Aristotelian philosophy of emanationism. Al-Ghazali epitomizes this view in twenty points, three of which are especially prominent: (1) the philosophers' belief in the eternity of the world, (2) their doctrine that God does not know particulars, and (3) their denial of the resurrection of bodies. These theses are ultimately reducible to differing conceptions of God and ontology. Interestingly, al-Ghazali's criticism of philosophy is philosophical rather than theological, and is undertaken from the viewpoint of reason.

First, as for the eternity of the world, the philosophers claim that the emanation of the First Intellect and other beings is the result of the necessary causality of God's essence, and therefore the world as a whole is concomitant and coeternal with his existence (see Creation and conservation, religious doctrine of). Suppose, say the philosophers, that God created the world at a certain moment in time; that would presuppose a change in God, which is impossible. Further, since each moment of time is perfectly similar, it is impossible, even for God, to choose a particular moment in time for creation. Al-Ghazali retorts that God's creation of the world was decided in the eternal past, and therefore it does not mean any change in God; indeed, time itself is God's creation (this is also an argument based on the Aristotelian concept of time as a function of change). Even though the current of time is similar in every part, it is the nature of God's will to choose a particular out of similar ones.

Second, the philosophers deny God's knowledge of particulars or confine it to his self-knowledge, since they suppose that to connect God's knowledge with particulars means a change and plurality in God's essence. Al-Ghazali denies this. If God has complete knowledge of a person from birth to death, there will be no change in God's eternal knowledge, even though the person's life changes from moment to moment.

Third, the philosophers deny bodily resurrection, asserting that 'the resurrection' means in reality the separation of the soul from the body after death. Al-Ghazali criticizes this argument, and also attacks the theory of causality presupposed in the philosophers' arguments (see Causality and necessity in Islamic thought). The so-called necessity of causality is, says al-Ghazali, simply based on the mere fact that an event A has so far occurred concomitantly with an event B. There is no guarantee of the continuation of that relationship in the future, since the connection of A and B lacks logical necessity. In fact, according to Ash'arite atomistic occasionalism, the direct cause of both A and B is God; God simply creates A when he creates B. Thus theoretically he can change his custom (sunna, 'ada) at any moment, and resurrect the dead: in fact, this is 'a second creation'.

Al-Ghazali thus claims that the philosophers' arguments cannot survive philosophical criticism, and Aristotelian logic served as a powerful weapon for this purpose. However, if the conclusions of philosophy cannot be proved by reason, is not the same true of theological principles or the teachings of revelation? How then can the truth of the latter be demonstrated? Herein lies the force of al-Ghazali's critique of reason.

4. Relation to philosophy

Philosophy declined in the Sunni world after al-Ghazali, and his criticism of philosophy certainly accelerated this decline. Nearly a century later, Ibn Rushd (Averroes) made desperate efforts to resist the trend by refuting al-Ghazali's Tahafut in his Tahafut al-tahafut (The Incoherence of the Incoherence) and Fasl al-maqal (The Decisive Treatise), but he could not stop it. Philosophy was gradually absorbed into Sufism and was further developed in the form of mystical philosophy, particularly in the Shi'ite world (see Mystical philosophy in Islam). In the Sunni world also, Aristotelian logic was incorporated into theology and Sufism was partially represented philosophically. In all this, al-Ghazali's influence was significant.

Ghazali committed himself seriously to Sufism in his later life, during which time he produced a series of unique works on Sufism and ethics including Mizan al-'amal (The Balance of Action), composed just before retirement, Ihya' 'ulum al-din, his magnum opus written after retirement, Kitab al-arba'in fi usul al-din (The Forty Chapters on the Principles of Religion), Kimiya'-yi sa'adat (The Alchemy of Happiness), Mishkat al-anwar (The Niche of the Lights) and others. The ultimate goal of humankind according to Islam is salvation in paradise, which is depicted in the Qur'an and Traditions as various sensuous pleasures and joy at the vision of God. The greatest joy for al-Ghazali, however, is the seeing of God in the intellectual or spiritual sense of the beatific vision. In comparison with this, sensuous pleasures are nothing. However, they remain necessary for the masses who cannot reach such a vision.

Resurrection for Ibn Sina means each person's death - the separation of the soul from the body - and the rewards and punishments after the 'resurrection' mean the pleasures and pains which the soul tastes after death. The soul, which is in contact with the active intellect through intellectual and ethical training during life, is liberated from the body by death and comes to enjoy the bliss of complete unity with the active intellect. On the other hand, the soul that has become accustomed to sensual pleasures while alive suffers from the pains of unfulfilled desires, since the instrumental organs for that purpose are now lost. Al-Ghazali calls death 'the small resurrection' and

accepts the state of the soul after death as Ibn Sina describes. On the other hand, the beatific vision of God by the elite after the quickening of the bodies, or 'the great resurrection', is intellectual as in the view of the philosophers. The mystical experience (fana') of the Sufi is a foretaste of the real vision of God in the hereafter.

A similar influence of philosophy is also apparent in al-Ghazali's view of human beings. Human beings consist of soul and body, but their essence is the soul. The human soul is a spiritual substance totally different from the body. It is something divine (amr ilahi), which makes possible human knowledge of God. If the soul according to al-Ghazali is an incorporeal substance occupying no space (as Ibn Sina implies, though he carefully avoids making a direct statement to that effect), then al-Ghazali's concept of the soul is quite different from the soul as 'a subtle body' as conceived by theologians at large. According to al-Ghazali, the body is a vehicle or an instrument of the soul on the way to the hereafter and has various faculties to maintain the bodily activities. When the main faculties of appetite, anger and intellect are moderate, harmonious and well-balanced, then we find the virtues of temperance, courage, wisdom and justice. In reality, however, there is excess or deficiency in each faculty, and so we find various vicious characteristics. The fundamental cause for all this is love of the world (see Soul in Islamic philosophy).

The purpose of religious exercises is to rectify these evil dispositions, and to come near to God by 'transforming them in imitation of God's characteristics' (takhalluq bi-akhlaq Allah). This means transforming the evil traits of the soul through bodily exercises by utilizing the inner relationship between the soul and the body. Al-Ghazali here makes full use of the Aristotelian theory of the golden mean, which he took mainly from Ibn Miskawayh. In order to maintain the earthly existence of the body as a vehicle or an instrument of the soul, the mundane order and society are necessary. In this framework, the traditional system of Islamic law, community and society are reconsidered and reconstructed.

The same is also true of al-Ghazali's cosmology. He divides the cosmos into three realms: the world of mulk (the phenomenal world), the world of malakut (the invisible world) and the world of jabarut (the intermediate world). He takes this division from the Sufi theorist Abu Talib al-Makki, although he reverses the meanings of malakut and jabarut. The world of malakut is that of God's determination, a world of angels free from change, increase and decrease, as created once spontaneously by God. This is the world of the Preserved Tablet in heaven where God's decree is inscribed. The phenomenal world is the incomplete replica of the world of malakut, which is the world of reality, of the essence of things. The latter is in some respects similar to the Platonic world of Ideas, or Ibn Sina's world of intelligibles. The only difference is that the world of malakut is created once and for all by God, who

thereafter continues to create moment by moment the phenomenal world according to his determination. This is a major difference from the emanationist deterministic world of philosophy. Once the divine determination is freely made, however, the phenomenal world changes and evolves according to a determined sequence of causes and effects. The difference between this relationship and the philosophers' causality lies in whether or not the relation of cause and effect is necessary. This emphasis on causal relationship by al-Ghazali differs from the traditional Ash'arite occasionalism.

The Sufis in their mystical experience, and ordinary people in their dreams, are allowed to glimpse the world of the Preserved Tablet in heaven, when the veil between that world and the soul is lifted momentarily. Thus they are given foreknowledge and other forms of supernatural knowledge. The revelation transmitted by the angel to the prophets is essentially the same; the only difference is that the prophets do not need any special preparation. From the viewpoint of those given such special knowledge of the invisible world, says al-Ghazali, the world is the most perfect and best possible world. This optimism gave rise to arguments and criticism even in his lifetime, alleging that he was proposing a Mu'tazilite or philosophical teaching against orthodox Ash'arism. He certainly says in his theological works that it is not incumbent upon God to do the best for humans; however, this does not mean that God will not in fact do the best of his own free will. Even so, behind al-Ghazali's saying that God does so in actuality, we can see the influence of philosophy and Sufism.

Al-Ghazali's criticism of philosophy and his mystical thought are often compared to the philosophical and theological thought of Thomas Aquinas, Nicholas of Autrecourt, and even Descartes and Pascal. In the medieval world, where he was widely believed to be a philosopher, he had an influence through the Latin and Hebrew translations of his writings and through such thinkers as Yehuda Halevi, Moses Maimonides and Raymond Martin of Spain.

See also: Ash'ariyya and Mu'tazila; Causality and necessity in Islamic thought; Ibn Sina; Ibn Rushd; Islam, concept of philosophy in; Mystical philosophy in Islam; Neoplatonism in Islamic philosophy

KOJIRO NAKAMURA

Copyright © 1998, Routledge.

List of works

Al-Ghazali (1094) Maqasid al-falasifa (The Intentions of the Philosophers), ed. S.

Dunya, Cairo: Dar al-Ma'arif, 1961. (A precise summary of Islamic philosophy as

represented by Ibn Sina.)

Al-Ghazali (1095) Tahafut al-falasifa (The Incoherence of the Philosophers), ed. M.

Bouyges, Beirut: Imprimerie Catholique, 1927; trans. S.A. Kamali, Al-Ghazali's

Tahafut al-Falasifah, Lahore: Pakistan Philosophical Congress, 1963. (Al-Ghazali's

refutation of Islamic philosophy.)

Al-Ghazali (1095) Mi'yar al-'ilm (The Standard Measure of Knowledge), ed. S. Dunya,

Cairo: Dar al-Ma'arif, 1961. (A summary account of Aristotelian logic.)

Al-Ghazali (1095) Mihakk al-nazar fi'l-mantiq (The Touchstone of Proof in Logic), ed.

M. al-Nu'mani, Beirut: Dar al-Nahdah al-Hadithah, 1966. (A summary of Aristotelian

logic.)

Al-Ghazali (1095) al-Iqtisad fi'l-i'tiqad (The Middle Path in Theology), ed. I.A. Çubukçu

and H. Atay, Ankara: Nur Matbaasi, 1962; partial trans. A.-R. Abu Zayd, Al-Ghazali on

Divine Predicates and Their Properties, Lahore: Shaykh Muhammad Ashraf, 1970;

trans. M. Asín Palacios, El justo medio en la creencia, Madrid, 1929. (An exposition of

al-Ghazali's Ash'arite theological system.)

Al-Ghazali (1095) Mizan al-'amal (The Balance of Action), ed. S. Dunya, Cairo: Dar al-

Ma'arif, 1964; trans. H. Hachem, Ghazali: Critère de l'action, Paris: Maisonneuve,

1945. (An exposition of al-Ghazali's ethical theory.)

Al-Ghazali (1095-6) al-Qistas al-mustaqim (The Just Balance), ed. V. Chelhot, Beirut:

Imprimerie Catholique, 1959; trans. V. Chelhot, 'Al-Qistas al-Mustaqim et la

connaissance rationnelle chez Ghazali', Bulletin d'Études Orientales 15, 1955-7: 7-98;

trans. D.P. Brewster, Al-Ghazali: The Just Balance, Lahore: Shaykh Muhammad

Ashraf, 1978. (An attempt to deduce logical rules from the Qur'an and to refute the

Isma'ilis.)

Al-Ghazali (1096-7) Ihya' 'ulum al-din (The Revival of the Religious Sciences), Cairo:

Matba'ah Lajnah Nashr al-Thaqafah al-Islamiyyah, 1937-8, 5 vols; partial translations

can be found in E.E. Calverley, Worship in Islam: al-Ghazali's Book of the Ihya' on the

Worship, London: Luzac, 1957; N.A. Faris, The Book of Knowledge, Being a

Translation with Notes of the Kitab al-'Ilm of al-Ghazzali's Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din, Lahore:

Shaykh Muhammad Ashraf, 1962; N.A. Faris, The Foundation of the Articles of Faith:

Being a Translation with Notes of the Kitab Qawa'id al-'Aqa'id of al-Ghazzali's Ihya'

'Ulum al-Din, Lahore: Shaykh Muhammad Ashraf, 1963; L. Zolondek, Book XX of al-

Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din, Leiden: Brill, 1963; T.J. Winter, The Remembrance of

Death and the Afterlife: Book XL of the Revival of Religious Sciences, Cambridge: The

Islamic Text Society, 1989; K. Nakamura, Invocations and Supplications: Book IX of

the Revival of the Religious Sciences, Cambridge: The Islamic Text Society, 1990; M.

Bousquet, Ih'ya 'ouloûm ed-din ou vivification de la foi, analyse et index, Paris: Max

Besson, 1951. (Al-Ghazali's summa of the religious sciences of Islam.)

Al-Ghazali (1097) al-Risala al-Qudsiyya (The Jerusalem Epistle), ed. and trans. A.L.

Tibawi, 'Al-Ghazali's Tract on Dogmatic Theology', The Islamic Quarterly 9 (3/4),

1965: 62-122. (A summary of al-Ghazali's theological system, later incorporated into

the Ihya'.)

Al-Ghazali (1106-7) Mishkat al-anwar (The Niche of the Lights), ed. A. Afifi, Cairo,

1964; trans. W.H.T. Gairdner, Al-Ghazzali's Mishkat al-Anwar, London: The Royal

Asiatic Society, 1924; repr. Lahore: Shaykh Muhammad Ashraf, 1952; R.

Deladrière, Le Tabernacle des lumières, Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1981; A.-E.

Elschazli, Die Nische der Lichter, Hamburg: Felix Meiner, 1987. (An exposition of al-

Ghazali's mystical philosophy in its last phase.)

Al-Ghazali (1109) al-Mustasfa min 'ilm al-usul (The Essentials of the Islamic Legal

Theory), Cairo: al-Matba'ah al-Amiriyyah, 1322-4 ah. (An exposition and standard

work of the Islamic legal theory of the Shafi'ite school.)

Al-Ghazali (c.1108) al-Munqidh min al-dalal (The Deliverer from Error), ed. J. Saliba

and K. Ayyad, Damascus: Maktab al-Nashr al-'Arabi, 1934; trans. W.M. Watt, The

Faith and Practice of al-Ghazali, London: Allen & Unwin, 1953; trans. R.J.

McCarthy, Freedom and Fulfillment: An Annotated Translation of al-Ghazali's al-

Munqidh min al-Dalal and Other Relevant Works of al-Ghazali, Boston, MA: Twayne,

1980. (Al-Ghazali's spiritual autobiography.)

References and further reading

Abu Ridah, M. (1952) Al-Ghazali und seine Widerlegung der griechischen Philosophie

(Al-Ghazali and His Refutation of Greek Philosophy), Madrid: S.A. Blass. (An analysis

of al-Ghazali's refutation of philosophy in the framework of his religious thought.)

Campanini, M. (1996) 'Al-Ghazzali', in S.H. Nasr and O. Leaman (eds) History of

Islamic Philosophy, London: Routledge, ch. 19, 258-74. (The life and thought of al-

Ghazali is discussed in detail, with a conspectus of his thought through his very

varied career.)

Frank, R. (1992) Creation and the Cosmic System: al-Ghazali and Avicenna,

Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag. (One of the recent works clarifying the

philosophical influence upon al-Ghazali, representing a new trend in the study of al-

Ghazali.)

Frank, R. (1994) Al-Ghazali and the Ash'arite School, Durham, NC: Duke University

Press. (A new attempt to prove al-Ghazali's commitment to philosophy and his

alienation from traditional Ash'arism.)

Ibn Rushd (c.1180) Tahafut al-tahafut (The Incoherence of Incoherence), trans. S. Van

den Bergh, Averroes' Tahafut al-Tahafut, 2 vols, London: Luzac, 1969. (A translation

with detailed annotations of Ibn Rushd's refutation of al-Ghazali's criticism of

philosophy.)

Jabre, F. (1958a) La notion de certitude selon Ghazali dans ses origines

psychologiques et historiques (The Notion of Certitude According to al-Ghazali and Its

Psychological and Historical Origins), Paris: Vrin. (A comprehensive analysis of al-

Ghazali's important concept of certitude.)

Jabre, F. (1958b), La notion de la ma'rifa chez Ghazali (The Notion of Gnosis in al-

Ghazali), Beirut: Librairie Orientale. (An analysis of the various aspects of the notion

of mystical knowledge.)

