Indexed OCR Text

Some people claim that abstaining from raising the hands is reported
with regard to 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd radiyallahu 'anhu alone and not
anyone else. The practice of Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat 'Umar
radiyallahu 'anhumā was mentioned above. Now see the following
narration of al-Barrā' ibn 'Āzib radiyallāhu 'anhu:
عن البراء بن عازب رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا افتتح الصلاة رفع
1
یدیہ ثم لا يرفعها حتى يفرغ.
Al-Barrā' ibn 'Āzib radiyallāhu 'anhu said: Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam used to raise his hands when he commenced salah and then did not
raise them until he completed the salāh.
The same is reported about Hadrat 'Alī radiyallahu 'anhu:
حدثني زيد بن علي عن أبيه عن جده عن علي بن أبي طالب كرم الله تعالى وجهه أنه كان
يرفع يديه في التكبيرة الأولى إلى فروع آذنیه ثم لا يرفعهما حتى يقضي صلاته.
2
Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah relates:
إن عليا كان يرفع يديه إذا افتتح الصلاة ثم لا يعود.
'Alī radiyallahu 'anhu used to raise his hands when he commenced salah and
did not do that again [for the rest of the salah].
This practice was not restricted to Hadrat 'Alī radiyallahu 'anhu and
Hadrat Ibn Mas'ūd radiyallahu 'anhu but to their companions and
students. It is extremely difficult to count how many they were.
عن أبي إسحاق قال: كان أصحاب عبد الله وأصحاب علي لا يرفعون أيديهم إلا في افتتاح
الصلاة. قال وكيع: لا يعودون.
Abū Is-haq said: The companions of 'Abdullah and 'Alī would only raise their
hands at the beginning of salāh.
The same is related about Ibn Abī Layla, Khaythamah, Ibrahim, Qays
and others. In fact this has been the practice and way of all the
scholars and jurists of Kūfah, including Sufyan Thaurī, Imam Hasan
Basrī, and Imām Abū Hanīfah and his students are also included. Ibn
'Abd al-Barr (d. 463 A.H.) makes reference to this in at-Tamhīd:
1 مصنف ابن أبي شيبة: 23611.
2 مسند الإمام زيد، ص 89.
221

واختلف العلماء في رفع اليدين في الصلاة، فروى ابن القاسم وغيره عن مالك أنه كان يرى
رفع اليدين في الصلاة ضعيفا إلا في تكبيرة الإحرام وحدها، وتعلق بهذه الرواية عن مالك
أكثر المالكين، وهو قول الكوفيين، سفيان الثوري، وأبي حنيفة وأصحابه والحسن بن علي
وسائر فقهاء الكوفة قديما وحديثا .!
From all the above quotations and texts it becomes absolutely clear
that abstaining from raising the hands is not the madh-hab of just one
person but of many people. This also refutes the false notion of some
people who feel that it is as a result of Ibn Mas'ūd radiyallahu 'anhu
forgetting. After observing these various texts, one question
automatically comes to mind: If this is as a result of Ibn Mas'ūd
radiyallahu 'anhu forgetting, we find the narrations of Hadrat Abu Bakr,
Hadrat 'Umar, Hadrat 'Alī, Hadrat Barra' ibn 'Āzib radiyallahu 'anhum,
many Tābi'in, jurists of Kūfah and their companions, and narrations of
the Malikīs in favour of it. Are all these personalities following a
practice which was forgetfully introduced? The answer will certainly
be in the negative. This notion would have probably been acceptable if
Hadrat Ibn Mas'ūd radiyallahu 'anhu was the only one to narrate it and
practise on it. But this is not possible now. Ibrahim Nakha'ī
rahimahullah used to say: "Narrations in favour of abstaining from
raising the hands have reached me from so many people that I cannot
count them."
On the other hand, these personalities are extremely critical of those
who present the narration of Hadrat Wa'il ibn Hajar radiyallahu 'anhu.
They say that it is not right to use this one sole narration and offer it
as evidence. This is why Ibrahim Nakha'ī rahimahullah used to say:
"Hadrat Wa'il radiyallahu 'anhu must have seen this action just one or
two times, while Ibn Mas'ūd radiyallahu 'anhu had the honour of
spending a very long period of time in the company of Rasūlullah
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam and remaining close to him. He must have
certainly observed Rasūlullah's practice throughout his life. What,
then, can be said about the person who saw it once or twice and can
remember it very well, while the one who observed it for his entire life
forgets it! Ibrāhīm Nakha'ī rahimahullah strongly rejects this:
1 التمهيد لابن عبد البر: 21219.
222

