The Albaani Site

Translation from the Works of the Reviver of this Century

Category: Affairs of Creed [Aqeedah]

September 27, 2011

A Discussion on the Ascendancy of Allaah, the Most High, and a Critique of the Belief that He is Present in all Things | 5


For this reason [concerning] the saying that Allaah is not inside the universe nor outside it, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, said describing two groups both of whom are upon misguidance, with one being more misguided than the other, [he said] that the one who likens Allaah to some of His creation [mushabbih] worships an idol, he worships something present, but he has likened Him to the idols which the polytheists would worship instead of Allaah.

The one who likens Allaah to His creation worships an idol. And the mu’attil worships something nonexistent.

Who is the mu’attil? It is the one who says that Allaah, ‘… is not inside the universe nor outside it.’

The one who says that He is inside the universe is a mushabbih [someone who has likened Allaah to His creation], and such a person is upon misguidance [since], ‘… there is nothing like unto Him …’ [Shuraa 42:11]

And the one who says that, ‘Indeed Allaah the Mighty and Majestic is not inside the universe nor outside it,’ has denied the very existence of Allaah the Blessed and Most High, such a person is more astray than the first.

Now listen to the detailed explanation given by some of them about the statement, ‘Allaah is not inside the universe nor outside it,’ I want to end with this so that you can be upon clear guidance about the fact that everyone who opposes the creed of the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the pious predecessors is upon manifest misguidance.

Their proponent from the scholars of rhetorical speech says that, ‘Allaah is not described as being above, nor below, nor to the right, or the left, not in front, nor behind, not inside the universe nor outside it, not connected to it nor separate from it.’

Tell me, by your Lord, is this not the description of something nonexistent?

Interjection: Yes.

Al-Albaani: If any intellectual person who has been given some understanding, intelligence and eloquence was asked, ‘Describe a nonentity to us, something which is nonexistent, something which is not real.’

It will not be possible for him to describe such a nonentity with more than what these people have described the one they worship with, when they said, ‘He is not above nor below, not to the right nor the left, not in front nor behind, not inside the universe or outside of it, not connected to it nor separate from it.’

As for us then we say, ‘… there is nothing like unto Him …’ [Shuraa 42:11] ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty],’ [Taa Haa 20:5]

Interjection: Following on from the first question, what is the explanation of His Saying, ‘… and He is with you wherever you are …’ [Al-Hadeed 57:4] and ‘Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see?’ [Taa Haa 20:46]

Al-Albaani: Before answering this question, and its answer is short inshaa Allaah, I want to remind you of the principle that I mentioned in the previous statement: we must interpret the Quraan with the Quraan, then the Sunnah, then the sayings of the Salaf.

So whoever wants to find out the meaning of this aayah, ‘… and He is with you wherever you are …’ he should study the Salafi tafsirs some of which I cited to you as examples: the tafsir of Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, that of Ibn Kathir the Damascene and whoever followed their example.

Interjection: Al-Qurtubi, O Shaikh, he is asking about al-Qurtubi.

Al-Albaani: I know your question. It is sufficient for me to say whoever followed their example.

Naturally, it is not upon every Muslim to be a scholar, but if he is not a scholar then he must be someone who asks, as is the case now with the previous questions [that were asked in this sitting] and those that followed them and the question we are asking right now.

I want to make mention of the fact that my answer now will be based upon this principle regarding tafsir. So without exception the scholars of tafsir [in interpreting this aayah], ‘… and He is with you wherever you are …,’ said, ‘i.e., with His knowledge,’ ‘… and He is with you wherever you are …’ ‘… with His knowledge,’ i.e., nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him in the earth nor in the Heavens. For this reason, Imaam Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak, may Allaah have mercy on him–and he is one of the unique and rare Imaams of the Salaf, from the hadith scholars and faqihs … he said, ‘Allaah the Blessed and Most High is above His Throne bi dhaatihi [in His Essence].’

This is a topic whose explanation has preceded in some detail. So he [i.e., Ibn al-Mubaarak] mentioned three matters whose meaning, at the very least, it is obligatory upon every Muslim to be well-grounded in, using his intellect and then his heart with which he believes, [and those three matters are]:

  • Firstly that, ‘Allaah the Blessed and Most High is above the Throne in His Essence.’
  • Secondly, ‘That he is separate and distinct from His creation,’ which strikes down the aforementioned fallacy of Him being present in all things, no, rather He is, ‘… separate and distinct from His creation,’ i.e., He is free and self-sufficient from all the worlds according to the text of the Noble Quraan, this is the second point.

Let me repeat and say it again: Allaah the Blessed and Most High–and I am not the one saying this, I am quoting what Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak said–so I say that he said, ‘Allaah the Blessed and Most High is above His Throne in His Essence,’ this is the first point. ‘Separate and distinct from His creation,’ i.e., not inside it but rather outside and free from having any need of the creation.