Laoust, H. (1970) La politique de Gazali (The Political Thought of al-Ghazali), Paris:

Paul Geuthner. (An exposition of al-Ghazali's political thought, showing him as an

orthodox jurist.)

Lazarus-Yafeh, H. (1975) Studies in al-Ghazali, Jerusalem: The Magnes Press. (Literary

stylistic analyses applied to al-Ghazali's works.)

Leaman, O. (1985) An Introduction to Medieval Islamic Philosophy, Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press. (A good introduction to al-Ghazali's philosophical

arguments against the historical background of medieval Islamic philosophy.)

Leaman, O. (1996) 'Ghazali and the Ash'arites', Asian Philosophy 6 (1): 17-27. (Argues

that the thesis of al-Ghazali's distance from Ash'arism has been overdone.)

Macdonald, D.B. (1899) 'The Life of al-Ghazzali, with Especial Reference to His

Religious Experiences and Opinions', Journal of the American Oriental Society 20: 71-

132. (A classic biography, still useful.)

Marmura, M.E. (1995) 'Ghazalian Causes and Intermediaries', Journal of the

American Oriental Society 115: 89-100. (Admitting the great influence of philosophy

on al-Ghazali, the author tries to demonstrate al-Ghazali's commitment to Sufism.)

Nakamura Kojiro (1985) 'An Approach to Ghazali's Conversion', Orient 21: 46-59. (An

attempt to clarify what Watt (1963) calls 'a crisis of civilization' as the background of

al-Ghazali's conversion.)

Nakamura Kojiro (1993) 'Was Ghazali an Ash'arite?', Memoirs of Research

Department of the Toyo Bunko 51: 1-24. (Al-Ghazali was still an Ash'arite, but his

Ash'arism was quite different from the traditional form.)

Ormsby, E.L. (1984) Theodicy in Islamic Thought: The Dispute over al-Ghazali's 'Best

of All Possible Worlds', Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (A study of the

controversies over al-Ghazali's 'optimistic' remarks in his later works.)

Shehadi, F. (1964) Ghazali's Unique Unknowable God: A Philosophical Critical Analysis

of Some of the Problems Raised by Ghazali's View of God as Utterly Unique and

Unknowable, Leiden: Brill. (A careful philosophical analysis of al-Ghazali's religious

thought.)

Sherif, M. (1975) Ghazali's Theory of Virtue, Albany, NY: State University of New York

Press. (A careful analysis of al-Ghazali's ethical theory in his Mizan and the

philosophical influence on it.)

Smith, M. (1944) Al-Ghazali the Mystic, London: Luzac. (A little dated, but still a

useful comprehensive study of al-Ghazali as a mystic and his influence in both the

Islamic and Christian worlds.)

Watt, W.M. (1963) Muslim Intellectual: A Study of al-Ghazali, Edinburgh: Edinburgh

University Press. (An analysis of al-Ghazali's life and thought in the historical and

social context from the viewpoint of sociology of knowledge.)

Zakzouk, M. (1992) Al-Ghazali's Philosophie im Vergleich mit Descartes (Al-Ghazali's

Philosophy Compared with Descartes), Frankfurt: Peter Lang. (A philosophical

analysis of al-Ghazali's thought in comparison with Descartes with reference to

philosophical doubt.)

Taught by Harvard's Muslim Chaplain, Taha Abdul-Basser:

Reviving Our Hearts

A five session series on Imām al-Ghazālī's the Iḥyā ʿUlūm al-Dīn.

Regarded by many as the greatest work of its type, Iḥyā ʿUlūm al-Dīn (Revival of the Religious Sciences)

is the product of a lifetime's effort of struggle and realization. Recognized as the mujaddid (renewer) of his

era and dubbed "Hujjat al-Islām" (lit. "the Proof of Islam"), Imām Abu Hamid al-Ghazālī (450-505

AH/1058-1111 AD), a theologian-methodologist (usuli) and leading Shafi`i jurist, offers practical

foundations for the seeker.

In sha'Allah, over the course of five sessions, a brief exploration will be undertaken at the hands of our

very own Chaplain, Taha Abdul-Basser.

Schedule:

* Session 1 Introduction to Iḥyā ʿUlūm al-Dīn : April 2nd 

Sira of Imam Abu hamid al-Ghazali, motivation and aim of the work, position in the our tradition

* Session 2 'Ibadat (Devotions) : April 9th

The Rights of Allah on you

* Session 3 'Adat (Customs) : April 16th

The rights of Allah's servants on you

* Session 4 Muhlikaat (Destroyers) : April 23rd

Blameworthy qualities from which the heart-mind must be cleansed

* Session 5 Munjiyaat (Rescuers) : April 30th

Praiseworthy qualities with which the heart-mind must be embellished

Contact Fahim Zaman or Naeel Cajee for information. Please Forward Widely!

-HIS Islamic Learning

Posted by Abū `Abdul-Raḥmānat 9:40 PM 0 comments  Links to this post 

Labels: `ilm, Ghazali, halaqa, Ihya, suluk

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2010

may Allah reward Ustadh Abdullah Anik Misra for his precious answer to a question that was posed by

some one who was experiencing doubts about his practice of Islam. The entire question and response is

included below.

Question: How can I convince my self about the truth of Islam and that my ceremonial actions like salat

and dua have any effect? I converted when I was a teenager and have been practicing regularly. Yet, for

everything else in the universe, or at least for the things I care about, I observe cause and effect.I do an

action and an effect is produced. But with invocation, prayer, and dhikr no observable effect is produced. I

have not experienced peace in the remembrance of Allah. Shaytan feels closer to me than Allah. Then I

keep hearing from Christian coworkers, classmates, etc. how such and such miracle occurred in their

lives or how they got a sign from God - and I think they honestly believe what they say. What should I do?

Please advise.

Answer: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

As salaamu alaikum brother,

I want to tell you that what you have done is very brave- trying to get help to clear your doubts about the

Truth is something that is necessary for any Muslim to do. Many people live and suffer with the disease of

doubt in silence for years while it takes a toll on their mental, spiritual and even their physical health.

It is also very reassuring that despite this issue, you keep up your worship to Allah through the five daily

prayers. However, we must not think for a moment that we are doing a favor to Allah; rather it is He who

is doing us a great, incalculable favor, a sign of His immense generosity that engulfs us even while we

have been unmindful of Him.

First, we will look at why you might feel emptiness in your worship, then your confusions regarding God

and His existence and how to solve that, then finally, why these problems might be occurring and the cure

for it.

Why Does My Prayer Feel Like an Empty Ritual?

Part of the reason that people feel emptiness in their prayers is because they feel that by praying and

fasting and supplicating, they are doing something to benefit Allah, and that He should feel obliged to

reimburse them for their efforts. Then, they desire certain outcomes that their limited insight feels is best

for them, and that if those do not occur, then Allah has not answered them, so they become despondent.

Rather, do we ask ourselves how Allah can possibly owe us anything, when, long before we were even

created, in His infinite knowledge, He willed that we would be guided as Muslims today? Did He not

choose you and I out of billions of people to believe in Him?

What did we do in pre-eternity, what great act of piety, what service, what obedience, for which our

creation and guidance was recompense? Nothing whatsoever.

What was there before this entire world of cause and effect and ups and downs and desires and actions?

Allah alone, and His pure largess and mercy.

So is it not fitting that we worship Him out of a profound sense of gratitude, solely because He alone

deserves to be worshiped, rather than for outcomes, as if He has to pay us back for acts of worship that

He guided us to in the first place?

When we choose freely to worship Him (even after He makes us inclined to do so), He creates the act

and enables us, then we acquire that prayer in our account of good deeds, then He Himself appreciates it

and rewards us for something He created. That is the reality for our devotions. They are in fact a gift from

Him to us, not the other way around. Knowing this should change the state of our worship, insha Allah.

The Wordly Returns of Sincere Worship

The scholars of Islamic spirituality say that the one guaranteed (though not obligatory) worldly effect of

sincere obedience (such as prayer) is the tawfiq, or divine facilitation, to do more good deeds. This is

much more beneficial than any worldly thing to ask for, and of course, the rewards in the Hereafter are

permanent.

Still, none of a believer’s prayers are unheard: they are either answered, or something harmful is averted

in its stead, or delayed till the Hereafter where the result is better.

Perhaps the reward for your steadfast prayers and devotions for all these years since you became Muslim

is that, even through your difficult times of doubting the very One who gave you all of these blessings, He

still enables you to worship Him and keeps you connected to Him, out of His love and divine concern for

you.

He, Most Gracious and Merciful, is what is keeping us from falling into disbelief at all times, not our

practice, though He can make that a means to attach ourselves to Him. Seeing Allah’s gentle hand

behind the blessings in our life can uplift us so much, and seeing how He has saved us from so much

potential harm as well can make us appreciate what we have now and feel content.

Know Your Lord – Study the Science of Beliefs

Sometimes, we as Muslims confuse our priorities in this religion. One might think that having small doubts

about the existence of the Creator whilst continuing outward practice is the relatively better position to be

in, rather than having firm faith while slipping in and out of practice due to laziness.

Both are bad and undesirable, but the preference of the former over the latter is putting worship (’ibadah)

before the One who is worshiped (al-ma`bud), which doesn’t make sense. The first obligatory duty upon

us as Muslims – rather, as human beings - is to know Our Lord. Everything else follows after firmly

confirming that knowledge in our hearts [al-Dardir, Sharh Kharida al Bahiyya].

That’s why it is highly recommended for us all to study at least one basic primer in Islamic Beliefs with a

qualified teacher. This primer can be one that lists the general beliefs that a Muslim needs to have without

explanation if it is readily followed.

However, in an age where doubt and confusion are widespread, a work should be studied which allows

the beginner to logically understand how it is necessary that this world have a Creator who is unlike His

creation, and why Islam’s teachings on the nature and qualities of the Creator make it the indisputable

religion of truth. In the case of someone who has doubts, it becomes an obligation to seek that

knowledge. Seeker’s Guidance offers a course on Islamic Beliefs that I would personally recommend

everyone to take.

Then, once one sees how Islam’s view of God is the necessary truth that accurately reflects and applies

to what actually exists, the message from God which carried the proofs for this knowledge and obligated

us to believe (al-Qur’an) can be verified as true, after which the Messenger of God (peace and blessings

be upon him) can be verified as true, after which one can be convinced, as you asked, of the truth of

Islam as a religion in all its various aspects.

It is also worth reminding you that, years ago, you made a conscious decision to accept Islam,

Alhamdulillah. You came as a result of seeing the truth in it; of being sure and knowing that Allah is One

and that Islam is His religion. What has changed? Don’t sell yourself short in thinking you don’t have faith

– you might actually have all you need to discern truth from falsehood, but the problem is lying in your

outlook.

After all, you are seeking this help and trying to convince yourself because you know deep down inside

this is the truth- not because some other non-truth has convinced you and is dawning on you, and you are

afraid to admit that. The issues you bring up are not well-formulated lines of reasoning, but scattered

doubts mixed with emotions. If you had been led totally astray by disbelieving in the truth of Islam, you

might not have felt disturbed about this; if there wasn’t some good in your heart, you would never be

concerned about this. Then what is the problem?

This is where it is important to understand the role of baseless misgivings (wasawasa) and the effect that

they can have on the Muslim’s heart and mind, tempting even firm believers into thinking that they don’t

really have faith, or to doubt something they know exists as rationally and necessarily true, but can’t see.

Baseless Misgivings in One’s Faith – Shaytan’s Weapon of Choice

The Devil (shaytan) is mankind’s sworn enemy, as Allah Most High tells us in the Qur’an. After his own

straying from Allah Most High’s pleasure and subsequently being cast out of divine favour, he vowed that

he would lead all of mankind astray, out of envy for the close relationship that Adam (peace be upon him)

and his progeny (us) shared with their Lord.

His main influence is by the fact that he whispers evil thoughts into our hearts. Then, we take these

suggestions, and begin to repeatedly think about the evil (or less good) action, until it becomes our own

thought, which then leads to determination, then to action.

One thing I have learned is to constantly remind yourself that not every thought you have is from your

own mind- especially the gross ones and ones we wouldn’t repeat. When the Devil whispers doubts into

people’s minds, sometimes they mistaken them for our own, and feel disgust and shock for thinking such

a gross thought, then they blame themselves over and over, allowing themselves to re-expose their mind

to the thought repeatedly, till it actually does start confusing them, until it finally settles and becomes an

internal struggle.

To have these fleeting doubtful thoughts, at the initial stage, is something normal, and to seek refuge in

Allah Ta’ala from the Devil immediately is the remedy. Do not let those thoughts grow, rather, say “a`udhu

billahi min ash-shaytan nir-rajeem” and if you pondered on the thought, seek forgiveness (istighfar).

It is narrated from Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him), who ascribed it back to the Prophet

(may peace and blessings be upon him) that he said, “Truly, Allah has overlooked for my Ummah that

which is whispered, or the which is thought about in the lower self, as long as they do not act upon it, or

speak about it.” [al-Bukhari, Sahih]

He also narrates that people from amongst the Companions came to the Prophet (peace and blessings

be upon him) and consulted him: “We surely find within ourselves things that one of us would consider an

enormity to even speak about.” So he [peace and blessings be upon him] asked, “And you have really

found that [within yourselves?]“ “Yes,” they replied. “That,” he replied (peace and blessings be upon him),

“is clear faith.” [Muslim, Sahih]

You mentioned that you felt the Devil was closer to you than Allah Most High. It is true that the Devil “runs

in the children of Adam like the circulation of blood.” [Bukhari, Muslim]. You feel so sure of this, yet, the

Devil can make you doubt even his existence as well, because if he admits his existence to one with

doubts, isn’t it plainly obvious that the One who created him must exist?

Perhaps the feeling of the Devil being closer is actually about how you spend your time- do you, from your

side, make yourself closer to your vain desires and ego, or to Allah? What are the hidden departments in

your life which you need to address? Often, it is our connection to sinful or vain things that we overlook

that causes us to feel emptiness.

We may feel far from Allah at those times, but is Allah far from us? No, never! Allah Ta’ala says in the

Qur’an:

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then [tell them] surely, I am near. I answer the prayer of

the supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they

may be led aright.” [al-Quran, 2:186]

So knowing that Allah Ta’ala is closer to us than the Devil or anything else, if we act on the second part of

the verse, namely to call on Allah sincerely and to rely and trust in Him to fulfill our every need, we get the

result, which is being led aright, which is the means to attaining success in both this world and the

Hereafter.

Someone might look at people of other faiths and think that they experience peace. Most of feeling

tranquil is a mental thing; anyone can do that if they put their mind to it, even if they do the worst of things

at other times, or worship false gods or have corrupt practices. That false sense of “peace” can mislead

them into self-satisfaction and contentment with misguidance; it also doesn’t guarantee anything beyond

this-worldly feelings.

But true peace is from Allah, al-Salam, when the believer combines truth with his/her love for the Divine,

because He says: “Indeed! It is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.” [al-Quran, 13:28].

If a person chooses their religion based on what makes them feel good, and not based on whether they

are worshipping the one true God the way He wants and deserves to be worshiped, who, or what exactly

are they worshiping then? Their Lord, or simply their own base desires and fancies? In conclusion, these

issues are simply things in our mind that we have to deal with by taking positive steps to developing a

meaningful relationship with Allah Ta’ala.

May Allah Ta’ala make it easy for you and us to stay on the Truth of Islam and may He shower His love

and mercy upon us and the entire ummah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

I tell myself all of this first and foremost, and then remind others. And Allah knows best.

Wasallam,

Abdullah Anik Misra

Sufi Heirs of the Prophet: The Indian Naqshbandiyya and the Rise of the Mediating Sufi Shaykh.(Review)Sufi Heirs of the Prophet: The Indian Naqshbandiyya and the Rise of the Mediating Sufi Shaykh. By ARTHUR F. BUEHLER. Columbia: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA PRESS, 1998. Pp. xxvii + 312.$39.95.

This is an extensive study of the South Asian Naqshbandiyya, including the historical development and major teachings of this important Sufi Order. In its later chapters the work focuses on the figure of [Jam[bar{a}].sup.[subset]]at [Al[bar{i}].sup.[subset]] Sh[bar{a}]h (1841-1951[!]), a Naqshbandi shaykh who was one of the most renowned revivalist pirs of the colonial period, being …

Home » MASHA'IKH-E-CHISHT » HADHRAT AQDAS MAULANA RASHID AHMAD

GANGOHI(rahmatullah alayh)

Published by theMajlis.net

South-west of Sahaaranpْr is a town known as Gangoh. Allah Ta’ala has blessed this town with three

Akaabir (Seniors) of the Silsilah. Two of them have already been discussed, namely, Hadhrat Shah

Abdul Quddْs and Hadhrat Shah Abu Saeed. The third illustrious personality is Hadhrat Imaan Rabbani.