رأه هو ولم يره ابن مسعود وأصحابه .!
Even Qādī Abū Bakr ibn 'Ayash from whom Imam Bukhārī rahimahullah
accepted 18 narrations in his Sahīh says:
قال أبو بكر بن عياش ما رأيت فقيها قط يرفع يديه في غير التكبيرة الأولى.
I have never seen a jurist raising his hands except in the first takbīr.
This is not the statement of any ordinary person about whom we could
think that he must have seen one or two jurists. Rather, he is a very
high-ranking personality whose 18 narrations are to be found in
Bukhārī Sharif alone. The level of his reliability can be gauged from this.
This statement would most definitely have been made after physically
seen this.
Refer to Majmū'ah Rasā'il, vol. 1, pp. 149-175 for more details.
35.
To lie down after performing the Sunnah salah of fajr is
certainly established from Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam.
However, this was for a specific reason, viz. Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam used to spend lengthy periods of time at night in salah and
occupy himself in tahajjud. The narrations say that he used to be
standing for such long periods that his blessed feet used to get swollen.
This is why he used to lie down for some time. Furthermore, it was not
a perpetual practice. He also acted to the contrary. If you people want
to really practise on the Sunnah, you must know that his lying down
was due to lengthy periods of standing at night. You too must start
doing this and there will be no harm if you lie down. Merely lying
down for the sake of ease, and not for the reason why Rasulullah
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam used to lie down is certainly an excess on
your part.
A text of this nature is not found in Hidayah, ad-Durr al-Mukhtar and
other books. This reference is incorrect.
36.
As previously, the reference which you provided is incorrect. A
text to the contrary is actually found in Hidayah. The four Sunnats of
zuhr will be performed with one salām. Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar states:
وسن مؤكدا أربع قبل الجمعة وأربع بعدها بتسليمة، فلو بتسليمتين لم تنب عن السنة، ولذا
لو نذرها لا يخرج عنه بتسليمتين، وبعكسه يخرج.
1
1 طحاوي شريف ومسند الإمام الأعظم.
223

Radd al-Muhtar explains the above:
(قوله بتسليمة) وعن أبي أيوب كان يصلي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بعد الزوال أربع
ركعات، فقلت: ما هذه الصلاة التي تداوم عليها؟ فقال: هذه ساعة تفتح أبواب السماء
فيها، فأجب أن يصعد لي فيها عمل صالح، فقلت: أفي كلهن قراءة؟ قال: نعم، فقلت:
بتسليمة واحدة أو بتسليمتين؟ فقال: بتسليمة واحدة.
It becomes clear from the above that Hanafis are of the view that the
four rak'ats are to be performed with one salam. This is established
from the authoritative Hanafi books and from Ahadith.
37.
It is an absolutely false claim to say that Sharh Wiqayah states
that the Hadith on eight rak'ats of tarawih is authentic. This is not
found anywhere in this book. There are many proofs for tarawih being
20 rak'ats.
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصلي في رمضان
عشرین رکعة والوتر. 3
Ibn 'Abbās radiyallāhu 'anhu said that Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam
used to perform 20 rak'ats in Ramadan plus the witr salah.
Furthermore, there is consensus that tarawīh is 20 rak'ats. Mirqat Sharh
Mishkāt states:
أجمع الصحابة على أن التراويح عشرون ركعة.4
The Sahabah radiyallahu 'anhum are unanimous as regards tarāwīh being 20
rak'ats.
Allāmah Zabīdī writes:
وبالإجماع الذي وقع في زمن عمر أخذ أبو حنيفة والنووي والشافعي وأحمد والجمهور
واختار ابن عبد البر. 5
1 الدر المختار: 1312.
2 رد المحتار: 1212، 13.
3 مصنف ابن أبي شيبة: 2\394.
4 مرقاة شرح مشكوة: 19413.
5 اتحاف السادة المتقين شرح إحياء علوم الدين: 42213.
224