  • The third, and here is that which establishes the point [we are discussing now], ‘And He is with them in His Knowledge.’ Namely, the the previous question [about the aayah], ‘… and He is with you wherever you are …,’ [is that He is] with them in His Knowledge, not that He is with them everywhere in His Essence, that is falsehood according to the Legislation and the intellect.

Thus it is not fitting that [the idea that Allaah is with them] in His Essence/Himself should rush to the mind of the questioner [when hearing], ‘… and He is with you wherever you are …,’ i.e., this is a meaning which a Muslim is far removed from thinking in his dreams let alone while awake.

Why?

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September 26, 2011

A Discussion on the Ascendancy of Allaah, the Most High, and a Critique of the Belief that He is Present in all Things | 4


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Reciprocating this misguidance is another which is even greater: [the claim] that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic is not inside the world nor outside it.

The one who says that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic is inside the world, i.e., the one who says that Allaah is everywhere or Allaah is present in all things, has affirmed Allaah’s existence but he has likened Him to His creation [tashbeeh], and tashbeeh is false and futile, ‘… there is nothing like unto Him …’ [Shuraa 42:11], for this reason this [belief] is misguidance.

But the one who is even more misguided is the one who says, ‘Indeed Allaah is not inside the world nor outside of it.’ Half of this sentence is true: Allaah [indeed] is not inside the world. This is a correct statement. He is, rather, above all of the creation.

[But] as for following this statement with their saying that, ‘… nor is He outside of the world …’ then in the language of the scholars this is called ta’teel [neutralisation] of the existence of The Truth [i.e., Allaah], i.e., a denial of the existence of The Truth. Since as we mentioned just now in the hadith of Imraan ibn Hussain, Allaah the Mighty and Majestic was and there was nothing with Him.

Allaah was and there was no created thing with Him, but afterwards He created these things as can be seen, it is obligatory to have faith in that, that there are two existences, as we mentioned.

So if Allaah the Mighty and Majestic was not inside the world–and this is the truth–when someone adds to that saying, ‘… and neither outside it …’ it means that there is no deity.

It is to belie [His very Existence], a total denial and rejection [of it].

It is a return to the creed of the extremist Sufis, and I don’t say a return to the creed of the Sufis, because the Sufis are of two types. From them are extremists and those less than them.

The extremists are the ones who say that that which is present is one, at the head of these Sufis is Ibn Arabi who said that that which is in existence is one. As for the Muslims then they say, ‘Laa ilaaha ilallaah.’

So this aayah, ‘So know that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah …’ [Muhammad 47:19] affirms two existences: that of the One who is worshipped, The Truth, and that of the false deities.

As for Ibn Arabi and whoever was misguided by him, then they say that that which is in existence is one, and they have [other] terms through which they make their shirk and misguidance clear.

So for example they say that everything you see with your eye is Allaah, everything that you see with your eye is Allaah, it is Allaah, that which is in existence is one. What do you see, you see a man, a stone, a tree, the sky, the earth–all of this universe is Allaah, this is the creed of the atheists, the creed of communists–there is no god.

This results in the total and utter rejection of the existence of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

So when it is said that Allaah is not inside the world and nor outside of it then it means that that which is in existence is one, this is [as we stated] the creed of the extremist Sufis [who say that] everything you see with your eye is Allaah.

When the people of Noah worshipped the idols as is mentioned in the Quraan, ‘And they said, ‘You shall not leave your gods. Nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaghuth, nor Ya’uq nor Nasr.’ [Nooh 71:23] Did they worship other than Allaah? The answer, according to the extremists from the Sufis, is that when the Magians worshipped the fire, they didn’t worshipping anything other than The One, the Irresistible Subduer.

This is total and utter rejection.

So when it is said that Allaah is not inside the world nor outside it … this [incorrect] creed [mentioned above] which today is said to be that of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah has returned. There are people who spread books, commenting on them, comments being an overstatement, stating that this creed, i.e., ‘… that Allaah is not inside the world nor outside it,’ is that of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah,

Allaah the Mighty and Majestic was and nothing was with Him, so He is now just as He was before–He is in no need [self-sufficient] just as before He was in no need of the entire creation. When He brought those created things into existence He said that He rose above them, ascended, ascended, i.e., rose above.

And to clarify this [point of] creed, a little sound intellect must be used.