At one and the same time he was an Aalim of the Deen, an Authority of the Shariat and Tariqat, an

Aashiq (Lover) of the Nabi and a staunch follower of the Sunnah. He is that noble soul who has been

designated Imaam Rabbani by his ardent devotees.

His name was Rashid Ahmad. Hadhrat Imaam Rabbani was born on Sunday 6th Thil Qa’dh 1244 Hijri

(1829) at the time of Chaasht (about 2 or 3 hours before midday) in Gangoh. His father, Maulana

Ahmad Sahib died in the year 1252 at the age of 35 years. Imaam Rabbani’s age at the time was 7

years. After the demise of his father, Hadhrat was taken care of and trained by his grandfather. Birth

on a Sunday and being orphaned in early childhood are two features of Rasulullah’s ( وسالم عايه الله (صلى

life which Allah Ta’ala bestowed to Imaam Rabbani.

His very first Ustaad was Mianji Qutub Bakhsh Gangohi. Even during early childhood his Ustaad spoke

glowingly of his intelligence and alertness. It was the habit of Mianji Qutub to smell the mouths of his

pupils and question them of the food they had ate. When the pupils informed him, he would say: “You

ate alone. Why did you not bring anything for me?”

In view of this habit, Hadhrat Imaam Rabbani had adopted the practise of bringing along his food. He

would not eat of it. Rather he would present it to his Ustaad. For several days the house folk were

unaware of this sacrifice. However, after a few days when they observed oily marks on his clothes,

they admonished him and demanded an explanation. In this way they learnt of his sacrifice. This was

the effect of that good fortune and that ability to sacrifice which were naturally endowed to him.

He would occasionally say that it was in either his 4th or 5th year when his mother gave him and his

elder brother, Molvi Inayat Ahmad some milk to drink. He continues:

“I insisted that the quantity of milk be increased. My elder brother did not view my insistence with

favour. My brother, after drinking his share, drank my share too. I then realised that the outcome of

obstinacy is deprivation.”

It has not been established where Hadhrat had learnt the Qur’aan Majeed. Probably he learnt it from

his mother at home. In those times the females of the nobility were fully versed in the Qur’aan Majeed

and knowledge of the Shariat. He studied Farsi by his maternal uncle, Maulana Muhammad Taqi in

Karnaal. Part of his Farsi was also learnt under Molvi Muhammad Gauth. He studied the primary text

books of Arabic grammar by Molvi Muhammad Bakhsh Rampْri. On his encouragement, Hadhrat went

in the pursuit of further knowledge to Delhi in 1261. At this time he was 17.

In Delhi he joined the classes of different Ustaads. However, he was not satisfied to stay in any place

here. By a sheer good coincidence and the Qudrat of Allah Ta’ala, the Ustaad of all subjects, Hadhrat

Maulana Mamlْk Ali was returning from his Hijaaz (Arabia) trip and on his way to Naanotah, passed by

Delhi. The holidays were about to end, hence he brought along Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Qasim

Nanotwi for pursuing knowledge in Delhi.

Imam Rabbani who had not yet commenced his studies systematically because of his inability to settle

down, arrived by Maulana Mamlْk Ali. Thus, Hadhrat Imaam Rabbani acquired his Uloom-e-Zaahiriyyah

under the guidance of one Ustaad. He studied the Kitaab, Sadraa Shams-e-Baazigah by Maulana

Mamlْk Ali in the same way as a Hafiz teaches the Qur’aan. He stayed a few years in Delhi until he had

accomplished his academic pursuit.

His other Ustaads in the philosophical branches are Maulana Mufti Sadruddin and Qadhi Ahmaduddin.

His Ustaad in Hadith was Maulana Shah Abdul Ghani Naqshabandi. He engrossed himself so thoroughly

in the acquisition of knowledge that he devoted only seven hours to all his needs such as eating,

sleeping, etc. (This means that 17 hours daily were devoted to studies).

After completion of his studies, he returned home at the age of about 21. For the entire duration of his

stay in Delhi, he had made his own food arrangements. He never imposed on anyone. Every month 3

rupees were sent from home. This would suffice for all his needs.

Now he began teaching in Gangoh. He taught a variety of subjects. This occupation continued until the

end of 1300 Hijri. From 1301 his preoccupation was only with Hadith. He alone would teach all six

kitaabs of Sihah-Sittah (The six authentic books of Hadith). Hadith lessons would commence during the

month of Shawwaal. By Sha’baan all six books would be completed.

Imaam Rabbani himself had explained many times his initiation into Sulook. He said:

“When Maulana Muhammad Qasim and I were studying in Delhi, we intended to study the kitaab,

Sullam. But in view of the heavy engagement of Hadhrat Ustaad it was decided that the kitaab

(Sullam) would be taught only twice a week. Once while the lesson of Sullam was in progress, a man

with a green lungi over his shoulders entered. Spontaneously Hadhrat Ustaad together with all the

khuddaam stood up and greatly honoured the man. Hadhrat Ustaad then said:

“Rashid, the lesson will continue another day.”

I lamented much the loss of that day’s lesson. I said to Molvi Muhammad Qasim (with some sarcasm):

‘This is some good Haji. Our lesson is lost.’

Molvi Muhammad Qasim responded: ‘Don’t speak like that. He is a buzrug and among the chosen

ones.’ ”

After having narrated this incident, Hadhrat Imaam Rabbani said: “Little did we know that it would be

this selfsame Haji who would guide us.” He also said:

“During my student days on account of studying Hadith, I remained for a considerable time in the

service of Hadhrat Abdul Ghani Muhajire Madani. I, therefore, repeatedly resolved to become bay’t to

him, but every time Maulana Nanotwi would put me off saying that we should make bay’t with Hadhrat

Imdad.”

Thereafter, his relationship and affection for Haji Sahib went on increasing until he became wholly

dedicated to Haji Sahib, culminating in bay’t on his hands of truth. The episode of his initiation is as

follows:

Imaam Rabbani went to Thaanabovan to discuss an issue with Hadhrat Maulana Shaikh Muhammad

Thanwi. Before engaging in the discussion, he went to visit Hadhrat Haji Sahib. On his arrival he found

Hadhrat Haji Sahib engaging in tilaawat of the Qur’aan Majeed. This was Hadhrat Gangohi’s fifth

meeting with Hadhrat Haji Sahib. Haji Sahib met him most affectionately, asking him the reason for

coming. Hadhrat Gangohi said that he had come with the intention of debating with Maulana Shaikh

Muhammad. Haji Sahib said:

“Oh! Oh! Don’t intend so. He is our buzrug.”

Hadhrat Gangohi said: “If he is your senior, then he is my senior as well.”

Thereafter, finding an opportunity, Hadhrat Gangohi requested to become bay’t. In order to test his

eagerness, Haji Sahib refused. However, the love for Haji Sahib was firmly embedded in his heart,

hence inspite of the refusal, Hadhrat Gangohi’s resolve did not slacken. After two of three days Haji

Sahib initiated him (i.e. Hadhrat Gangohi became bay’t to Haji Sahib). At the time of bay’t, Hadhrat

Gangohi told Haji Sahib that he was unable to practise thikr and shaghl, mujaahadah and riyaadhat,

nor could he stay awake at night. Haji Sahib smiled and said:

“Good! It does not matter.”

One of Hadhrat Imaam Rabbani’s close associates then asked: “Hadhrat, what happened then?”

Imaam Rabbani replied: “Then, death and annihilation happened.

Two or three days thereafter, Haji Sahib instructed him recite the Thikr formula known as Baarah

Tasbeeh.

According to this usual practise Hadhrat Haji Sahib got up at night for Tahajjud. After wudhu he went

into the Musjid. Imaam Rabbani also woke up, made wudhu and performed Tahajjud and engaged in

thikr in another corner of the Musjid. He was young at the time and he made the thikr enthusiastically

and forcefully. In the morning Hadhrat Haji Sahib said:

“You made thikr like an expert.”

Imaam Rabbani said that from that day onwards he was in love with Thikr.

A week after bay’t, Hadhrat Haji Sahib said:

“Molvi Rashid Ahmad! The Ni’mat (Bounty) which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to me, I have given it to

you. In future, it is your duty to increase it.”

Imaam Rabbani would occasionally comment:

“This statement (of Haji Sahib) at that time greatly surprised me. What did he give me? Finally after 15

years I understood what it was he had given.”

After a stay of 22 days, he left enriched with baatini treasures and roohaani wealth from Thaanabovan.

At the time of seeing Imaam Rabbani off, Hadhrat Haji Sahib held his hand and in privacy said:

“If anyone request you to accept them in bay’t, do so.”

Hadhrat Gangohi replied: “Who will ask me?”

Haji Sahib responded: “Do as I say.”

After leaving Thaanabovan, Imaam Rabbani arrived at Gangoh. On reaching Gangoh a state of

enthusiasm and spiritual ecstasy had settled over him. Regarding this condition, Hadhrat’s cousin,

Maulana Abun Nasr says:

“After returning from Thaanabovan, Hadhrat stayed at my home. At midnight he would wake up and

set off straight to the Musjid. I would follow him at a distance. When Hadhrat engaged in Thikr Bil Jahr,

it seemed as if the whole Musjid was shuddering. Only he knows the state which must have settled

over him.”

After having acquired the khilaafate, Hadhrat’s humility and crying increased considerably. Entire

nights would pass with him sobbing. His mother had made for him a green shawl for covering him

when he goes to the Musjid in the cold nights. He would wipe the constant flow of tears with the shawl.

Soon the shawl’s colour changed as a result of the profuse moisture of his tears.

Once while in Thaanabovan, Hadhrat Haji Sahib subjected Hadhrat Gangohi to a test to ascertain his

degree of patience, tolerance and self-control. Imaam Rabbani explaining this test said:

“I had stayed a few days in Thaanabovan. I detest to impose the burden of providing my food on

Hadhrat. I also thought that to make arrangements elsewhere would be both difficult and detestable. I,

therefore sought permission to leave, but Hadhrat declined and told me to stay another few days. I

was silent. Although I had resolved to stay the extra few days, I also decided to make my own food

arrangements. After a short while, Hadhrat said, just before going home:

‘Rashid Ahmad, don't worry about food. Eat with me.’

In the afternoon when the food came from Hadhrat’s home, one plate contained very delicious kebaab.

The other plate contained an inferior type of gravy. After we sat down to eat, Hadhrat kept the kebaab

far from me. At that juncture Hadhrat Hafiz Muhammad Zamin Sahib entered. Seeing this, he said to

Hadhrat Haji Sahib: ‘Brother, it is difficult for Rashid Ahmad to stretch his hand so far. Why don’t you

put the plate near to him?’

Hadhrat Haji Sahib said sharply:

‘He should be grateful that I am at least allowing him to eat with me. In fact, I had intended to give him

a piece of bread in his hand to eat elsewhere.’

While making this comment, Hadhrat Haji Sahib was looking at me to detect any change in my

expression. But, Al-humdulillah! There was no affect on my heart. I accepted that whatever Haji Sahib

had said, was the truth. In fact, to get a piece of bread from his royal court is a great favour,

regardless of the way it is obtained. Thereafter Hadhrat never again put me to test. Therefore I know

nothing.’ ”

Hadhrat Haji Imdadullah had written to Imaam Rabbani enquiring about his condition. In response,

Hadhrat Gangohi wrote a letter which has been printed in Makaateeb-e-Rashidiyyah. The letter is

reproduced here.

“O my refuge of both worlds! You have requested information about the haalaat of this useless one.

What can this non-entity present of his insignificant conditions in the presence of the Fountain of

excellence and perfection? (This is a reference to Hadhrat Haji Sahib). By Allah! I am highly ashamed. I

am nothing. But on account of Hadhrat’s instruction, I am constrained to write something, Hadhrat

Murshid! Regarding the condition (haal) of Ilm-e-Zaahiri, in the period of approximately more than

seven years since I have departed from your august presence, until this year, more than 200 have

qualified in Hadith. The majority of them have initiated dars (the profession of imparting Deeni

Knowledge) and they are active in the revival of the Sunnah. They have been responsible for the

dissemination of the Deen. There is no greater honour than this honour if it is accorded Divine

acceptance.

In a nutshell, the fruit of my presence in Hadhrat’s service is that my heart is not concerned with either

benefit or harm from anyone besides Allah Ta’ala. Wallah! Sometimes I am separated from my Masha-

ikh, hence I am not concerned with the praise or criticism of anyone. I regard both the one who praises

me and the one who criticises me to be distant from me.

I have developed a natural dislike for sin and a natural inclination for obedience. This effect is due

solely to that relationship (nisbat) which has reached me from the spiritual effulgence of Hadhrat.

To say more will be disrespectful. May Allah forgive that I be a liar, for I have written on the instruction

of Hadhrat. In reality I am nothing. It is only Your shadow – only Your existence. What am I? I am

nothing. Only He is. You and me are shirk upon shirk. Astaghfirullah! Astaghfirullah! Astaghfirullah!

Wala haula wala quwwata illa billah. Kindly absolve me from saying more.

Wasalaam. 1306 Hijri.”

The Hajj Journey

His Demise

Miscellaneous Anecdotes

His Khulafaa

Khargūshī's Manual of Ṣūfism

A. J. ArberryThrough the courtesy of the authorities of the Preussische Staatsbibliothek I have had the opportunity of

reading in the India Office Library the apparently unique copy of Abū Sa'd 'Abd al-Malik b. Muhammad b.

Ibrāhīm al-Wā'iz al-Khargūshī's manual of Sūfism entitled Tahdhīb al-asrār. Khargūshī, who is otherwise

known for his voluminous biography of the Prophet and a treatise on the interpretation of dreams, died at

Nīshāpūr in 406/1015 or 4Q7/1016. He is therefore an earlier authority than Sulamī (d. 412/1021), Abu

Nu'aim al-Isfahānī (d. 430/1039), and Qushairī (d. 465/1072), but is junior to Sarrāj (d. 378/988), Kalābādhī

(d. 385/995), and Abū Tālib al-Makkī (d. 386/996). These comparisons are important, for they show Khargūshī

as being a sufficiently early writer in the genre of systematic Sūfism. His name is not included in Nicholson's

list of eight authorities for the history of early Sufism, and he does not appear to have received the attention

which he deserves; though it is true that he has been utilized by Massignon in his study of Hallaj. The

purpose of the present note is to supplement the somewhat exiguous account of the work given by Ahlwardt,

and also to estimate the true value of Khargūshī's manual as a primary source.

This section is reserved for works dealing with al-Ghazali's sources. It is a documented fact that al-Ghazali used many sources in his books. He says of his Ihya': 

o It is true that men have written several works on some of these aspects, but this one differs from them in five ways: 

First, by clarifying what they have obscured and elucidating what they have treated casually. 

Second, by arranging what they have disarranged, and organizing what they have scattered. 

Third, by condensing what they have elaborated, and correcting what they have approved. 

Fourth, by deleting what they have repeated (and verifying what they have set’ down). 

Fifth, by determining ambiguous matters which have hitherto been unintelligible and never dealt with in any work. 

o For although all have followed one course, there is no reason why one should not proceed independently and bring to light something unknown, paying special attention to what his colleagues have forgotten. It is possible that such obscure things are noticed, but mention of them in writing is overlooked. Or again it may not be a case of overlooking them, but rather one of being prevented from exposing them. 

o These, therefore, are the characteristics of this work which comprises the aggregate of the (previously enumerated) sciences. [end of quote]

He also says in al-Munqidh min al-dalal (Deliverer from ignorance):

o I began to acquaint myself with their belief by reading their books, such as The Food of the Hearts (Qut al-Qulub) by Abu Talib al-Makki (God have mercy upon him), the works of al-Harith al-Muhasibi, the various anecdotes

about al-Junayd, al-Shibli and Abu Yazid al-Bistami (may God sanctify their spirits), and other discourses of their leading authors. [end of quote]

 Articles:

1. Smith, Margaret, “The Forerunner of al-Ghazali   ”, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1936, pp. 65-78. (PDF)

2. See also the introduction to: 'THE BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE,' BEING A TRANSLATION, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES OF AL-GHAZZALI'S BOOK OF THE 'IHYA, KITAB AL-ILM'. MCCALL, WILLIAM ALEXANDER, PHD. HARTFORD SEMINARY, 1940. pp. I-XXX. (PDF).