Based on the consensus which was realized during the era of 'Umar
radiyallāhu 'anhu, Abū Hanīfah, an-Nawawī, ash-Shafi'ī, Ahmad, Ibn 'Abd al-
Barr and all scholars adopted this practice [of 20 rak'ats tarāwīh].
'Allāmah 'Abd al-Hayy Lucknowī rahimahullah writes:
وثبت باهتمام الصحابة على عشرين في عهد عمر وعثمان وعلي فمن بعدهم.
1
Twenty rak'ats is established based on the importance given to it during the
era of 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Alī [radiyallahu 'anhu] and those who came after
them.
The above texts make it clear that this ruling is unanimous. The
Sahābah radiyallāhu 'anhum practised on it and objections to it are not
reported by any of them. Furthermore, this has been the continuous
practice of the entire ummah. Imam Bayhaqī rahimahullah writes in
this regard:
عن السائب بن يزيد قال كانوا يقومون على عهد عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه في شهر
رمضان بعشرين ركعة، قال وكانوا يقرؤن بالمئين وكانوا يتوكون على عصيهم في عهد عثمان
2
من شدة القیام.
The same practice was continued during the khilafat of Hadrat 'Alī
radiyallāhu 'anhu:
عن أبي عبد الرحمن السلمي عن علي رضي الله عنه قال: دعا القراء في رمضان فأمر منهم
رجلا يصلي بالناس عشرين ركعة وكان على رضي الله عنه یوتر بهم.
3
'Alī radiyallahu 'anhu summoned the qurra' in Ramadan, appointed one of
them to lead the people in 20 rak'ats salah, and 'Alī radiyallahu 'anhu used to
lead them in the witr salāh.
The same practice continued with the Tabi'in and those who came
after them, right down to our times. Ibn Mas'ūd, 'Atā', Imam Abū
Hanīfah, Imam Shafi'ī, Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal, Hammad, Ibrahim
Nakha'ī, Shatīr ibn Shakl, Abul Bukhturī, Abul Khasīb, Nāfi' ibn 'Umar,
Ibn Abī Mulaykah, Sa'īd ibn 'Ubayd and various other Tabi'in and Taba'
1 حاشية شرح وقاية.
2 السنن الكبرى: 2\496.
3 السنن الكبرى: 2\496.
225

Tābi'în are of this view, and the ummah has been unanimously
practising on it continuously down the generations.
Refer to volume two on the chapter on tarawih for more details.
38.
This quotation has been wrongly attributed to the Hanafis. The
Hanafis neither hold this view nor is this quotation found in the book
referred to. In fact, the opposite of it is found in the same book. That
is, according to the Hanafīs, it is Sunnah not to make salam on this
occasion.
ومن السنة جلوسه في مخدعه عن يمين المنبر ولبس السواد وترك السلام من خروجه إلى
دخوله في الصلاة. وقال الشافعي: إذا استوى على المنبر سلم.1
Both types of Ahadith are to be found. Since there are Ahadith
indicating this practice, the Hanafis say that it is prescribed. In fact,
some jurists say that it is mustahab. However, since the Ahadith in this
regard are weak or debatable, Hanafis do not say that it is Sunnah.
Some of our elders such as Maulana Zafar Ahmad 'Uthmanī
rahimahullah give preference to the view that it is mustahab.
Refer to volume two in the chapter on jumu'ah for more details.
39.
The reference stating that the Friday khutbah can be given in
any language is absolutely wrong. It is not even the view of the
Hanafis. Rather, they are of the view that the khutbah can only be in
Arabic. Any other language is not permissible.
فإنه لا شك في الخطبة بغير العربية خلاف السنة المتوارثة من النبي والصحابة فيكون
مکروها تحریما.2
There is absolutely no doubt that the khutbah in any language other than
Arabic is against the Sunnah which has been inherited from Rasūlullah
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam and the Sahābah radiyallāhu 'anhum. The
khutbah in any other language will therefore be makrūh tahrīmī.
The issue is not of just a language. Rather, some 'ulama' have gone to
the extent of saying that on Friday, instead of the four rak'ats of fard,
there are two rak'ats and the khutbah is in place of the other two
rak'ats. Thus, the khutbah will have to be in the same language as the
1 الدر المختار: 2\150.
2 عمدة الرعاية شرح الوقاية: 24211.
226

salah. This ruling is not only of the Hanafis but of the Hambalis as well.
Furthermore, Imam Nawawī rahimahullah considers it to be a
prerequisite. He writes in this regard in al-Majmu' Sharh al-
Muhadhdhab:
وبه قطع الجمهور يشترط لأنه ذكر مفروض فشرط فيه العربية كالتشهد وكتكبيرة الإحرام
مع قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي. وكان يخطب بالعربية.1
For further details refer to: (1) volume two in the chapter on jumu'ah,
(2) Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah, and (3) Jawahir al-Fiqh of Muftī Muhammad
Shafi Sahib rahimahullāh.
40.
A woman may bathe her deceased husband. There is no
difference of opinion in this regard. It is futile to quote this text here.
The permissibility for it does not mean that it is essential for a woman
to bathe her deceased husband. Rather, the purpose is to show
permissibility in the sense that if there is no one else, a woman may
bathe her deceased husband. However, the preferred thing is for males
to bathe males. The reason for permitting the wife is that during her
'iddah, her marriage with him still exists.
41.
This is a wrong reference to claim that raising the hands
during the takbīrāt of janazah salah is permissible according to
Hanafis. The quoted text is not to be found anywhere in this book. In
fact, the opposite is to be found in the same book and other reliable
books.
وهي أربع تكبيرات كل تكبيرة قائمة مقام ركعة، يرفع يديه في الأولى فقط. 2
The janazah salah consists of four takbirs, each one taking the place of one
rak'at. The person must raise his hands for the first takbir only.
A few scholars of Balkh are of the view that the hands should be raised
for all the takbirat. It is treacherous to attribute this view to all the
Hanafīs.
From point number 42 to the end: All the customs which are
mentioned in these numbers have always been severely opposed and
criticized by the 'ulama' of Deoband from the very beginning. None
1 المجموع شرح المهذب: 52111، 522.
2 الدر المختار: 21212.
227

