REFUTING CLAIMS ON TARIQA NAQSHBANDIYYA (2)

REFUTING CLAIMS ON TARIQA NAQSHBANDIYYA (2)

Then they said – as translated into English:

<<They perform the Najat prayer. This has no nass [supporting text], therefore it is a baseless innovation. It is bid‘ah dalalah.

Hadith: “Every innovated thing is a bid‘a and every bid‘a is misguidance.”
كلُّ محدَثَةٍ بدعةٌ وكل بدعةٍ ضلالة>>

Comments:

1. “Every” (kull) in the above hadith is not understood in absolute terms. It is well-established that our Imam al-Shafi‘i said (Allah be well-pleased with him): “Innovations are two types: whatever conforms to the Book and the Sunna—and this is praiseworthy; and whatever does not—and this is blameworthy.”

قال الشافعي: المُحْدَثَةُ مُحْدَثَتَانِ: مَا هُوَ مُوَافِقٌ لِلْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ ـ فَهَذَا مَحْمُودٌ ـ وَمَا هُوَ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ ـ فَهَذَا مَذْمُومٌ.

This was narrated by Imam al-Bayhaqi in his book Manaqib al-Shafi‘i and by the Hafiz Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani in Hilyat al-Awliya, both of them with sound (sahih) chains from two of the major students of Imam al-Shafi‘i, namely Harmala al-Tajibi and al-Rabi‘ b. Sulayman al-Muradi.

2. There are innumerable innovated practices that were not done in the time of the Prophet (saws) and which were even named bid‘a by the major Sahaba, such as Salat al-Tarawih in congregation for 20 rak‘as; Salat al-Duha; the 2 rakaas a person might pray in the mosque the just before Eid prayer; the gathering of the Qur’anic Volume; dotting its letters and inserting in it what is not part of Qur’an such as Sura titles, number and numerotation and place of revelation (Makki/Madani). Even congregational Salatul Haja (prayer of need) prayed in the mosque before the adhan of Jumuah, which certain communities practice regularly. Similarly the congregational dhikr in unison and the celebration of the birth of the Holy Prophet (saws), of which Imam Abu Shama al-Madisi – the teacher of Imam al-Nawawi – said in his book al-Hawadith wal-Bida‘: “It is one of the best bid‘as.”

3. There are also innumerable innovated forms of salawat on the Prophet (saws), although it is purely an act of worship (ibadah), from the time of the Sahaba down to modern times, perhaps the most famous of which being the compendium of Imam al-Jazuli entitled Dala’il al-Khayrat. Also among such books is the one called Maulid Sharaful Anam, which contains terms and expressions that were unknown both in the time of the Prophet (saws) and the centuries that followed. Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haytami in his book al-Durr al-Mandud fis Salat was Salam ala Sahib al-Maqam al-Mahmud cited Shaykh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari’s statement concerning invented forms of salawat on the Prophet: “The how is bid‘a but the principle is sunna.”

الكَيْفُ بِدْعَةٌ، وَالْأَصْلُ سُنَّةٌ

And that is like a concise explanation of the principle enunciated by Imam al-Shafi‘i concerning the excellent bid‘a.

4. The hadith specialist and renewer of the Religion in India, Abu al-Hasanat al-Laknawi in his book Iqamat al-Hujja ‘ala man Za‘ama anna al-Ikthar min al-Ta‘abbudi Bid‘a (The Establishment of the Proof Against Whoever Claims that Doing a Lot of Worship is a [bad] Innovation) and also the former Presiding Qadi of Hadramawt Shaykh ‘Abd Allah Mahfuz Muhammad al-Haddad in his book al-Sunna wal-Bid‘a gathered hundreds of proofs showing the ijtihad of Sahaba and Tabi‘in in worship such as Salat, Du‘a, Dhikr and Salawat which did not exist before, such as the two rakaat that Khubayb bin Yasaf prayed before he was tortured and executed and which Abu Hurayra said he started in Islam.

5. It is all accepted in the Religion even though it is bid‘a, but it is a good bid‘a. This is a terminology that has the nass of the ulema of all four madhhabs but it is most developed in the Shafi‘i madhhab because of the principle spelled out by the Imam as already shown, and which was followed by al-Ghazali, Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam, Ibn al-Salah, Ibn al-Athir, al-Nawawi, the Hafiz Ibn Hajar and others. They even divided bid‘a into wajib, mustahabb, mubah, makruh and haram. Whoever wants to read more about those proofs and their discussion in English can consult Sunna Notes II: The Excellent Innovation in the Qur’an and Hadith by Gibril Fouad Haddad, published in the UK, which contains 161 proofs to that effect.

6. Now that this is clear, let is be known that a Muslim’s voluntary worship in the dead of night with two rak‘as or more to the intention of salvation (najat) from hellfire is one of the best acts of drawing near to Allah Most High since the Prophet (saws) said: “Pray while people are fast asleep, you will enter paradise safely.”

صَلُّوا وَالنَّاسُ نِيامٌ تَدْخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ بِسَلَامٍ.

It means: “on condition that you do such a thing, I guarantee salvation from hellfire for you.” He also said: “Control your tongue, let your house be enough for you, and weep over your sins.”

اِمْلِكْ عَليكَ لِسانَكَ، وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ، وَابْكِ عَلَى خَطِيئَتِكَ

Al-Imam al-Awza‘i practised that advice and his mother invariably found his place of prayer wet with the tears he had shed in the night while praying.

In reality every single Salat in Islam is for the purpose of Najat or Salvation from hellfire but if you do not wish to call it a Salat of Najat then don't. The reality and the meaning, however, were etablished in the Qur'an and the Sunna and they will remain despite your objection to the name. And Allah knows best.

© GF Haddad

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