 

al-Ghazzali mention it in his “Munqidh” that he read the works of al-Makki, al-Muhasibi, al-Junayd, ash-Shibli, and al-Isfahani, it might be appropriate to put some of works by, or at least, about them: 

al-Junayd: 

o Abdelkader, A.H. (1962). The life, personality, and writings of al-Junayd. London. 

al-Muhasibi: 

o Smith, Margaret. (1935). An early mystic of Baghdad. A study of the life and teachings of Harith b. Asad al-Muhasibi. London. 

al-Makki: 

o al-Makki, Abu Talib. (1310H). Qut al-qulub fi mu‘amalat al-mahbub wa wasf tariq al-murid ila maqam at-tawhid. Cairo. 

al-Isfahani, Abu Nuaym: al-Isfahani, Abu Nu‘aym. (1351-7/1932-8). Hulyat al-awliyya’ wa tabaqat al-asfiyya. Cairo. (pdf)

or and older, source for al-Isfahani, and more complete biographies collection: 

o al-Sulami & Pedersen, Johannes (ed.). (1960). Tabaqat as-Sufiyyah. Leiden, Netherland. 

 

al-Ghazzali mentions the “ecstatic utterances” (satahat) of al-Bisthami (Ihya book I): 

Badawi ‘Abd al-Rahman. (1949). Satahat as-Sufiyyah, I: Abu Yazid al-Bistami. Cairo. 

Fragments of other Sufis mentioned by al-Ghazzali might also be found in these works: 

as-Sarraj, Abu Nasr & Nicholson, R. A. (ed.). (1914, 1963). al-Luma‘ fi at-tasawwuf. Leiden, Netherland: Gibb Memorial Series XXII. 

Nicholson, R.A. (1911). The kashf al-mahjub, the oldest Persian Treatise on Sufism (by al-Jullabi Ali Hujwiri). Leiden and London. 

Arberry , Prof. A.J.. (1935). The doctrine of the Sufis (tr. Ta‘arruf, al-Kalabadhi). Cambridge. (PDF)

Gramlich, R. (1989). Das sendschreiben al-Qushayri’s uber das Sufitum (tr. & intro. in Germany of al-Qushayri, ar-Risalah). Wiesbaden. Original work in Arabic (pdf)

Attar, Farid Uddin. (1970). Tadhkaratul-Auliya (Memoirs of the Saints), translated by Dr. Bankey Behari. Lahore, Pakistan: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, Kashmiri Bazar.

 

Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (1058–1111) (Persian/Arabic: ابن محمد حامد ابو

الغزالی .often Algazel in English, was born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia ,(محمد

He was an Islamic theologian, jurist, philosopher, cosmologist, psychologist andmystic of Persian origin,[3]

[4] and remains one of the most celebrated scholars in the history of Sunni Islamic thought. He is

considered a pioneer of methodic doubt and skepticism,[5] and in one of his major works, The Incoherence

of the Philosophers, he changed the course ofearly Islamic philosophy, shifting it away from an Islamic

metaphysics influenced by ancient Greek and Hellenistic philosophy, and towards anIslamic

philosophy based on cause-and-effect that was determined by God or intermediate angels, a theory now

known as occasionalism.

Ghazali has sometimes been acclaimed by secular historians such as William Montgomery Watt to be the

greatest Muslim after Muhammad [6]  (traditionally among Muslims, the greatest Muslims after the Prophet,

according to authentic hadith, is the generation of his contemporaries). Besides his work that successfully

changed the course of Islamic philosophy—the early Islamic Neoplatonism developed on the grounds of

Hellenistic philosophy, for example, was so successfully refuted by Ghazali that it never recovered—he

also brought the orthodox Islam of his time in close contact with Sufism.[7] The orthodox theologians still

went their own way, and so did the mystics, but both developed a sense of mutual appreciation which

ensured that no sweeping condemnation could be made by one for the practices of the other.[8]

56. Chapter: On the excellence of hunger, a simple live style, and confining oneself to little in food, drink, clothing and other things which are the portion of

the self, and abandoning appetitesAllah Almighty says, "An evil generation succeeded them who neglected the prayer and followed their appetites. They will plunge into the Valley of Evil  except for those who turn in repentance and believe and act righteously. They will enter the Garden and they will not be wronged in any way." (19:59-60) The Almighty says, "He went out among his people in his finery. Those who desired the life of this world said, 'Oh! If only we had the same as Qarun has been given! What immense good fortune he

possesses.' But those who had been given knowledge said, 'Woe to you! Allah's reward is better for those who believe and act rightly." (28:79-80) The Almighty says, "Then you will be asked that Day about the pleasures you enjoyed," (102:8) and the Almighty says, "As for anyone who desires this fleeting existence, We hasten for him in it whatever We will to whoever We want. Then We will consign him to Hell where he will roast, reviled and driven out." (17:18)491. 'A'isha said, "The family of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never had their fill of barley bread for two consecutive days until he died." [Agreed upon]

In one variant, "From the time he came to Madina, the family of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never had their fill of wheat bread for three consecutive nights until he died."

492. 'Urwa reported that 'A'isha used to say, "By Allah, nephew, we used to see three crescent moons in two months without a fire being lit in the houses of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." I said. "Aunt, what did you live off?" She said, "The two black ones: dates and water. However, the Messenger of Allah had some neighbours among the Ansar, and they have milk camels, and they would send us some of their milk and we would drink it." [Agreed upon]

493. Abu Sa'id al-Maqburi said that Abu Hurayra passed by some people who had a roast sheep in front of them and they invited him to eat, but he refused to eat, saying, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, left this world without having his fill of barley bread." [al-Bukhari]

494. Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not eat off a table up until the time he died, and he did not eat fine bread up until the time he died." [al-Bukhari]

In one variant of his, "He never ever saw a whole roast sheep."

495. An-Nu'man ibn Bashir said, "I saw your Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he did not have enough poor quality dates to fill his belly." [Muslim]

496. Sahl ibn Sa'd said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not see fine bread from the time that Allah Almighty sent him until the time He took him." He was asked, "Did you not have sieves in the time of the Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never saw a sieve from the time that Allah Almighty sent him until the time He took him." He was asked, "How did you eat unsieved barley?" He said, "We used to

rind it and blow on it and what blew away would blow away and we would knead what remained." [al-Bukhari]

497. Abu Hurayra said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out one day or night and came upon Abu Bakr and 'Umar and said, 'What has brought you out of your houses at this hour?' They said, 'Hunger, Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Me too. By the One in whose hand my soul is, what brought you out brought me out, so get up.' They got up with him and went to visit a man of the Ansar, but he was not at home. When his wife saw him, she said, 'Welcome! Welcome!' The Messenger of Allah said to her, 'Where is so-and-so?' She said, 'He has gone to get water for us.' Then the Ansari came and saw the Messenger of Allah and his two companions and said, 'Praise be to Allah. Today no one has more honoured guests than I!' He went and brought them a branch with unripe and ripe fresh dates on it and said, 'Eat.' He took a knife and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, 'Don't slaughter one which yields milk.' So he slaughtered for them and they ate from the sheep and from that branch and drank. When they were full and their thirst quenched, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to Abu Bakr and 'Umar, 'By the One who has my soul in His hand, you will be asked about this blessing on the Day of Rising. Hunger brought you out of your houses and you did not return until you had received this blessing.'" [Muslim]

The Ansari who they visited was Abu'l-Haytham ibn at-Tayyihan. This is clearly stated in the variant of at-Tirmidhi and others.

498. Khalid ibn 'Umayr al-'Adawi said, "'Utba ibn Ghazwan addressed us when he was governor of Basra. He praised and glorified Allah and then said, 'This world has announced that it is vanishing, retreating swiftly and only a trace of it will be left like the small amount left in a vessel after its owner has drunk it. You are moving from it to an abode which will not vanish. So move to it with the best you have. It has been mentioned to us that a stone thrown from the brink of Hellfire will fall in it for forty years without reaching its bottom. By Allah, it will be filled! Does that surprise you? It has been mentioned to us that between the two halves of the Garden is the distance of forty years, but a day will come when it will be blocked by the crowd of people there. I remember myself as one of seven who were with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the only food we had was some leaves of a tree which cut the corners of our mouths. I got a cloak and divided it between myself and Sa'd ibn Malik. I used half of it as a wrapper and Sa'd used half as a wrapper. Today there is not one of us who is not an amir over some city. I seek refuge with Allah from being great with myself and small with Allah." [Muslim]

499. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said, "'A'isha brought out for us a garment and thick wrapper and said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died wearing these two.'" [Agreed upon]

500. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said, "I was the first of the Arabs to shoot an arrow in the way of Allah. We used to raid with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we had no food except acacia leaves so that when one of us went to relieve himself it was like sheep droppings." [Agreed upon]

501. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O Allah, make the provision of the family of Muhammad adequate!" [Agreed upon]

502. Abu Hurayra said, "By Allah, there is no god but He. I used to lie with my stomach on the ground out of hunger and I used to tie a stone on my belly because of hunger. One day I sat on the path by which they used to go out and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by me. He smiled when he saw me and recognised what was in my face and in myself. Then he said, 'Abu Hirr!' I said, 'At your service, Messenger of Allah!' He said, 'Come along' and went and followed him. He went inside and I asked permission to enter. He gave me permission and I went inside. He found some milk in a cup and asked, 'Where is this milk from?' They said, 'So-and-so gave it to you.' He said, 'Abu Hirr.' I said, 'At your service, Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Go along to the people of the Suffa and invite them here to me.'" He said, "The people of the Suffa were the guests of Islam. They did not have recourse to family, property or anyone. When sadaqa came to him, he used to send it to them and not take any of it himself. When a gift came to him, he sent for them and had some of it himself and let them share in it. His saying that annoyed me and I said to myself, 'What good will this milk be among the people of the Suffa? I have more need of drinking it to give me strength. When they come, he will tell me to give it to them.' It was not likely that I would get any of the milk, but there was no escape from obeying Allah and obeying His Messenger so I went and invited them and they accepted and asked for permission to come in and he gave them permission. They took their seats in the house. He said, 'Abu Hirr!' I said, 'At your service, Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Take it and give it to them.'" He said, "I took the cup and gave it to a man and he drank until his thirst was quenched. Then he returned the cup to me and I gave it to another man who drank until his thirst was quenched and he returned the cup to me. [Another] drank until his thirst was quenched and he returned the cup to me until I reached the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when all the people had had enough. He took the cup and placed it in his hand and looked at me and smiled. He said, 'Abu Hirr.' I said, 'At your service, Messenger of Allah' He said, 'I and you remain.' I said, 'You have spoken the truth, Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Sit

and drink.' I sat and drank. He said, 'Drink.' So I drank. He kept saying, 'Drink' until I said, 'By the One who sent you with the truth, I cannot find any more room for it.' He said, 'Give it to me,' so I gave him the cup and he praised Allah Almighty, said the name of Allah, and drank the rest.". [al-Bukhari]

503. Muhammad ibn Sirin reported that Abu Hurayra said, "I used to fall down in a faint between the minbar of the Messenger of Allah , may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the room of 'A'isha. A passer-by would come and put his foot on my neck and think that I was mad. I was not mad. I was only hungry." [al-Bukhari]

504. 'A'isha said, "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died his armour was in pawn to a Jew for thirty sa's of barley." [Agreed upon]

505. Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, pawned his armour for some barley. I took some barley bread and dissolved fat to the Prophet and I heard him say, 'The family of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has never had more than a sa' in the morning nor the evening,' and they were nine households." [al-Bukhari]

506. Abu Hurayra said, "I saw seventy of the people of the Suffa and none of them was wearing a cloak, but only either a waist-wrapper or a shirt which they tied round their necks so that it only reached half way down their thighs or to their ankles. They would gather it together with their hands not wanting their nakedness to be seen." [al-Bukhari]

507. 'A'isha said, "The bed of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as made of hide stuffed with palm-fibre." [al-Bukhari]

508. Ibn 'Umar said, "We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a man of the Ansar came and greeted him. Then the Ansari turned away and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'O brother of the Ansar, how is Sa'd ibn 'Ubada!' He said, 'Well.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Who among you wants to visit him?' He got up and about ten of us got up with him without sandals or leather socks or head coverings or shirts. We walked through those salt marshes until we reached him. His family moved back from around him so that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and His Companions who were with him could get near." [Muslim]]

509. 'Imran ibn al-Husayn reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The best of you are my generation and then those who follow them and then those who follow them." 'Imran said, "I do not know whether the Prophet,

may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said it twice or three times." "Then after them will come a people who testify when they are not asked to testify, and who betray and are not trustworthy, who make a vow and do not fulfil it. Fleshiness will appear among them." [Agreed upon]

510. Abu Umama reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O son of Adam, it is better for you to spend what is in excess of your needs and worse for you to keep it. You will not be blamed for (keeping) enough to cover your needs. Begin with your immediate dependants." [at-Tirmidhi]

511. 'Ubaydullah ibn Muhsan al-Ansari al-Khatmi said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Any of you who wakes up in the morning safe in himself, healthy in his body, with food for the day, it is as if he had the entire world.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

512. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The successful one is he who becomes Muslim, has adequate provision and whom Allah makes satisfied with what He gives him." [Muslim]

513. Abu Muhammad Fadala ibn 'Ubayd al-Ansari reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "O the delight of the one who is guided to Islam, has adequate livelihood, and is contented." [at-Tirmidhi]

514. Ibn 'Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to go hungry for nights in a row at the time when his people could find no support. Most of their bread was barley bread." [at-Tirmidhi]

515. Fadala ibn 'Ubayd reported that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to lead the people in prayer, some men who were there would fall over during the prayer owing to extreme hunger. They were the People of the Suffa. This reached such a point that the desert Arabs said, 'Those people are mad.' When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had prayed, he went to them and said, 'If you only knew what you have with Allah Almighty, you would wish to be increased in poverty and need.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

516. Abu Karima al-Miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'A human being fills up no vessel worse than his belly. Enough for a son of Adam are some morsels which will kept his back straight. If it cannot be avoided, then a third is for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for himself." [at-Tirmidhi]

517. Abu Umama Iyas ibn Tha'laba al-Ansari al-Harithi said, "One day the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned this world, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Do you not hear? Do you not hear? Raggedness is part of belief. Raggedness is part of belief,' meaning doing without luxury." [Abu Dawud]

518. Abu 'Abdullah Jabir ibn 'Abdullah said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent us on an expedition and he put Abu 'Ubadya in command over us. We were to meet the caravan of Quraysh and we were provisioned with bags of dates which we was all that we could find. Abu 'Ubadya would give each of us a date. It was asked, 'What did you do with it?' He said, 'We would suck on it as a child sucks and then we would drink from water poured on it. It was enough for us for the day until night. We used to knock leaves off branches and then moisten them with water and eat them.'"