believes in any of them. Our seniors wrote countless books refuting
these customs and were subsequently labelled kafir by the bid'atīs and
given appalling titles for it. This is why you will find most books
refuting these innovations and customs written by the Hanafi 'ulama'
of Deoband. These personalities waged practical jihad, jihad of the
tongue and pen, and every other possible way to reject and refute
these practices. All praise is due to Allah ta'ala the Deobandī group is
that fortunate group which has been safeguarding itself against
extremism in every era, treading the true path, and playing a
phenomenal role in steering the public in the right direction.
Consequently, any person who assessed and evaluated its services with
honesty and for the sake of finding the truth, came to the conclusion
that the truth is with this group, and that it is not doing this work on
its own accord. Rather, Allah ta'ala has chosen it. May Allah ta'ālā keep
us with this truth-loving group, safeguard us against every type of
extremism, innovation and fabricated custom, and bless us with desire
for the truth. Āmīn.
A separate reply for each of the points from 42 to the end is now
presented.
42.
The third, tenth and fortieth-day observations are extremely
detestable innovations. No one from the Hanafi 'ulama' of Deoband are
in favour of them. These are innovations which have been fabricated
by bid'atīs of our times. The Hanafi 'ulama' of Deoband have been
speaking out against them from the very beginning. The text which
has been quoted is from a book written by a Deobandī Hanafī 'alim. If
any person practices these innovations, they are his own actions. The
madh-hab cannot be blamed for it.
43.
It is an innovation and unlawful to construct a high wall and
light lamps over the grave of a saint. The Deobandī Hanafi 'ulama'
consider this to be a bid'ah. It is an innovation initiated by bid'atīs of
our time. You will not find high walls and burning lamps on the graves
of any of our seniors. If any person does this, it is his responsibility. It
is neither the practice nor the view of any of our elders.
44 & 45.We too do not consider it permissible to kiss graves. The
bid'atīs of our time consider it desirable while their own A'la Hadrat
has issued a fatwa to the contrary. Similarly, it is haram and kufr to
prostrate before graves, make tawaf of them and make vows to them.
Even in this regard, neither we nor our seniors are in favour of these
actions. The A'la Hadrat of the bid'atis has issued a fatwa against these
practices.
228

46.
No one is in favour of what is written in this point ... it is
another fabrication of the bid' atis. It is neither our creed nor the creed
of our seniors.
47.
It is haram to make an offering of food in the name of anyone
apart from Allah ta'ala and to eat such food. Our creed and the creed of
our seniors is that it is polytheism to make an offering of food in the
name of anyone apart from Allah ta'ala, and haram to consume such
food.
48.
An animal over which the name of someone other than Allah
ta'ālā is called is haram even if Bismillah was read. The creed of the
Deobandī Hanafi 'ulama' is that it is unlawful to call out the name of
anyone apart from Allah ta'ala over an animal.
49.
As regards tawassul via the Prophets and saints, it should be
known that it is permissible. This issue is then subdivided into
whether tawassul is via the dead or the living, via their beings or
actions. Then whether it is via one's own actions or the actions of
others. The reality of it is that in each case, the source of tawassul is
Allah's mercy, and its real meaning is: "O Allah! I am begging of You
through Your mercy which You are showering on such and such pious
servant." Or: "O Allah! I am begging You through such and such good
action - which is essentially Your gift and mercy - of mine or of such
and such person." Or: "I am begging You through the love which I
have for that saint." We learn from this that tawassul is made solely
through Allah's mercy irrespective of whether that mercy is on a
Prophet, a saint or a particular action. It is permissible to supplicate to
Allāh ta'ālā via any of these.
In the text which you quoted, you added a word from your side in an
effort to extract the meaning which you intend. Whereas, the method
of du'a' which is referred to as makruh in the afore-mentioned text is
something else. The reality of tawassul is completely different from it.
The text which you translated reads as follows in Hidayah:
ويكره أن يقول في دعائه بحق فلان أو بحق أنبيائك ورسلك لأنه لا حق للمخلوق على
الخالق.
It is detestable for a person to say in his du'a': "Through the right of such and
such person or through the right of Your Prophets and Messengers" because
the creation has no right over the Creator.
You translated the above text as follows:
229