He said, "We proceeded along the coast and something on the sea coast looking like an immense heap became visible to us. We reached it and it was the creature called the sperm whale. Abu 'Ubayda said, 'Carrion.' Then he said, 'No, rather we are the messengers of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we are travelling in the way of Allah and have been forced by need, so eat.'. We lived on it for a month - and there were three hundred of us - eating until we were full. I remember us scooping out oil from its eye-socket with jugs, and from it we cut saddle-cloths the size of an ox - or similar to the size of an ox. Abu 'Ubayda took thirteen of us and had us sit in its eye-socket, and he took one of its ribs and stood it upright and then the largest camel we had with us went under it. We took provision from its meat and strips of dried meat. When we reached Madina, we went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and mentioned that to him. He said, 'It was provision with which Allah provided you. Do you have any of its meat with you so that you can feed us?' So we sent some of it to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he ate it." [Muslim]

519. Asma' bint Yazid said, "The sleeve of the shirt of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, reached his wrist." [at-Tirmidhi]

520. Jabir said, "On the Day of the Ditch, we were digging and a hard bit of rock became exposed. They went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "'There is a hard bit of rock exposed in the Ditch.' He said, 'I am coming down.' He got up and there was a stone tied to his belly. We had been three days without eating at all. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took a pick and struck it and it became like soft sand. I said, 'Messenger of Allah, give me permission to go to my house.' I said to my wife, 'I see that the Prophet is in a condition I cannot bear. Do you have anything?' She said, 'I have some barley and a

lamb.' So I sacrificed the lamb and she ground the barley and we put the meat in a cooking-pot. Then I went to the Messenger of Allah when the bread was kneaded and the pot was on the cooking stones and nearly cooked and said, 'I have a little food, so, Messenger of Allah, come with one or two men.' He asked, 'How much is it?' I told him and he said, 'Many is good. Tell her not to remove the pot nor take the bread from the oven until I come.' He said, 'Get up,' and the Muhajirun and Ansar got up. I went to her and said, 'Poor you! The Prophet, the Muhajirun, the Ansar and those with them have all come!' She said, 'Did he ask you?' I said. 'Yes.' He said, 'Enter, but do not crowd round.' He began to break up the bread and put meat on it, covering the pot and oven after he took something from them. He gave it to his Companions who then withdrew. He continued to breaking up bread and ladling until they were full and there was still some left. He said, 'Eat this and give some away, for hunger has afflicted the people.'" [Agreed upon]

In one variant, Jabir said, "When the ditch was dug, I saw that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was hungry, so I went back to my wife and said, 'Do you have anything? I see that the Messenger of Allah is very hungry.' She brought out a bag which contained a sa' of barley. We had a lamb we had kept at home, so I slaughtered it and she ground the barley. I finished and cut it up in her cooking-pot. Then I turned to go back to the Messenger of Allah. She said, 'Do not disgrace me before the Messenger of Allah and those with him.' I went to him and spoke confidentially to him, 'Messenger of Allah, we have slaughtered a small lamb of ours and ground a sa' of barley, so let you and a few people come.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, shouted, 'People of the Ditch! Jabir has prepared some food, so come along!' The Prophet said, 'Do not remove your pot nor bake your bread until I come.' I came and the Prophet came leading the people. I went to my wife and she said, 'It is all your fault!' I said, 'I did what you said.' She brought out the dough and he spat in it and blessed it. Then he went to our pot and spat and blessed it. Then he said, 'Call the woman who bakes and let her bake with you, and ladle from your pot and do not remove it.' There were a thousand of them. I swear by Allah, they ate until they left the food and went away. Our pot was boiling as before and out dough was baking as before."

521. Anas said, "Abu Talha said to Umm Sulaym, 'I heard the voice of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and it was weak and I recognised hunger in it. Do you have anything?' She said, 'Yes,' and produced some barley loaves. She took a scarf of hers and wrapped up the bread in part of it and then she put it under my garment and tied the other end of it round me. Then she sent me to the Messenger of Allah and I took it with me. I found the Messenger of Allah sitting in the mosque with some people. I stood over them and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, 'Did Abu Talha send you?' I answered,

'Yes.' He said, 'For a meal?' I replied, 'Yes.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered, 'Get up.' Then he set off and I went on ahead of them until I came to Abu Talha and informed him. Abu Talha said, 'Umm Sulaym! The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has come with some people, and we do not have anything to feed them.' She said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' Abu Talha went to meet the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah went forward with him until they both entered and the Messenger of Allah said, 'Bring what you have, Umm Sulaym.' So she brought that bread and the Messenger of Allah commanded it to be broken up and then Umm Sulayman squeezed some ghee on it to flavour it.' Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said what Allah willed over it and then he said, 'Admit ten,' and he admitted them. They ate until they were full and then went out. Then he said, 'Admit ten' and he admitted them. They ate until they were full and then went out. Then he said, 'Admit ten' and he admitted them and so on until all the people had eaten and were full, and there were seventy or eighty men." [Agreed upon]

In one variant, "Ten continued to enter and ten leave until everyone of them had entered and eaten until he was full up, and then they gathered it up and there was the same amount as when they had begun to eat from it."

In one variant, "They ate ten by ten until eighty men had done that. Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ate after that and the people of the house, and there was still some left over."

In one variant, "Then they still had enough left over to send to their neighbours."

In one variant Anas said, "I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, one day and I found him sitting with his Companions and he had tied a band around his stomach. I asked some of his Companions, 'Why has the Messenger of Allah bound up his stomach.' They said, 'Out of hunger.' So I went to Abu Talha, who was the husband of Umm Sulaym bint Milhan, and said, 'O father, I have seen the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with his stomach tied with a band and I asked some of his Companions and they said, "It is from hunger." Abu Talha went in to my mother and asked, 'Do you have anything?' She replied, 'Yes, I have some pieces of barley and some dates. If the Messenger of Allah comes to us alone, we can give him his fill. If someone else comes with him, it will be little for them,'" and he mentioned the whole hadith.

57. Chapter: On Contentment, self-restraint, moderation in life style and spending, and criticism of asking without necessity

Allah Almighty says, "There is no creature on the earth which is not dependent on Allah for its provision," (11:6) and the Almighty says, "It is for the poor who are held back in the Way of Allah, unable to travel in the land. The ignorant consider them rich because of their reticence. You will know them by their mark. They do not ask people importunately." (W2:272; H2:273) The Almighty says, "Those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor mean, but take a stance mid way between the two," (25:68) and the Almighty says, "I did not create either jinn or man except to worship Me. I do not require any provision from them and I do not require them to nourish Me." (51:56-57)522. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Wealth is not from a lot of money. Wealth is the independence of the self." [Agreed upon]

523. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The successful one is he who becomes Muslim, has adequate provision and whom Allah makes satisfied with what He gives him." [Muslim]

524. Hakim ibn Hizam said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he gave to me and then I asked him and he gave to me and then I asked him again and he gave to me. Then he said, 'Hakim, wealth is verdant and sweet. Anyone who takes it in a generous spirit will be blessed in it but anyone who takes it in an avaricious way will not be blessed in it, like someone who eats and is not satisfied. The upper hand is better than the lower hand.'" Hakim said, "I said, 'Messenger of Allah, by the One who sent you with the Truth, I will never again ask anyone for anything until I leave this world.'" Abu Bakr called Hakim to take his share and he refused to take it from him. Then 'Umar called him to give to him and he refused to accept anything from him either. 'Umar said, "I call on you to testify, company of Muslims, that I offered Hakim his share of this booty and he refused to take it. Hakim did not take anything from any person after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, until he died. [Agreed upon]

525. Abu Burda reported that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said, "Once we went out with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on an expedition and six of us were sharing one camel which we took it in turns to ride. Our feet became pierced through and my feet were pierced through and my toe-nails came off. We wrapped our feet in rags and so it became called the Expedition of Rags because of that." Abu Burda said, "Abu Musa related this hadith to us and then disliked having done so and said, 'I wish I had not mentioned it!'" He said, "It was as if he disliked any of his actions being disclosed." [Agreed upon]

526. 'Amr ibn Taghlib said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought some money or captives and shared them out. He gave to some men and left others out. He heard that those who had been left out had been critical about it. He praised Allah and glorified Him and then said, 'As for what follows (amma ba'd), by Allah, I give to one man and leave out another and yet I love the one whom I leave out more than the one I give to. But I give to some people because of the anxiety and unease I see in their hearts. I entrust some people to the wealth and good which Allah has placed in their hearts. One of those is 'Amr ibn Taghlib.' By Allah, what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said is dearer to me than red camels." [al-Bukhari]

527. Hakim ibn Hizam reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with your dependants. The best sadaqa is that given by the wealthy. Anyone who refrains [from asking], Allah will spare him the need to and anyone who seeks to be independent, Allah will give him independence." [Agreed upon]

528. Abu Sufyan Sakhr ibn Harb reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do not be importunate in asking. By Allah, none of you asks me for something but that his request brings him something from me, even if I dislike it, and he is blessed in whatever I give him." [Muslim]

529. Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Malik al-Ashja'i said, "We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and there were seven or eight or nine of us. He said, 'Will you not give allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?' and we had only recently given allegiance. We said, 'We have already given you our allegiance, Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Will you not give allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?' and we stretched out our hands and said, 'We have already given you our allegiance, Messenger of Allah. On what basis should we give you our allegiance?' He said, 'That you worship Allah and do not associate anything with him, the five prayers and that you obey,' and he said something softly, 'and that you do not ask people for anything.' I later saw one of those people drop his whip and he did not ask anyone to hand it to him." [Muslim]

530. Ibn 'Umar reported the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A man will continue to ask from other people until on the Day of Rising he does not have a single piece of flesh on his face." [Agreed upon]

531. From Ibn 'Umar is that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stated while he was on the minbar, "The upper hand is better than the lower hand. The upper hand is the one which spends and the lower is the beggar's." [Agreed upon]

532. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who asks people for an increase over what he has, is asking for a hot ember. He can either seek to be independent or seek increase." [Muslim]

533. Samura ibn Jundub reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A man merely exhausts himself by asking except if he asks a Sultan or for something that he has no choice about." [at-Tirmidhi]

534. Ibn Mas'ud said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If someone is afflicted by poverty and then goes to people with it, his poverty will not be alleviated. If someone goes to Allah with it, Allah will definitely bring him provision, sooner or later." [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

535. Thawban reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Is there anyone who will be a surety for me and not ask people for anything and then I will be a surety for him for the Garden?" I said, "I will be." And indeed he never asked anyone for anything. [Abu Dawud]

536. Abu Bishr Qabisa ibn al-Mukhariq said, "I had a debt which I had to discharge and I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked him about it. He said, 'Wait until sadaqa comes to me and we will make sure you get it.' Then he said, 'O Qabisa, begging is only lawful for three men: a man who has an obligation to pay, and asking is lawful for him until he gets it and then he should refrain; a man who has needs which require money, and it is lawful for him to ask until he gets enough for his subsistence - or he said to cover his subsistence; and a man who is afflicted by poverty so that three people of intelligence among his people say, "Poverty has afflicted so-and so," and it is lawful for him to ask until he gets enough for his subsistence - or he said to cover his subsistence. Any other instances of asking than these, Qabisa, are unlawful and anyone who does so consumes the unlawful.'" [Muslim]

537. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The very poor man is not the one who goes around to people to ask for a bite or two to eat or a date or two, but the one who does not have enough for himself but is too shy to ask so that he is given sadaqa - or does not beg from people importunately." [Agreed upon]

58. Chapter: On the permission to take that which is not asked for nor sought after

538. Salim ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar reported from his father, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that 'Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to give me a gift and I would say, 'Give it to someone who is poorer and more in need of it than I am.' He said, 'Take it. When some property comes to you without your being greedy for it nor asking for it, then take it. But if you are not given anything, do not run after it.'" [Agreed upon]

59. Chapter: The encouragement to eat from the work of one's own hand, and to refrain from asking and turning to giving

Allah Almighty says, "Then when the prayer is finished, spread through the earth and seek Allah's bounty." (62:10)539. 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It is better for one of you to take a rope and bring a faggot of firewood on his back and sell it so that Allah gives him what he needs than for him to ask people who then give to him or refuse." [al-Bukhari]

540. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It is better for one of you to take a rope and carry firewood on his back than for him to go to a man to beg from him who then gives to him or refuses to." [Agreed upon]

541. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Da'ud, peace be upon him, used to eat from the work of his own hands." [al-Bukhari]

542. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Zakariyya, peace be upon him, was a carpenter." [Muslim]

543. al-Miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you eats better food than that which he eats as a result of the work of his own hand. The Prophet Da'ud used to eat from the work of his own hand." [al-Bukhari]

60. Chapter: On generosity, magnanimity and spending in good ways with trust in Allah Almighty

Allah Almighty says, "Anything you expend will be replaced by Him." (34:39) and the Almighty says, "Whatever good you give away is to your own benefit when you give desiring only the Face of Allah. Whatever good you give away will be repaid to you in full. You will not be wronged." (W2:271; H2:272) The Almighty says, "Whatever good you give away, Allah knows it." (W2:272; H2:273)

544. Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You can only have envy for two things: for a man to whom Allah has given wealth which he spends for the truth, and for a man to whom Allah has given wisdom and he acts by it and teaches it." [Agreed upon]

545. Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Which of you loves the property of his heir more than he loves his own property?" They said, "O Messenger of Allah, there is none of us who does not love his own property more." He said, "His property is what he sends ahead, and the property of his heir is what he keeps back." [al-Bukhari]

546. 'Adi ibn Hatim reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Protect yourselves from the Fire, even if only with half a date." [Agreed upon]

547. Jabir said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not asked for anything at all to which he said, 'No.'" [Agreed upon]

548. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There is no day which dawns on the slaves Of Allah without two angels descending and one of them saying, 'O Allah, refund those who give money' and the other saying, 'O Allah, ruin those who withhold it.'" [Agreed upon]

549. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah Almighty says, 'Son of Adam, spend and you will be spent on.'" [Agreed upon]

550. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Which aspect of Islam is best?" He said, "To give food and to give the greeting to those you know and those you do not know." [Agreed upon]

551. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There are forty good qualities, the highest of which is giving away all of an animal's milk. If anyone acts with any one of these qualities hoping for its reward and affirming what is promised by it, on account of it Allah will admit him to the Garden." [al-Bukhari]

552. Abu Umama Suda ibn 'Ajlan reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O son of Adam! It is better for you to spend what is in excess of your needs and worse for you to keep it. You will not be blamed

for (keeping) enough to cover your needs. Begin with your immediate dependants. The upper hand is better than the lower hand." [Muslim]

553. Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not asked in Islam for anything without giving it. A man came to him and he gave him sheep filling the space between two mountains and he returned to his people saying, 'O people! Become Muslim! Muhammad gives a gift without any fear of poverty.' Even if a man becomes Muslim only out of desire for this world, it is not long before Islam becomes dearer to him than this world and everything in it." [Muslim]

554. 'Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made a distribution and I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, other people are more entitled to it than these.' He said, 'They gave me no option. Either they would have asked me in a very coarse way or they would have considered me miserly, and I am not miserly.'" [Muslim]

555. Jubayr ibn Mut'im said that while he was travelling with the Prophet, returning from Hunayn, some desert Arabs began to grab hold of him, when asking of him, until they forced him back against an acacia tree and his cloak was pulled right off. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, topped and said, "Give me my cloak. If I had had as many camels as the number of these trees, I would have divided them between you. You will not find me to be a miser, a liar nor a coward." [al-Bukhari]

556. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Sadaqa does not decrease wealth in any way, and for pardoning someone Allah only increases a slave in might, and no one is humble without Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, elevating him." [Muslim]

557. Abu Kabsha 'Umar ibn Sa'd al-Anmari heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "Three things I can swear to you and I will tell you something you should remember. The property of a slave is not decreased by sadaqa. There is no slave who is inflicted by an injustice and is steadfast in it, without Allah increasing him in might. No slave opens the door of begging without Allah opening for him the door of poverty." - or words to that effect. "The something which you should remember," he said, "Is that this world consists of four types of people. There is a slave whom Allah provides with money and knowledge and he is fearful of his Lord in respect of it and maintains ties of kinship with it and acknowledges the right of Allah over it. This one is in the best position. There is a slave whom Allah provides with knowledge but does not provide with money. He has a sincere intention and says, 'If I had money, I would have acted as so-and-so acted.' He has according to

his intention, so the reward of both of them is the same. There is a slave whom Allah provides with money but does not provide with knowledge, so he proceeds haphazardly with his money without any knowledge. He is not fearful of his Lord in respect of it nor does he maintain ties of kinship with it nor acknowledge the right of Allah over it. This person is in the worst position. There is a slave whom Allah does not provide with either money nor knowledge, so he says, 'If I had money, I would have acted as so-and-so acted. He has according to his intention, so the burden of sin of both of them is the same."

558. 'A'isha reported that they sacrificed a sheep and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "How much of it is left?" She said, "All that remains of it is its shoulder." He said, "On the contrary, all of it remains except its shoulder." [at-Tirmidhi]

559. Asma' bint Abi Bakr as-Siddiq said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, 'Do not withhold or it will be withheld from you.'" [Agreed upon]

In one variant, "Spend, (or give out or expend) and do not hold back, or Allah will hold back from you. Do not refuse to spend your surplus or Allah will deny you His."