It is detestable to take the name of a Prophet and saint (as a means)
when making du'a' because the creation has no right over Allah ta'ala.
In your translation you added the words (as a means) in brackets
whereas the point under discussion and the method of du'a' which is
considered detestable is not even remotely connected to tawassul.
Now observe the difference between wasilah and the method of du'a'
under discussion. The first point is that in a wasilah, solely and only
the mercy of Allah ta'ala is made the means. This is irrespective of
whether it is in the name of a Prophet, saint or action. In essence,
whoever's name is taken as a means, it means that the person is
receiving Allah's mercy. So in reality, in a wasilah, the tawassul is the
mercy of Allah ta'ala. However, this is not to be found in the method of
du'a' which is under discussion. In it, firstly the Prophet's or saint's
right over Allāh ta'ālā is mentioned, and in return for it, the person is
trying to realize his objective. It means: "O Allah! Through the right
which such and such Prophet or saint has over You, I want the
fulfilment of my need through that right." This is absolutely wrong
because no one has any right over Allah ta'ala which He is obliged to
fulfil.
There is a very clear difference between the two. In tawassul, the
matter is connected to Allah's mercy, while in the du'a' under
discussion, a right over Allah ta'ala is being expressed, and we are
prohibited from it, while there is proof for tawassul in the Shari'ah.
A Hadith of Ibn Mājah Sharif states:
عن عثمان بن حنيف أن رجلا ضرير البصر أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال ادع الله
لى أن يعافيني. فقال: إن شئت أخرت لك وهو خير وإن شئت دعوت. فقال ادعه. فأمره أن
يتوضأ فيحسن وضوءه ويصلى ركعتين ويدعو بهذا الدعاء: اللَّهُمَّ إنى أسألك وأتوجه إليك
بمحمد نبى الرحمة يا محمد إنى قد توجهت بك إلى ربى فى حاجتى هذه لتقضى اللُّهُمَّ فشفعه
1
فيّ. قال أبو إسحاق: هذا حديث صحيح.
'Uthmān ibn Hunayf narrates that a blind man came to Rasūlullāh sallallahu
'alayhi wa sallam and said: "Supplicate to Allah to cure me." He said: "If you
wish I can defer it and this will be better, but if you want I can supplicate in
your favour." The man said: "Supplicate." Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa
1 ابن ماجه، ص 99.
230

sallam asked him to perform a proper wudū', perform two rak'ats salāh and
make this supplication: "O Allah! I beg of You and turn to You through
Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad! I have turned through you
to my Allah for the fulfilment of my need. O Allah! Accept his intercession in
my favour."
It is also proven that before Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam could
be commissioned as a Prophet, the Jews used to supplicate through his
name for victory over the idolaters. The Qur'an makes reference to
this:
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَبُ مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ مُصَدِّقُ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ لا وَكَانُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُوْنَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ
كَفَرُوْا
When there came to them a Book from Allah confirming the Book which is with
them, and prior to this they used to ask for victory over the unbelievers ... 1
'Allāmah Ālūsī rahimahullah writes in his commentary to this verse
نزلت في بني قريظة والنضير كانوا يستفتحون على الأوس والخزرج برسول الله صلى الله
2
علیه وسلم قبل مبعثه.
It was revealed in reference to the Banu Qurayzah and Nadir who used to ask
for victory over the Aus and Khazraj through Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam before he became a Prophet.
Hakim quotes the following narration in this regard:
اللُّهُمَّ إنا نسئلك بحق أحمد النبي الأمي الذي وعدتنا أن تخرجه لنا.3
O Allah! We ask You through Ahmad, the unlettered Prophet, whom You
promised to send to us.
This transmission contains 'Abd al-Malik bin Harun. Yahya ibn Ma'în
and Ibn Hibban label him a liar. Imam Ahmad said that he is a weak
narrator. Abū Hatim said that he is left out. Ibn Hibban said that he
fabricates Hadith.ª
Additional details are to be found in the next chapter.
1 Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2: 89.
2 روح المعاني: 32011.
3 المستدرك للحاكم، رقم 3042.
4 میزان الإعتدال: 38013.
231

The following narration is quoted in Mishkāt:
عن أمية بن عبد الله بن أسيد عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه كان يستفتح بصعاليك
المهاجرين، رواه في شرح السنة.٦
Another narration states:
عن أنس أن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه كان إذا قحطوا استسقى بالبعاس بن عبد
المطلب رضي الله عنه فقال: اللَّهُمَّ انا كنا نتوسل إليك بنبينا فتسقينا وإنا نتوسل إليك بعم
نبينا فاسقنا فيسقوا.2
Anas radiyallahu 'anhu narrates that when they used to experience a drought,
'Umar ibn al-Khattab radiyallahu 'anhu used to beg for rains through 'Abbās
ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib radiyallahu 'anhu. 'Umar radiyallahu 'anhu used to say:
"O Allah! We used to beg You for rains through our Prophet and You used to
send rains to us. We now ask You through our Prophet's uncle, so send rain to
us." Rains would then come down to them.
From the above narrations it is proven that tawassul through the
Prophets and saints is not only permissible but a good action; and we
also find affirmation from the past scholars. Some scholars do differ on
the word "haqq" (right) in tawassul. They say:
لا حق للمخلوق على الخالق
The creation has no right over the Creator.
However, if this word "right" is used in tawassul and is not taken to
mean that the one who is used as a means has any right over Allah
ta'ala, and instead the essential and correct meaning of tawassul is
taken, then this too will be correct. Its usage in this way is also
established. Mulla 'Alī Qarī writes in his commentary to the
previously-quoted narration of Mishkāt Sharif:
ومنه قوله: ﴿ان تستفتحوا فقد جاءكم الفتح﴾ وقال ابن الملك: بأن يقول: اللُّهُمَّ انصرنا
على الأعداء بحق عبادك الفقراء المهاجرين. وفيه تعظيم الفقراء والرغبة إلى دعائهم التبرك
1
بوجوههم.
1 مشكوة شريف: 1\447.
2 رواه البخاري، مشكوة، ص 132.
232

Included in it are the words of Allah: "If you seek victory, it has now come to
you." Ibn al-Malik said: For example, by making this supplication: "O Allah!
Help us against the enemies through Your servants - the poor emigrants." This
accords greatness to the poor, encourages us to obtain their supplications, and
to obtain blessings through them.
'Allāmah Shaukānī writes with reference to tawassul:
ويستفاد من قصة العباس استحباب الإستشفاع بأهل الخير والصلاح وأهل بيت النبوة،
وفیه فضل العباس وفضل عمر لتواضعه للعباس ومعرفته بحقه.
A point that is learnt from the story of 'Abbas is the desirability of seeking
intercession through people of goodness, righteousness and the family of
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam. It also demonstrates the virtue of
'Abbās radiyallāhu 'anhu and the virtue of 'Umar radiyallahu 'anhu for his
humility before 'Abbas and his recognition of his right.
Refer to volume three, the chapter on the Haramayn, for more details
on tawassul.
50.
No one from the creation has knowledge of the unseen. This is
the prerogative of Allah ta'ala alone. This has always been the creed of
the Hanafi Deobandī 'ulama'. The bid'atīs believe that Rasūlullah
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam has knowledge of the unseen.
51.
Taking omens from the Qur'an is not established. This is the
creed of the Hanafi Deobandī 'ulama'.
52.
To call out the adhan at the time of a plague or cholera-
outbreak is not established. The Hanafi Deobandī 'ulama' neither hold
this view nor practise it.
53.
No matter what the level of transmission of Du'a'-e-Ganj al-
'Arsh, 'Ahd Namah and so on; it is best to read those du'a's which are
established from the Sunnah and have been coming down the
generations.
54.
It is not permissible to sing or listen to ragnī on the occasion of
maulūd. Further details in this regard are: It is permissible to render
poetry provided it is not specified for certain times and occasions, it is
not accompanied by any musical instruments and any other
prohibitions of the Shari'ah are not committed. Furthermore, the
1 مرقاة: 13110، باب فضل الفقراء، مكتبة إمدادیة، ملتان.
2 نيل الأوطار: 814.
233

woman or man rendering the poetry must not be one who is desired.
'Allāmah 'Abd al-Hayy Lucknowī rahimahullah writes:
If it is without musical instruments and other prohibitions, there is no
harm in it. If not, it is harām.1
54.
Preparing sweetmeats on Laylatul Bara'ah, and other customs
of the month of Muharram, e.g. effigies and mourning the dead, etc.
are bid'ah according to the Hanafi Deobandī 'ulama' and no one
considers them permissible. If anyone practices them, it is his own
action.
Summation: The following conclusions can be drawn from this
collection of objections:
(1)
This entire package will prove extremely beneficial in making naïve
and simple-minded Muslims stupid and taking them far away from
Dīn. This is because it is sufficient to take the public away from Din
and keep them aloof from the Hanafis and mugallids by making them
listen to these fabrications which are not even part of the Hanafi
madh-hab. They are then made to believe thus: O people! Look at these
muqallids! Their books say one thing and they do something else.
(2)
Most of the references are assumptions having no reality in them. In
fact, they are mentioned merely for false propaganda. We pointed this
out at the relevant places. The person may portray himself as a very
proficient academic who has rendered a sterling academic service,
whereas in most places he has resorted to the worst types of academic
treachery.
(3)
In some places his academic treachery reaches such a pit that he
attributes something to a certain madh-hab while it is the view of a
completely different Imam, and also clearly stated in that very book
from which he quotes. Yet he attributes it to the Hanafis and says that
it is in their books.
(4)
1 مجموعة الفتاوى: 2\265.
234