560. Abu Hurayra reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "The likeness of the miser and the one who gives is like two men wearing shirts of chain-mail from their breasts to their collar bones. When the giver of sadaqa spends, his shirt expands over his body until it covers his fingertips and obliterates his footsteps. When the miser wants to spend anything, every link remains in its place. He tries to make it looser but it will not get looser." [Agreed upon]

561. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If anyone gives in sadaqa as much as a date from honest earnings - and Allah only accepts what is good - Allah will accept it in His right hand and will then increase it in size for the giver, just like one of you might rear a foal, until it is the size of a mountain." [Agreed upon]

562. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Once while a man was walking in the desert, he heard a voice in a cloud saying, 'Water the garden of so-and-so.' And that cloud went and poured out its water into a rocky area. There was a certain water channel which held all the water and he followed it and found a man standing in his garden directing the water with his spade. He said to him. 'Slave of Allah, what is your name?' He said, 'So-and-so' giving the same name he had heard from the cloud. The man then said to him, 'O slave of Allah,

why did you ask me my name?' He said, 'I heard a voice in the cloud from which this water came say, "Water the garden of so-and-so" giving your name. What are you doing with it?' He said, 'Since you have said this, I will [say]. I wait and see what it produces and give a third of it away as sadaqa, and my family and I eat from a third, and I reinvest a third back into it." [Muslim]

61. Chapter: On forbidding miserliness and avarice

Allah Almighty says, "But as for him who is stingy and self-satisfied, and denies the Good, We will pave his way to Difficulty." (92:8-11) The Almighty says, "It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves, who are successful." (64:16).563. Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Beware of injustice. Injustice will be darkness on the Day of Rising. Beware of avarice. Avarice destroyed those before you and prompted them to shed each other's blood and to make lawful what Allah had made unlawful for them." [Muslim]

62. Chapter: On preferring others and helping others

Allah Almighty says, "They prefer them to themselves, even if they themselves are needy," (59:9) and the Almighty said, "They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives..." (76:8 to the end)564. Abu Hurayra said, "A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'I am famished.' He sent to one of his wives and she said, 'By the One who sent you with the truth, I have nothing but water.' Then he sent to another and she said the same thing, until they had all said the same thing: 'By the One who sent you with the truth, I have nothing but water.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Who will give hospitality tonight?' A man of the Ansar said, 'I will, Messenger of Allah.' He took him to his place and said to his wife, 'Honour the guest of the Prophet.'"

In one variant, "He said to his wife, 'Do you have anything?' She said, 'No, only the children's food.' He said, 'Divert them with something else. When they want supper, put them to sleep. When our guest comes in, put out the lamp and I will look as if I'm eating.' So they sat down and the guest ate and they spent the night hungry. In the morning, they went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, 'Allah was pleased with what you did with your guest last night." [Agreed upon]

565. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Food for two is enough for three, and food for three is enough for four." [Agreed upon]

566. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said, "Once when we were on a journey with the Prophet, a man came on a camel of his and began to look to his right and left. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Anyone who has a spare mount should prepare it for someone who does not have a mount to ride, and anyone who has extra provision should prepare it for someone who does not have any provision,' and he mentioned the different categories of property until we thought that none of us had any right to anything in excess of our needs." [Muslim]

567. Sahl ibn Sa'd said, "A woman brought the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, a woven cloak (burda) with a border and said, 'I wove it with my own hands so that you could wear it.' The Prophet took it as he was in need of it. He came out to us using it as a waist-wrapper. Someone admired it and said, 'Give it to me to wear. How beautiful it is!' He said, 'Yes,' and the Prophet sat down in the assembly and then went back and folded it and sent it to him. The people said, 'You have not acted rightly. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wore it out of need for it and then you asked him for it knowing that he never refuses a request.' He said, 'By Allah, I have not asked for it in order to wear it, but I have asked for it only so that it can be my shroud.'" Sahl said, "It was indeed his shroud." [al-Bukhari]

568. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Ash'arites ran short of food on a raid - or their families in Madina ran short of food. They gathered together what they had in one cloth and then divided it among themselves equally using the same container. These people are from me and I am from them." [Agreed upon]

63. Chapter: On the desire for in matters which pertain to the Next World and seeking to have a lot of that which is blessed

Allah said, "Let people with aspiration aspire to that!" (83:26)569. Sahl ibn Sa'd reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought a drink and drank some of it, and there was a boy on his right and old men on his left. He said to the boy, "Will you give me permission to give it to them?" The boy said, "No, by Allah, Messenger of Allah! I will not give anyone else preference where my share from you is concerned!" and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, placed it in his hand. [Agreed upon]

570. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When Ayyub was bathing while naked, golden locusts began to fall on him and Ayyub began to collect them in his garment. His Lord called to him, 'O Ayyub! Have We not made you wealthy enough not to need what you see?' He said, 'Yes, indeed, by Your might, but I still need Your blessing!.'" [al-Bukhari]

64. Chapter: On the excellence of the grateful wealthy person. He is the one who takes wealth properly and spends it the ways which have been commanded

Allah says, "As for him who gives out and is godfearing and confirms the Good, We will pave his way to Ease," (92:5-7) and the Almighty says, "The most godfearing will be far removed from it: those who give their wealth to purify themselves  not to repay someone else for a favour done  desiring only the Face of their Lord Most High. They will certainly be satisfied." (92:17-21) Allah says, "If you make your sadaqa public, that is good. But if you conceal it and give it to the poor, that is better for you, and We will erase some of your bad actions from you. Allah is aware of everything you do." (W2:270; H2:272) The Almighty related, "You will not attain true goodness until you give of what you love. Whatever you give away, Allah knows it." (W3:91-92; H3:92)571. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You can only have envy for two things: for a man to whom Allah has given wealth which he spends in the way of the truth, and for a man to whom Allah has given wisdom and he acts by it and teaches it." [Agreed upon]

572. Ibn 'Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You can only have envy for two things: for a man to whom Allah has given the Qur'an and he gets up and recites it throughout the night, and for a man to whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it throughout the night and the day." [Agreed upon]

573. Abu Hurayra reported that the poor Muhajirun came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "The wealthy have appropriated the high degrees and abiding bliss." He said, "How is that?" He said, "They pray as we pray and they fast as we fast, but they give sadaqa and we do not give sadaqa and they set free slaves and we do not set free slaves." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Shall I inform you of something by which you will overtake those who have preceded you and precede those who come after you and no one will be better than you unless he does the same as you do?" They said, "By all means, Messenger of Allah." He said, "You should say 'Glory be to Allah,' 'Praise be to Allah,' and 'Allah is greater' thirty-three times after every prayer." The poor Muhajirun then returned to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Our brothers who possess property heard about what we were doing and they have done the same." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "That is a favour which Allah gives to anyone He wills." [Agreed upon]

65. Chapter: On remembering death and constraining expectation

Allah Almighty says, "Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is distanced from the Fire and admitted to the Garden, has triumphed. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of delusion," (3:185) and the Almighty says, "No self knows what it will earn tomorrow and no self knows in what land it will die." (W31:33; H31:34) The Almighty says, "When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward," (16:61) and the Almighty says, "O you who believe! Do not let your wealth or children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. Whoever does that is lost. Give from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you and he says, 'O Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give sadaqa and be one of the righteous.' Allah will not give anyone more time, once their time has come. Allah is aware of everything you do." (63:9-11) The Almighty says, "Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, send me back again. so that perhaps I may act rightly regarding the things I failed to do!' No indeed! It is just words he utters. Before them there is an interspace until the day they are raised up. Then when the Trumpet is blown, that Day there will be no family ties between them, they will not be able to question one another. Those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful. Those whose scales are light, they are the losers of their selves, remaining in Hell timelessly, forever. The Fire will sear their faces making them grimace horribly in it, their lips drawn back from their teeth. 'Were My Signs not recited to you and did you not deny them?'" to His words, "'How many years did you tarry on the earth?' They will say, 'We tarried for a day or part of a day. Ask those able to count!' He will say, 'You only tarried for a little while if you did but know! Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us?'" (W23:100-116; H23:99-115) The Almighty says, "Has the time not arrived for the hearts of those who believe to yield to the remembrance of Allah and to the Truth He has sent down, and not to be like those who were given the Book before for whom the time seemed over long so that their hearts became hard. Many of them are degenerate." (W57:15; H57:16)574. Ibn 'Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took me by the shoulder and said, 'Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller on the road."

Ibn 'Umar used to say, "In the evening, do not anticipate the morning, and in the morning do not anticipate the evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death." [al-Bukhari]

575. Ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It is not right for a Muslim man who has anything to bequeath to spend two nights with having a written will in his possession." [Agreed upon. This is the variant in al-Bukhari]

In a variant of Muslim, "To spend three nights." Ibn 'Umar said, "Not a night has passed since I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say that without my having had my will with me."

576. Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew some lines and said, 'This is man and this is end of his lifespan. That is how he is when this nearest line comes upon him." [al-Bukhari]

577. Ibn Mas'ud said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew lines making a square and then drew a line in the middle which extended beyond it. He drew some small lines up to this middle line from the side within the square and said, 'This is man, and this is end of his lifespan which encircles him - or by which he is encircled - and this which goes beyond it is his hope and these small lines are things that happen. If this one misses him, that one gets him, and if that one misses him, this one gets him.'" [al-Bukhari] This is its form:

578. Abu Hurayra reported the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Race to good actions as fast as you can. What are you waiting for except delayed poverty, oppressive wealth, debilitating illness, dottering senility, a swift death or the Dajjal? Or are you waiting for an unseen evil, or the Last Hour? The Last Hour will be most bitter and terrible." [at-Tirmidhi]

579. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Remember frequently the thing that cuts off pleasures," i.e. death." [at-Tirmidhi]

580. Ubayy ibn Ka'b said, "When a third of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up and said, 'O people! Remember Allah! The first blast has come and it will be followed by the second blast. Death has come with all that it involves. Death has come with all that it involves.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I do a lot of prayer on you. How much prayer should I

allot for you?' He said, 'However much you like.' I said, 'A quarter?' He said, 'However much you like, but if you do more, it will be better for you.' I said, 'A half?' He said, 'However much you like, but if you do more, it will be better for you.' I said, 'Two-thirds?' He said, 'However much you like, but if you do more, it will be better for you.' I said, 'I will allot all my prayer for you.' He said, 'Then you will be spared from worry and forgiven your wrong action.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

66. Chapter: On the recommendation for men to visit the graves and what the one who visits them says

581. Burayda reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I used to forbid you to visit graves, but now visit them." [Muslim]

582. 'A'isha said that whenever it was her night with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he would go out at the end of the night to al-Baqi' and would say, "Peace be upon you, abode of a believing people. What you were promised will come to you tomorrow as decreed. Allah willing, we will join you. O Allah, forgive the people of Baqi' al-Gharqad." [Muslim]

[Baqi' al-Gharqad is the name of the cemetery of Madina. It was called Gharqad because of a type of thorny shrub (gharqad) which grew there.]

583. Burayda said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to instruct them that when they went out to the graves, they should say, 'Peace be upon you, people of the households of the believers and the Muslims. Allah willing, we will join you. I ask Allah for well-being for us and for you.'" [Muslim]

584. Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by some graves at Madina and turned his face towards them and said, 'Peace be upon you, O people of the graves! May Allah forgive us and you. You preceded us and we are following afterwards.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

67. Chapter: On it being disliked to wish for death because of some harm which has befallen a person, but there is no objection to it if it is because of fear of trial

in the deen

585. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you should wish for death. If he does good, he may increase in it, and if he does evil, he may turn in repentance." [Agreed upon. This is the version of al-Bukhari]

In a variant in Muslim, Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you should wish for death and he should not pray for it before it comes to him. When he dies, his actions come to an end. A believer's life only increases him in good."

586. Anas reported: "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'None of you should wish for death because of some harm which has befallen him. If he has got to do something, he should say, 'O Allah, make live if life is best for me and make me die if death is best for me." [Agreed upon]

587. Qays ibn Abi Hazim said, "We visited Khabbab ibn al-Aratt when he was ill and he had been cupped seven times. He said, 'Our companions who went before us have gone and this world did not cause them any decrease. We have acquired so much that the only way to spend it is in constructing buildings. If it were not that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had forbidden us to pray for death, I would have prayed for it.' Then we came to him again when he was repairing one of his walls and he said, 'A Muslim is rewarded for everything he spends except for what he invests in buildings.'" [Agreed upon. This is the version of al-Bukhari]

68. Chapter: On scrupulousness and abandoning things that are doubtful

Allah Almighty says, "You considered it to be a trivial matter, but, in Allah's sight, it is immense," (24:15) and the Almighty says, "Your Lord is always lying in wait" (89:14)588. An-Nu'man ibn Bashir said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The halal is clear and the haram is clear. But between the two there are doubtful things about which most people have no knowledge. Whoever exercises caution with regard to what is doubtful, shows prudence in respect of his deen and his honour. Whoever gets involved in the doubtful things is like a herdsman who grazes his animals near a private preserve (hima). He is bound to enter it. Every king has a private preserve and the private preserve of Allah on His earth are the things that He has made forbidden. There is lump of flesh in the body, the nature of which is that when it is sound, the entire body is sound, and when it is corrupt, the entire body is corrupt - it is the heart.'" [Agreed upon]

It is related from different paths with various phrases.

589. Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a date on the road and said, 'If it had not been that I feared it was part of the sadaqa, I would have eaten it.'" []Agreed upon

590. An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Piety is good character. Wrong action is what is hatched up yourself and you do not want other people to know about." [Muslim]

591. Wabisa ibn Ma'bad said, "I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, 'Have you come to ask about piety?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Consult your heart. Piety is that with which the self is at rest and the heart is at rest and wrong action is what is hatched up in your self and echoes to and fro in your breast, even if people give an opinion in your favour and ask for your opinion.'" [Ahmad ibn Hanbal and ad-Darimi]

592. Abu Sirwa'a 'Uqba ibn al-Harith married a daughter of Abu Ihab ibn 'Aziz. Later a woman came to him and said, "I nursed both 'Uqba and the one he married." 'Uqba said to her, "I did not know that you nursed me and you did not tell me." So he travelled to the Messenger of Allah in Madina and asked him and the Messenger of Allah said, "How can you keep her when that has been said?" So 'Uqba separated from her and she married another man. [al-Bukhari]

593. Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali said, "I memorised from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 'Leave what gives you doubt for what gives you no doubt.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

594. 'A'isha said, "Abu Bakr as-Siddiq had a slave who used to pay him a levy and Abu Bakr used to eat from the levy. One day he brought something and Abu Bakr ate some of it. The slave said to him, 'Do you know what this is?' He said, 'What is it?' He said, 'In the Jahiliyya I used to be a soothsayer for a man. I did not do soothsaying well. I only deceived him. He met me and gave me that from which you ate.' So Abu Bakr inserted his hand into his mouth and vomited all that he had in his stomach." [al-Bukhari]

595. Nafi' said, "'Umar ibn al-Khattab used to allot four thousand for the first Muhajirun, but he only allotted three thousand four hundred for my father. Someone said to him, 'He is one of the Muhajirun, so why do you give him less?' He said, 'His father took him with him when he emigrated.'" He said, "So he was not like those who emigrated on their own account." [al-Bukhari]

596. 'Atiyya ibn 'Urwa as-Sa'di, the Companion, said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'The slave will not achieve the status of being one of the Godfearing until he leaves what does not concern him out of consideration for what does concern him." [at-Tirmidhi]

69. Chapter: On the recommendation to withdraw when things are corrupt or one fears a temptation in one's deen or falling into the unlawful and doubtful

things

Allah Almighty says, "So flee to Allah. Truly I am a clear warner from Him to you." (51:50)597. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Allah loves a fearful, self-sufficient, inconspicuous slave." [Muslim]

598. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said, "A man said, 'Messenger of Allah, who is the best of people?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'A believer who does jihad in the way of Allah with his self and his wealth.' They said, 'Then who?' He said, 'A man who withdraws into a mountain ravine and worships his Lord.'"

One version has, "Who is fearful of Allah and spares people from his evil." [Agreed upon]

599. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The time will soon come when the best property of a Muslim will be some sheep which he takes to the peaks of the mountains and to places where the rain falls, in order to flee out of the fear that his deen will be tempted." [al-Bukhari]

600. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah did not send any Prophet but that he herded sheep." His Companions said, "Including you?" He said, "Yes, I used to herd them for money (qirats) for the people of Makka." [al-Bukhari]

601. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "One of the best of livelihoods that people can have is that of a man who holds the reins of his horse in the way of Allah, hastening on its back, and whenever he hears the sound of war or alarm, he flies to it looking for either the killing or the death that he will find there, or that of a man among some sheep at the top of one of these mountains or in the bottom of one of these valleys who establishes the prayer and pays the zakat and worships Allah until certainty (death) comes to him. He does not involve himself with people except in a good way." [Muslim]

70. Chapter: On the excellence of having dealings with people and attending their gatherings and group prayers, their 'ids and gatherings of dhikr, visiting those who are ill, attending their funerals, helping the one in need, guiding the

who is ignorant, and other things which are in their best interests in the case of someone who is able to command the good and forbid the wrong, and preventing

oneself from causing injury and enduring injury

Allah Almighty says, "Help each other to goodness and taqwa." (5:2) The ayats about what I have mentioned are numerous and well-known.