The references which he provides are either not found or there is a
difference of several volumes. We learn from this that he provided
references merely by estimation. None of the references are from the
well-known editions of the said books and most of them are
incorrectly attributed.
(5)
His academic level can be gauged from the fact that he cannot even
differentiate between ad-Durr al-Mukhtar and Radd al-Muhtār. He does
not know that these are two different books. When a ruling is in Radd
al-Muhtar he gives ad-Durr al-Mukhtar as the reference.
(6)
He mentioned several rulings regarding which there are no differences
of opinion, e.g. it is prohibited to lower one's self when offering salam.
Neither does anyone differ on this issue nor is it against the Qur'an
and Sunnah. Furthermore, in several places he merely looks at actions
of certain individuals and levels accusations at the entire madh-hab.
The principle is that when you see certain incorrect actions in a few
followers, you cannot make an objection against the entire madh-hab.
(7)
Finally, neither do we nor you are to live forever. The best and most
beneficial thing for all of us is to search for the truth and attach
ourselves to it. We have no guarantee over a single moment of this life.
If we are not just and equitable towards the truth, then remember, this
will result in eternal loss and perpetual destruction. Rasūlullah
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam has taught the ummah the sign of the truth,
viz. the main body - as-Sawad al-A'zam - of the ummah. Now you can
decide for yourself who the main body of the ummah is - the
muqallids or the ghayr muqallids. It is undoubtedly the muqallids. It is
also a known fact that the truth will always be with the main body.
Following them entails following as-Sawad al-A'zam. Hadrat Shah Wali
Allāh Muhaddith Dehlawī rahimahullāh writes:
ولما اندرست المذاهب الحقة إلا هذه الأربعة، كان اتباعها للسواد الأعظم.٦
When all the true madhahib except these four were obliterated, following these
four entails following the main body of Muslims.
1 Taglīd-e-Shar'ī Kī Durūrat, p. 5, Surat, quoted from 'Iqd al-Jīd, p. 31.
235

You should therefore give up all your arguments and discussions and
join the truth. Do not become a manifestation of:
من شَذّ شُذّ في النار.
The one who separates himself [from the main body of Muslims] will be kept
separate in the Hell-fire.
May Allāh ta'ālā inspire us all. Āmīn.
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
236

Chapter Seven: Refutation of Bid'ah
An explanation of bid'ah
Question
Kindly shed light on what bid'ah is, and whether abstentions are
included in bid'ah?
Answer
The 'ulama' provide several definitions of bid'ah. 'Allamah Shāmī
rahimahullāh and 'Allāmah Ibn Nujaym Misrī (d. 970 A.H.) define it as
follows:
ما أحدث على خلاف الحق المتلقى عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من علم أو عمل أو
حال بنوع شبهة واستحسان، وجعل دينا قويما وصراطا مستقيما .!
A bid'ah refers to innovating something which is different from the truth
which was received from Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam - whether it
is of knowledge, practice or condition - with a sense of confusion and
considering to be good. It is then made a part of the firm Din and the straight
path.
Similarly, it is also a bid'ah to specify certain times and forms of
worship from one's own side. A narration of Muslim Sharif states:
لا تختصوا ليلة الجمعة بقيام من بين اليالي ولا تختصوا يوم الجمعة بصيام من بين الأيام إلا
أن يكون في صوم يصوم أحدڪم. 2
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: Do not set aside the night
preceding Friday for worship to the exclusion of other nights, nor the day of
Friday for fasting to the exclusion of other days, unless fasting on a Friday
coincides with a fast which you normally observe.
'Allāmah Abū Is-hāq Shātibī (d. 790 A.H.) writes:
ومنها التزام العبادات المعينة في أوقات معينة لم يوجد لها ذلك التعيين في الشريعة.3
A bid'ah includes adhering to specific forms of worship in specific times which
are not established in the Shari'ah.
1 فتاوى الشامي: 1\560، ط: سعيد، والبحر الرائق: 34911، ط: كوئته.
2 مسلم شریف: 36111، قدیمی کتب خانه.
3 الإعتصام: 2911، دار الكتب العلمية، بيروت.
237