71. Chapter: On Humility and being gentle with the believersAllah Almighty says, "Take the believers who follow you under your wing," (W26:214; H26:215) and the Almighty says, "O you who believe! If any of you renounce your deen, Allah will bring forward a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble to the believers, fierce to the rejectors." (W5:56; H5:54) The Almighty says, "O mankind! We created you from a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The noblest among you in Allah's sight is the most godfearing." (49:13) The Almighty says, "So do not claim purity for yourselves. He knows best those who have fear of Him,: (W53:31; H53:32) and the Almighty says, "The Companions of the Ramparts will call out to men they recognise by their mark, saying, 'What you amassed was of no use to you nor was your arrogance. Are these the people you swore that Allah's mercy would never reach?' 'Enter the Garden. You will feel no fear and know no sorrow.'" (W7:47-48; H7:48-49)602. 'Iyad ibn Himar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah revealed to me that you should be humble so no one should vaunt himself above another, and no one should commit injustice against another." [Muslim]

603. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Sadaqa does not decrease property and Allah only increases a slave in might by forgiveness and no one is humble for the sake of Allah without Allah elevating him." [Muslim]

604. Anas said that he passed by some boys and greeted them, saying, 'The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do that.'" [Agreed upon]

605. Anas said, "If one of the slavegirls of the Madina took the hand of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, she could take him wherever she liked." [al-Bukhari]

606. Al-Aswad ibn Yazid said, "I asked 'A'isha, 'What did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do in his house?' She said, 'He would serve his family. When it was time for the prayer, he would go out to the prayer." [al-Bukhari]

607. Abu Rifa'a Tamim ibn Usayd said, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was giving an address and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, a foreigner has come asking about his deen. He does not know what his deen is.' The Messenger of Allah turned to face me and broke off his address and came up to me. A chair was brought and he sat on it and began to teach me part of what Allah had taught him. Then he went back to his address and finished it." [Muslim]

608. Anas reported that when he ate food, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would lick his three fingers. He said, "He said, 'When one of you drops a morsel, he should wipe the dirt from it and then eat it and should not leave it for Shaytan.' He commanded that the dish should be licked clean. He said, 'You do not know in what part of your food the blessing lies.'" [Muslim]

609. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah did not send any Prophet but that he herded sheep." His Companions said, "Including you?" He said, "Yes, I used to herd them for money (qirats) for the people of Makka." [al-Bukhari]

610. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If I were invited to eat no matter whether it is a shoulder or merely a trotter, I would accept and if I were given a gift of a shoulder or merely a trotter, I would accept either." [al-Bukhari]

611. Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had a she-camel called al-'Adba' which could not be beaten in a race (or could rarely be beaten). A bedouin came on a youngish camel and beat it. That was difficult for the Muslims and, recognising that, he said, 'It is a right of Allah that nothing elevates itself in this world, without Him then bringing it low." [al-Bukhari]

72. Chapter: On the Prohibition of pride and arrogance

Allah Almighty says, "That Abode of the Next World: We grant it to those who do not seek to exalt themselves in the earth or to cause corruption in it. The successful outcome is for the godfearing," (28:83) and the Almighty says, "Do not strut arrogantly about the earth." (17:37) The Almighty says, "'Do not avert your face from people out of haughtiness and do not strut about arrogantly on the earth, Allah does not love anyone who is vain of boastful," (W31;17; H31:18) and the Almighty says, "Qarun was one of the people of Musa but he lorded it over them. We gave him treasures, the keys to which alone were a heavy weight for a party of strong men. See when his people said to him, 'Do not gloat. Allah does not love people who gloat.'" (28:76)

612. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "No one who has an atom's weight of pride in his heart will enter the Garden." A man said, "And if the man likes his clothes to be good and his sandals to be good?" He said, "Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means to renounce the truth and abase people." [Muslim]

613. Salama ibn 'Amr ibn al-Akwa' reported that a man ate with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, using his left hand, and he said, "Eat with your right hand." He said, "I cannot." He said, "Then you cannot." Only pride had stopped him." He said, "He could not raise it to his mouth." [Muslim]

614. Haritha ibn Wahb said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Shall I tell you about the people of the Fire? All those who are coarse, domineering, and arrogant.'" [Agreed upon]

615. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Garden and the Fire argued and the Fire said, 'I have the tyrants and the arrogant.' The Garden said, 'I have the weak and poor people.' Allah judged between them, 'You, the Garden, are My mercy. By you I show mercy to whomever I wish. You, the Fire, are My punishment by whom I punish whomever I will. It is My duty to fill both of you." [Muslim]

616. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "On the Day of Rising, Allah will not look at anyone who drags his waist-wrapper out of pride." [Agreed upon]

617. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There are three people that Allah will not speak to on the Day of Rising nor purify nor look at and they will have a painful punishment: an old adulterer, a lying ruler and a poor person who is arrogant." [Muslim]

618. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, said, 'Might is My wrapper, and pride is My cloak and I will punish any one who contends with me [for them]." [Muslim]

619. Abu Hurayra reported that Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Once a man was walking in his robe, proud of himself, his hair groomed, haughty in his gait, and Allah caused the earth to swallow him up. He will go on sinking into the earth until the Day of Rising." [Agreed upon]

620. Salama ibn al-Akwa' reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, aid, "A man will continue to be arrogant until he is written among the tyrants and what strikes them will strike him." [at-Tirmidhi]

73. Chapter: On Good Character

Allah Almighty says, "Indeed you are truly vast in character," (68:4) and the Almighty says "those who control their rage and pardon other people." (3:134)621. Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had the best character of anyone ." [Agreed upon]

622. Anas said, "I did not touch any silk brocade nor silk softer than the palm of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I did not smell any scent sweeter than the scent of the Messenger of Allah. I served the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for ten years and he never said to me, 'Uff' nor did he say about anything I had done, 'Why did you do that?' nor about anything I had not done, 'Why did you not do that?'" [Agreed upon]

623. As-Sa'b ibn Jaththama al-Laythi said, "I gave the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, a wild ass and he returned it to me. When he saw the expression on my face, he said, "We are only returning it to you because we are in ihram." [Agreed upon]

624. An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about piety and wrong action. He said, 'Piety is good character and wrong action is what is hatched up in your self and you do not want other people to know about." [Muslim]

625. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was neither obscene nor indecent. He used to say, 'The best of you are the best in character." [Agreed upon]

626. Abu'd-Darda' reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There will be nothing heavier in the balance of the believer on the Day of Rising than good character. Allah dislikes foul language." [at-Tirmidhi]

627. Abu Hurayra said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about the things most likely to bring people into the Garden. He said, 'Fearful awareness of Allah and good character.' He was asked about the things most likely to bring people into the Fire. He said, 'The mouth and the genitals.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

628. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The believers with the most perfect belief are the best of them in character. The best of you are the best of you towards your wives." [at-Tirmidhi]

629. 'A'isha said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'By his good character a believer can reach the same rank as someone who fasts and prays at night." [Abu Dawud]

630. Abu Umama al-Bahili reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I guarantee a house on the outskirts of the Garden to anyone who abstains from disputation, even if he is in the right, and a house in the middle of the Garden for anyone who abandons lying, even when he jests, and a house at the summit of the Garden for anyone who has good character." [Abu Dawud]

631. Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Those I love most and those sitting nearest to me on the Day of Rising will be those of you with the best character. Those most hateful to me and the furthest of you from me on the Day of Rising will be the pompous, the braggarts and the arrogant.' They said, 'Messenger of Allah, we know the pompous and the braggarts, but who are the arrogant?' He said, 'The proud.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

74. Chapter: On forbearance, patience and kindness

Allah Almighty says, "those who control their rage and pardon other people. Allah loves the do good-doers," (3:134) and the Almighty says, "Make allowances for people, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant." (7:199) The Almighty says, "Good action and bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with what is better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. None will obtain it but those who are truly steadfast. None will obtain it but those who have great good fortune." (41:33-34; 41:34-35) The Almighty says, "But if someone is steadfast and forgives, that is the most resolute course to follow." (W42:40; H42:43)632. Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to Ashajj 'Abdu'l-Qays, "You have two qualities which Allah loves: forbearance and steadiness." [Muslim]

633. 'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah is kind and loves kindness in every matter." [Agreed upon]

634. 'A'isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah is kind and loves kindness and gives for gentleness what he does not give for harshness nor for anything else." [Muslim]

635. 'A'isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whenever kindness is in a thing it adorns it, and whenever it is removed from anything, it disfigures it." [Muslim]

636. Abu Hurayra said, "A bedouin urinated in the mosque. The people moved towards him and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Let him be and pour a bucket or pail of water onto his urine. You were sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult.'" [al-Bukhari]

637. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Make things easy for people and do not make them difficult. Give good news to people and do not frighten them away." [Agreed upon]

638. Jarir ibn 'Abdullah said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Whoever is deprived of kindness is deprived of all good.'" [Muslim]

639. Abu Hurayra reported that a man said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Advise me." He said, "Do not get angry." He repeated his request several times and the Prophet said, "Do not get angry." [al-Bukhari]

640. Abu YaÕla Shaddad ibn Aws reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah has prescribed good for everything. So when you kill, kill well. When you sacrifice, sacrifice well. Each of you should sharpen the edge of his knife and should calm down his sacrificial animal." [Muslim]

641. 'A'isha said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was never given a choice between two matters without taking the easier of them, as long as it was not a wrong action. If it was a wrong action, he was the furthest of people from it. The Messenger of Allah did not take revenge for himself in respect of anything unless it violated the sanctity of Allah. Then he would take revenge for the sake of Allah Almighty." [Agreed upon]

642. Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Shall I tell you who is unlawful for the Fire - or the one for whom the Fire is unlawful? It is unlawful for everyone who is easy, flexible, modest and uncomplicated." [at-Tirmidhi]

75. Chapter: On pardon and turning away from the ignorant

Allah Almighty says, "Hold to forgiveness; command what is right, but turn away from the ignorant," (7:199) and Allah Almighty says, "Turn away graciously." (15:85)

The Almighty says, "They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you?" (24:22) The Almighty says, "and pardon other people. Allah loves the do good-doers,"(3:134) and the Almighty says, "But if someone is steadfast and forgives, that is the most resolute course to follow." (W42:40; H42:43)643. 'A'isha asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Have you ever experienced a worse day than the day of Uhud?" He replied, "I experienced many things from your people, and the worst that I experienced from them was on the Day of 'Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn 'Abdu Yalil ibn 'Abd Kulal and he did not grant me what I wanted. I went off in great grief and felt no relief until I arrived at Qarn ath-Tha'alib. Then I lifted my head and there was a cloud shading me, and I looked and in it was Jibril, peace be upon him, and he called to me and said, "Allah Almighty has heard what your people have said to you and how they answered you. He has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you for you to command him to do whatever you wish to them." The Angel of the Mountains called to me and greeted me and then said, "O Muhammad, Allah heard what your people said to you and I am the angel of the mountains. My Lord has sent me to you for you to give me your command. What is your will? If you like, I will crush them with the two heavy mountains."' The Prophet may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Rather I hope that Allah will produce from their loins people who worship Allah alone without associating anything with Him.'" [Agreed upon]

644. 'A'isha said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never struck anyone with his hand, including women and servants, unless he was fighting in the way of Allah. He did not demand retaliation for anything that happened to him, unless one of the sacred things of Allah Almighty was violated, then he would retaliate for the sake of Allah Almighty." [Muslim]

645. Anas said, "I was walking with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he was wearing a Najrani cloak with a thick border. A bedouin came up to him and pulled the cloak violently. I looked at the Prophet's shoulder and it had been marked by the border of the cloak due to the severity of his pull. Then he said, 'Muhammad, allot to me some of property of Allah which you have.' He turned to him and laughed and then ordered a gift to be given to him." [Agreed upon]

646. Ibn Mas'ud said, "It is as if I could see the Messenger of Allah may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recounting that the people of one of the Prophets, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them, struck and wounded him, and he said as he wiped the blood from his face, 'O Allah, forgive my people. They do not know.'" [Agreed upon]

647. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The strong man is not the one who throws people in wrestling.

The strong man is the one who has control of himself when he is angry." [Agreed upon]

76. Chapter: On enduring injury

Allah Almighty says, "those who control their rage and pardon other people. Allah loves the do good-doers," (3:134) and the Almighty says, "But if someone is steadfast and forgives, that is the most resolute course to follow." (W42:40; H42:43)648. Abu Hurayra reported that a man said, "Messenger of Allah, I have some relatives with whom I maintain connections but who cut me off. I am good to them but they are bad to me. I am forbearing with them but they are hasty towards me!" He said, "If it is as you said, it is as if you were feeding them hot ash and you will continue to have a helper from Allah Almighty against them for as long as you act like that." [Muslim]

77. Chapter: On anger when the sacred things of the Shari'a are violated and helping the deen of Allah Almighty

Allah says, "If someone honours Allah's the sacred rites, that is better for him in his Lord's sight," (22:30) and the Almighty says, "If you help Allah, He will help you and make your feet firm." (W47:8; H47:7)649. Abu Mas'ud 'Uqba ibn 'Amr al-Badri said, "A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'By Allah, Messenger of Allah, the only reason I do not attend the morning prayer is because so-and-so makes the prayer too long for us.' I have never seen the Messenger of Allah more angry in giving admonition than he was that day. He said, 'Some of you make things difficult for people. Any of you who of you lead people in prayer should make it short. Among you there are those who are weak, old and have things they must do.'" [Agreed upon]

650. 'A'isha said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came from a journey and I had screened off a shelf of mine with a curtain which had some figures on it. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw it, he ripped it down and his face changed colour. He said, ''A'isha, the people with the worst punishment with Allah on the Day of Rising will be those who make things like Allah's creation.'" [Agreed upon]

651. 'A'isha reported that Quraysh were concerned with the case of a Makhzumi woman who had stolen something and they said, "Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about her?" They said, "Who is bold enough to do it except Usama ibn Zayd, the beloved of the Messenger of Allah?" Usama spoke to him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "How can you intercede when it is a case of one of the legal punishments

of Allah Almighty?" Then he stood up and spoke and said, "Those before you were destroyed because when a noble among them stole, they let him be, but when the weak among them stole, they carried out the legal punishment on them. By Allah, if Fatima the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand." [Agreed upon]

652. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw some phlegm in the qibla. It was so offensive to him that it could be seen in his face. He got up and scraped it off with his hand. He said, "When anyone does the prayer, he is speaking to his Lord and his Lord Allah is between him and the qibla. None of you should spit towards qibla, but rather to his left or under his food." Then he took the end of his cloak and spat into it and then folded it up and said, "Or he should do this." [Agreed upon]

The command to spit to his left or under his foot refers to outside the mosque. In the mosque, you should only spit into your garment.

78. Chapter: On commanding those in authority to be kind to their subjects, to give them good counsel and to be compassionate to them, and forbidding those in

authority from cheating them, being harsh to them, overlooking their best interests and being unmindful of them and their needs

Allah says, "Take the believers who follow you under your wing," (W26:214; H26:215) and the Almighty says, "Allah commands to justice and doing good and giving to relatives. And He forbids indecency and doing wrong and tyranny. He warns you so that perhaps you may pay heed." (16:90)653. Ibn 'Umar said, "I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'All of you are shepherds. Each of you is responsible for his flock. An imam is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is a shepherd in respect of his family and is responsible for his flock. The woman is a shepherd in respect of her husband's house and is responsible for her flock. The servant is a shepherd in respect of his master's property and is responsible for his flock. All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock.'" [Agreed upon]

654. Abu Ya'la Ma'qil ibn Yasar said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'No slave is made shepherd over a flock by Allah and dies and is cheating his flock on the day he dies without Allah denying him the garden." [Agreed upon]

In one variant, "The fragrance of the Garden will not reach him if he does not give it good counsel."

In the variant of Muslim, "Any amir who is appointed over the affairs of the Muslim and then does not strive for them and advise them well will not enter the Garden with them."