To take a desirable or permissible act and give it importance more
than its rank to the extent of considering it essential is also a bid'ah.
This could take the form of not practising on the concession of the
Shari'ah, rejecting the concession or considering it bad. 'Allamah
Shabbīr Ahmad 'Uthmānī rahimahullah (1305-1369 A.H.) explains the
previously-quoted Hadith as follows:
إن المندوبات قد تنقلب مكروهات إذا رفعت عن رتبتها لأن التيامن مستحب في كل شيء
أي من أمور العبادة، لكن لما خشي ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أن يعتقدوا وجوبه أشار إلى
كراهته.
Desirable acts become undesirable when they are elevated from their actual
rank. It is desirable to commence with the right side in all acts of worship.
However, when Ibn Mas'ud radiyallahu 'anhu feared that people would believe
it to be obligatory, he said that it is undesirable.
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar states:
وكل مباح يؤدي إليه (أي إلى اعتقاد السنية أو الوجوب) فمكروه.2
Any permissible act which leads to it (i.e. believing it to be Sunnah or
obligatory) is makrūh.
‘Allāmah Shāmī rahimahullāh said:
قوله مكروه: الظاهر أنها تحريمة لأنه يدخل في الدين ما ليس منه. 3
Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd radiyallāhu 'anhu said:
لا يجعل أحدكم للشيطان شيئا من صلاته يرى حقا عليه أن لا ينصرف إلا عن يمينه،
لقد رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كثيرا ينصرف عن يساره.4
Do not allow Shaytan to influence you in your salah into thinking that you
have to turn to your right only because I often saw Rasūlullah sallallahu
'alayhi wa sallam turning to his left.
Mirqāt states:
1 فتح الملهم: 59814، مكتبة دار العلوم كراتشي.
2 الدر المختار: 12012، سعيد.
3 رد المحتار: 12012، سعيد.
4 رواه البخاري: 11811، قديمي کتب خانه.
238

قال الطيبي: وفيه أن من أصر على أمر مندوب وجعله عزما ولم يعمل بالرخصة فقد أصاب
منه الشيطان من الإضلال فكيف من أصر على بدعة أو منكر .!
We learn from this that the one who persists in carrying out a desirable act by
insisting on doing it and does not practise on the concession given has been
deceived by Shaytan. What, then, can be said of the one who insists on
carrying out a bid'ah or an evil !?
However, if a person does something which Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam did not do, it is not correct to say that it is a bid'ah. For
example, someone says that the present form of assemblies of dhikr
and the work of da wah were not done by Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam and the Sahabah radiyallahu 'anhum. They are therefore
bid'ah. This is not correct. When the Shariah is silent about
something, it is labelled mubah - permissible. It will be a bid'ah if it is
done by according it the status of the Shari'ah and Sunnah.
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
ما أمرتكم به فخذوه وما نهيتكم عنه فانتهوا.2
Hold on to what I order you to do and desist from what I prohibit you.
He did not say:
ما سكتُّ عنه فانتهوا.
Desist from what I remained silent.
The jurists and legislators laid down four sources for the establishment
of injunctions: (1) Qur'an, (2) Sunnah, (3) Ijmā', (4) Qiyas. The same
four are laid down for prohibitions. Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam abstaining from something is not laid down as a fifth proof.
Moreover, the definition of Hadith includes the statements of
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, his actions and his tacit
approvals. His abstaining from something is not included in this
definition.
A few examples of abstentions:
(1) Eating a lizard according to Shāfi'īs:
1 مرقاة: 2\353.
2 رواه ابن ماجه: 211، رقم 1672.
239

Bukhārī Sharīf:
عن عبد الله بن دينار قال سمعت ابن عمر رضى الله عنهما قال النبى صلى الله عليه
وسلم: الضب لست آکله ولا أحرمه. وفي رواية عن عبد الله بن عباس رضى الله عنهما
عن خالد بن الوليد أنه دخل مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بيت ميمونة فأتى بضب
محنوذ، فأهوى إليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بيده فقال بعض النسوة أخبروا رسول
الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بما يريد أن يأكل. فقالوا هو ضب يا رسول الله. فرفع يده، فقلت
أحرام هو يا رسول الله فقال: لا، ولكن لم يكن بأرض قومى فأجدنى أعافه ...!
Ibn 'Umar radiyallāhu 'anhu narrates that Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said: I neither eat a lizard nor do I say that it is unlawful ...
(2) Two rak'ats before maghrib
Bukhārī Sharīf:
عن أنس بن مالك قال: كان المؤذن إذا أذن قام ناس من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه
وسلم يبتدرون السواري حتی یخرج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهم كذلك يصلون ركعتين
قبل المغرب لم يكن بين الأذان والإقامة شيء. 2
(3) The construction of the Ka'bah
Bukhārī Sharīf:
عن عائشة رضى الله عنها زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه
وسلم قال لها: ألم ترى أن قومك لما بنوا الكعبة اقتصروا عن قواعد إبراهيم. فقلت يا رسول
الله ألا تردها على قواعد إبراهيم. قال: لولا حدثان قومك بالكفر لفعلت ...
(4) The fasting of Hadrat Dāwūd 'alayhis salām:
Bukhārī Sharīf:
1 رواهما البخاري: 83112، باب الضب، ومسلم: 15012، والنسائي: 19712، وأبو داؤد: 53212، وابن ماجة:
.233\1
2 رواه البخاري: 8711، والنسائي: 9711، وأبو داود: 18211.
3 رواه البخاري: 21511، ومسلم: 42911.
240