655. 'A'isha said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say in this house of his, 'O Allah, anyone who is appointed over any of the affairs of my community and is hard on them, I will be hard on him. Anyone who is appointed over any of the affairs of my community and is kind to them, I will be kind to him." [Muslim]

656. Abu Hurayra said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The tribe of Israel used to be ruled by the Prophets. Whenever a Prophet died, another Prophet would succeed him. There is no Prophet after me, but after me there will be khalifs, and there will be many of them." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, what do you command us?" He said, "Give full allegiance to the first and then the next and then give them their rights and ask Allah for that which is due to you. Allah will question them about that which they were put in charge of." [Agreed upon]

657. 'A'idh ibn 'Amr reported that he visited 'Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad and said to him, "My boy, I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The worst of shepherds is the harsh one.' Beware lest you be one of them.'" [Agreed upon]

658. Abu Maryam al-Azdi told Mu'awiya, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "If Allah puts someone in charge of any of the affairs of the Muslims and he is then blind to their needs, friendship and poverty, Allah will be blind to his needs, friendship and poverty on the Day of Rising.'" Mu'awiya, therefore, put a man in charge of seeing to the needs of the people. [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

79. Chapter: On the just ruler

Allah Almighty says, "Allah commands to justice and doing good," (16:90) and the Almighty says, "Be even-handed. Allah loves those who are even-handed." (49:9)659. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There are seven whom Allah will shade with His shade on the day when there is no shade but His shade: a just Imam, a youth who grows up worshipping Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, a man whose heart is attached to the mosque, two men who love each other for the sake of Allah, meeting and parting for that reason alone, a man who refuses the advances of a noble and beautiful woman, saying, 'I fear Allah', a man who gives sadaqa and conceals it so that his left hand does not know what his

right hand gives, and a man who remembers Allah when he is alone and his eyes overflow with tears." [Agreed upon]

660. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Those who are just will be on minbars of light with Allah. They are those who are just in respect of their judgements, their families and what they are put in charge of." [Muslim]

661. 'Awf ibn Malik said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The best of your Imams are those you love and who love you, whom you pray for and who pray for you. The worst of your Imams are those you hate and who hate you, and whom you curse and who curse you." He said, "We said, 'Messenger of Allah, should we depose them?' He said, 'No, not as long as they establish the prayer among you. No, not as long as they establish the prayer among you.'"[Muslim]

662. 'Iyad ibn Himar said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The people of the Garden are three: a man in power who is just and successful in fulfilling his duty; a merciful man who is kind-hearted to all his relatives and all the Muslims; and an abstinent, modest man with a family.'" [Muslim]

80. Chapter: On the obligation to obey those in authority as long as it is not a wrong action, and the prohibition against obeying them in an act of rebellion

against Allah

Allah Almighty says, "O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those in command among you." (W4:58; H4:59)663. Ibn 'Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A Muslim man must hear and obey both in respect of what he likes and dislikes, unless he is commanded to do a wrong action. If he is commanded to do a wrong action, he should not hear or obey." [Agreed upon]

664. Ibn 'Umar said, "When we used to give allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to hear and obey, he would say to us, 'In so far as you are able.'" [Agreed upon]

665. Ibn 'Umar said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Anyone who removes his hand from obedience will meet Allah on the Day of Rising with no proof. Anyone who dies without having given the oath of allegiance will die the death of the Jahiliyya.'" [Muslim]

In a variant of his, "Whoever dies split off from the community will die the death of Jahiliyya."

666. Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Hear and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave with a head like a raisin is appointed over you." [al-Bukhari]

667. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You must hear and obey both in your hardship and your ease and with regard to what pleases you and what you dislike and even if you do not get your due." [Muslim]

668. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said, "Once we were with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on a journey and we halted to pitch camp. Some of us were mending wool tents and some of us were shooting arrows against one another, and some of us were with their camels. Then the caller of the Messenger of Allah called out, 'The prayer will be done together.' So we gathered round the Messenger of Allah and he said, 'There was no Prophet before me but that it was a duty for him to direct his community to a good that he knew for them and to warn them against an evil that he knew for them. The well-being of this community of mine has been put at its beginning while the last of it will be afflicted by trials and matters which you dislike. Seditions will come and each will seem worse than the one before it. A sedition will come and the believer will say, "This is my destruction," and then it will depart. And another sedition will come and the believer will say, "This is it! This is it!." Anyone who wants to be removed from the Fire and to enter the Garden and to have death come to him while he believes in Allah and the Last Day should give to other people what he wants to be given to himself. Whoever gives allegiance to an Imam, let him give it with the clasp of his hand and the core of his heart. Let him obey him if he can. If another comes to depose him then strike the neck of that other.'" [Muslim]

669. Abu Hunayda Wa'il ibn Hujr said, "Salama ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'O Prophet of Allah! What is your opinion if amirs are put in charge of us who ask us for their rights and deny us our rights? What do you command us to do?' He turned from him. Then he asked him and the Messenger of Allah said, 'Hear and obey. They owe what they are charged with and you owe what you are charged with." [Muslim]

670. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'After I am gone there will be misappropriation and matters of which you disapprove.' They said, 'O Messenger of Allah, what do you command us

to do?' He said, 'To fulfil the rights you owe to others and to ask Allah for what is owed to you.'" [Agreed upon]

671. Abu Hurayra said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah. Whoever obeys the amir has obeyed me and whoever disobeys the amir has disobeyed me.'" [Agreed upon]

672. Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Anyone who dislikes something from his amir should be patient. Anyone who abandons obedience to the amir for even a short time dies the death of the Jahiliyya." [Agreed upon]

673. Abu Bakra said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Anyone who demeans the Sultan will be demeaned by Allah.'" [at-Tirmidhi]

81. Chapter: On the prohibition against seeking authority and the option of not accepting it if it is not specific to him or if he is not required

Allah Almighty says, "That Abode of the Next World: We grant it to those who do not seek to exalt themselves in the earth or to cause corruption in it. The successful outcome is for the godfearing." (28:83)674. Abu Sa'id 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Samura said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, 'O 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Samura. Do not ask for leadership. If you are given it without asking for it, you will be helped in it. If you are given it through asking for it, it will be up to you. If you make a vow and then see something other than it which is better than it, then do that which is better and expiate your oath.'" [Agreed upon]

675. Abu Dharr said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, 'O Abu Dharr! I see that you are weak and I want for you what I want for myself. You will never be put in charge of even two men nor be put in charge of the property of an orphan.'" [Muslim]

676. Abu Dharr said, "I said, 'Messenger of Allah, why do you not appoint me?' He clapped me on the shoulder with his hand and then said, 'Abu Dharr, you are weak. It is a trust, and on the Day of Rising it will be disgrace and regret except for the man who takes it as it should be taken and fulfils what is demanded of him in respect of it.'" [Muslim]

677. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "You will covet leadership, but it will be a source of regret on the Day of Rising." [al-Bukhari]

82. Chapter: On encouraging the Sultan, qadi and others in authority to adopt a righteous counsellor and warning them against bad company and accepting their

advice

Allah Almighty says, "On that Day the closest friends will be enemies to another - except for the godfearing." (43:67)678. Abu Sa'id and Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah did not send a Prophet nor appoint a khalif without him having two counsellors, one counsellor commanding the right and encouraging it, and one counsellor commanding the wrong and encouraging it. The one protected is the one that Allah protects." [al-Bukhari]

679. 'A'isha said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'When Allah desires good for the amir, He gives him a truthful wazir. If he forgets, he reminds him. If he remembers, he helps him. If He desires other than that for him, He gives him a bad wazir. If he forgets, he does not remind him, and if he remembers, he does not help him.'" [Abu Dawud]

83. Chapter: On the Prohibition against granting appointment as amirs and judges and positions of authority to those who asked for it or indirectly express

desire for that

680. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said, "I visited the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with two of my cousins. One of them said, 'Messenger of Allah, give us authority over some of what Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, has appointed you over.' The other said something similar. He said, 'By Allah, we will not appoint anyone over this matter who asks for it nor anyone who is eager for it." [Agreed upon]

Riwayat KH Ahmad DahlanInterview with Olivier Roy

"Full Equality before the Law for All Religions"

French political scientist Olivier Roy is one of the foremost European experts on

Islam. His new book, "Holy Ignorance. When Religion and Culture Diverge", will

soon be published in English. Eren Güvercin spoke with Roy about the current

Islam debate in Europe

Behind the Islam debate in Europe, which revolves around visible symbols such as minarets or headscarves, is the question of

European identity and the role of religion, argues RoyIn Switzerland, a majority votes for a ban on minarets;

in France and in Belgium, Islamic headscarves are heavily debated; in Italy, crucifixes are

under fire. And also here in Germany, the debate about the Muslims is often very hysterical.

Why do Europeans fear religious symbols or "foreign" religions so much?

Olivier Roy: The debate in Europe has shifted in some 25 years from immigration to the

visible symbols of Islam. Which means a paradoxical thing: even people who opposed

immigration acknowledge now that the second and third generations of migrants are here to

stay and that Islam has rooted itself in Europe. So now the debate is about the status of

Islam. And here we have a strange phenomenon: while anti-immigration feelings were

mainly associated with the conservative right, anti-Islam feelings are to be found both on

the left and on the right, but on two very different grounds. 

For the right, Europe is Christian and Islam should be treated as a tolerated but inferior

religion. There is – unfortunately – no way to ban it, because of the principle of "freedom of

religion", inscribed in our constitutions, international treaties and UN chart, but there are

means to limit its visibility without necessarily going against the principle of freedom of

religion – for instance the European court of human rights did not condemn the banning of

the scarf in French schools. 

For the left, the issue is more generally secularism, women's rights and fundamentalism: it

opposes the veil not so much because it is Islamic but because it seems to contradict

women's rights. Hence the debate on Islam hides a far more complicated issue: What does a

European identity mean, and what is the role of religion in Europe; and of course on these

two issues the left and the right have very different positions. But we see the rise of a new

populist movement – like Geert Wilders in Holland – mixing both approaches, basically siding

with the right but using leftist arguments.

In his latest book, Islam expert and philosopher Olivier Roy warns against a "holy ignorance" that perceives religion as solely an

emotional matter, opening the floodgates to fundamentalismIn your book you say that fundamentalists like Al

Qaida have nothing to do with the tradition of Islam. But for the people in Europe they

appear very traditional ... Are Al Qaida and similar organizations and movements a modern

phenomenon? 

Olivier Roy: The kind of terrorism perpetrated by Al Qaida is unknown in Muslim history as

well as in Christian history. So in any case it is a recent phenomenon. If we consider some of

its main characteristics – suicide attacks, execution of hostages, targeting civilians – they all

have been put into practice recently, before Al Qaida, by other organizations: the Tamil

Tigers for suicide attacks, the Italian extreme right in Bologna bombing in August 1980, and

the Italian Red Brigades. If you look at the video of the execution of foreign hostages by Al

Qaida in Iraq, it follows exactly the "staging" of the execution of Aldo Moro by the Red

Brigades: banner and logo of the organization, hostage hand-cuffed and blindfolded, a group

of "militants" staging a mock trial, the reading of a "sentence" and execution.

By its modus operandi, its form of organization, its target: US imperialism, and recruitment:

young Western-educated Muslims or converts to Islam, it is obvious that Al Qaida is not the

expression of a traditional or even fundamentalist Islam, but of a recast of Islam under the

cloak of Western revolutionary ideology.

Are there similar Christian organizations? Can we find similar developments in Christianity?

Olivier Roy: It depends what you call "Christian", and that is the same issue for Islam, too.

Is violence motivated by faith or by a political ideology? I argue that in both cases the

motivation is driven far more by ideology, even claiming a religious legitimacy, than by faith.

There has certainly been a "white" Western terrorism, for instance at the Oklahoma bombing

in 1995. But in fact there is no real symmetry: the present struggle looks more like

asymmetrical warfare; Islamic radicals have no air force or air carrier. A radical Christian

crusader who wants to fight Muslims does not need to enter a terrorist organization: he can

just enlist in the US Air Force and become the pilot of a fighter-bomber. The US media have

closely documented the fact that the US Air Force Academy of Colorado Springs is a hotbed

of Christian evangelicalism, at the expense, by the way, of Jewish or atheist cadets. 

How do you explain the success of such radical movements or ideologies? Are poverty and

exclusion really the reasons?

Olivier Roy: No. All studies show that there is no correlation between poverty and

radicalization: there are far more Saudis than Bangladeshis (in fact almost no Bangladeshis)

among radicals. I think that the present struggle is a continuation of the old fault-line of anti-

imperialist, third-worldist movements against the West and specifically the USA. Bin Laden

says little about religion, but mentions Che Guevara, colonialism, climate change etc. It is

also clearly a generational movement: Al Qaida is a "youth" movement of young people who

split with their families and their social milieus and are not interested even in the home

country of their family. 

Also, there is an astonishing number of converts among Al Qaida, which is now

acknowledged but not taken into account. The converts are rebels without a cause who

would have joined the Red Army Faction or the Red Brigades thirty years ago but now go to

the most successful movement on the anti-imperialist market. We are still in the midst of a

mostly Western revolutionary millennialism that has turned away from the concept of

establishing a new and just society. The new movements are profoundly sceptical about

building a good society, hence their suicidal dimension.

Today some Europeans maintain that European culture is essentially a Christian culture, and

hence that everything Islamic is problematic and alien for Europe. What do you think of this

position?

"The most successful movement on the anti-imperialist market": Osama bin Laden's Al Qaida terror networkOlivier

Roy: They say that at the same time that Pope Benedict, following John Paul II, is saying that

Europe is rejecting and ignoring its Christian roots. The debate on sexual freedom, abortion,

gay rights is not one of Europeans versus Muslims, but rather of secularists on the one hand

– and there are Muslim secularists – and conservative believers on the other, who could be

Muslim, Catholic or Orthodox Jews. In fact, Europe is highly divided about its own culture,

between secularists who consider the Enlightenment with human rights, freedom,

democracy as the real birth certificate of Europe, and the "Christian culturalists" who believe

that the Enlightenment also led to Communism, atheism and even Nazism. 

Is there a real risk of Islamophobia in Europe?

Olivier Roy: The problem is how we define Islamophobia: Is it just another term for racism,

and specifically racism against people with a Muslim name, whatever their real degree of

belonging to a faith community, or is it the rejection of a religion? There are anti-racist

militants who cannot stand the veil – that is the case among feminists. There are racist

people who do not oppose the veil – because they think that anyway these people are too

different from us. The issue is complex because we do not try to disentangle two issues:

ethnicity and religion. 

Of course in Europe most Muslims have a foreign ethnic background, but the disconnect

between ethnicity and religion is increasing: there are converts both ways; there are atheist

"Arabs" and "Turks"; and more and more Muslims want to be acknowledged as believers

belonging to a faith community, but not necessarily as members of a different cultural

community. We need to distinguish between "ethnic communities" and "faith communities",

because both suppose a different approach, and because "ethnicity" is less and less

meaningful in terms of culture, but is more and more linked with skin colour.

In an interview you say that for example the biggest campaign against Darwin in Europe is

being conducted by a Turkish Muslim, on the basis of translations of books written by

evangelical Americans, and that there is then a convergence of values and norms, but also

of the manner in which those religions translate their convictions into political action and

intervention. How can the political world find a way to deal with this "drifting, deculturalized

and globalized religion"?

Olivier Roy: I think that the "successful" religions are the global and deculturated religions

like evangelicalism, Salafism, cults etc., not the traditional churches like the Catholic Church.

This trend is dominant now. It does not make sense to fight against it, particularly in

countries where constitutions prevent the State from interfering with beliefs. On the

contrary, I think we should accentuate the separation of Church and State by implementing

full equality between religions, but not on a basis of "multi-culturalism"; we should consider

religions as "mere religions", whatever they say about themselves. 

The issue is not 'what does Islam say', 'what does the Pope say', but under which conditions

a faith community can freely exercise its rights. Government should contribute to the

unlinking of religion and culture, but rejecting the multi-culturalist approach to religion in

favour of a neutral and strict freedom of religion within the framework of existing laws.

In the media we often have a dialectic of "liberal" vs. "radical" Islam. Is there a "liberal" or

"radical" Islam? When we look at the five pillars, is it possible to do the prayer "liberally" or

"radically"? Is this terminology actually applicable on this matter?

Olivier Roy: No. I think the mistake is to consider that to be a good citizen in society, a

believer has to choose a "liberal" theology. The debate on the "reformation" of Islam is

irrelevant. People who advocate a Muslim Luther never read Luther: he was not a liberal,

and quite anti-Semitic by the way. The "formatting" of Muslims into a Western environment

has nothing to do with theology. It is done by the individual practices and endeavours of the

Muslims themselves. They try to reconcile their practices with the Western environment, and

they find in this environment tools to do that, rethinking norms in terms of values for

instance. In the long run these changes will certainly translate into a theological rethinking,

but anyway it does not make sense to associate modernity with theological liberalism: to

think like that means either distorting history or relying on wishful thinking.

Interview: Eren Güvercin

© Qantara.de 2010

Editor: Lewis Gropp/Qantara.de