After we have established through the texts of the Book and the Sunnah that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic is above all created things and not inside them, we must thereafter discuss [this issue] with those people who deny Allaah’s existence totally, even if they say that there is a deity, [and even if they say] Laa ilaaha ilallaah–but since they say that Allaah is not inside the world nor outside it then they have rejected the existence of Allaah–so we say to these people: you are [in agreement] with us that Allaah was and nothing was with him. So when He created the creation one of three things must [be true]:

  1. When He created the creation, Allaah must have entered into His creation, and they are in agreement with us that Allaah is not in every single place so thereafter the second remains:
  2. When He created the creation, Allaah must have placed it above Himself, and this is falsehood, for Allaah is above all things.
  3. Thereafter only the third option remains, that when Allaah created the creation, He rose over it, [that He] ascended over it–and this is what is becoming of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic.
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September 24, 2011

A Discussion on the Ascendancy of Allaah, the Most High, and a Critique of the Belief that He is Present in all Things | 3


 

The summary of what can be said in nullifying this misguided saying, ‘Allaah is everywhere,’ [is that] researching this topic is long and in this regard I advise that the book called, Al-Uluww lil-Aliyyil-Ghaffaar or lil-Aliyyil-Adheem [‘The Summary of the Ascendancy of the Most High, the Oft-Forgiving’] of Haafidh adh-Dhahabi be read, and it is more appropriate that the summary of this book be read since it deals with the topic more succinctly, being a refinement, written by me, of the original.

In ‘The Summary of the Ascendancy of the Most High, the Oft-Forgiving,’ he [i.e., Imaam adh-Dhahabi] mentioned aayahs which establish that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has the characteristic of being above all created things, and that He is not in a place, along with many good hadiths which are in harmony with the texts of the Quraan [stating] that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, is above all creation. Then [he mentioned] Salafi narrations from the Companions and their followers and their followers all the way up until the time of Imaam adh-Dhahabi, to just after the seventh century of the year of the Flight [Hijrah].

Tens if not hundreds of scholars who nullified this falsehood that, ‘Allaah is everywhere,’ and who established that Allaah is above all of creation.

From the clearest examples of that is the hadith of the slave girl–the authenticity of which the scholars of hadith are united upon–the summary of which is that a man from the Companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم whose name was Mu’aawiyah ibn al-Hakam used to have a slave girl who would tend to his flock of sheep in Uhud. A wolf came and attacked the sheep. As a result her master became angry and slapped her on her cheek–and then regretted what he had done.

So he came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! I have to expiate [for that sin] by freeing a slave and I have a servant-girl,’ i.e., he was asking the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم whether freeing this servant-girl would fulfil his penance (kaffaarah) of freeing a slave.

He told him to bring her and so when she came, the Prophet of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘Where is Allaah.’ She replied, ‘Above the Heavens.’ He said, ‘Who am I?’ She said, ‘You are the Messenger of Allaah.’ He said to her master, ‘Free her, for she is a believer.’

The Prophet of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم regarded the testimony of the slave-girl that Allaah was above the Heavens to mean that she doesn’t only testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah but that she also believes that Allaah is One in His Essence, the only One who should be worshipped, One in His Attributes.

So beware of falling in to this misguidance, because we hear it [often]. We’ll be in a gathering and it will be as though someone is remembering Allaah saying, ‘Allaah is present in all things,’ don’t you hear this phrase? This is present amongst us [i.e., the Muslims], ‘Allaah is present in all things.’

There are two existences. The first is the necessarily existent [waajibul-wujood], i.e., Allaah, and there was nothing with Him, as you heard [previously].

The second are the contingent/possible existents, i.e., the creation.

So we have a [type of] existence, and Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has an eternal existence. He has no beginning or end.

So [their incorrect belief that] Allaah is present in all things [would necessitate that He] is present inside our existence which we are in right now. This is the meaning of that misguidance that, ‘Allaah is everywhere,’ so beware of saying, ‘Allaah is everywhere,’ or, ‘Allaah is present in all things.’ No, [this is not true].

There is no misguidance greater than this, because it negates that which we have mentioned and which has been reported in the Quraan and the Sunnah and the Salafi narrations which state that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic is above all created things.

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September 22, 2011

A Discussion on the Ascendancy of Allaah, the Most High, and a Critique of the Belief that He is Present in all Things | 2


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Let us stop here for a short while to remind ourselves of one of the principles of correct tafsir which, if a Muslim holds on to, will place him upon guidance from his Lord, and which, if he deviates from, will cause him to go far astray.

Tafsir of the Quraan must be done with the Quraan, this is the first principle: the Quraan is explained by the Quraan, and by the sayings of the Prophet عليه السلام then with the authentic narrations reported from our righteous predecessors.

One must stick to this method when explaining the noble Quraan, especially in those things in it which are connected to the most unseen of the Unseen, i.e., Allaah the Blessed and Most High, connected to worshipping Him or [connected to] any of His Attributes.

So these aayahs have to be explained upon this methodology: the Quraan is explained with the Quraan, then the Sunnah then the authentic narrations reported from the righteous predecessors.

I had mentioned to you before in previous sittings that for a Muslim today to be upon guidance from his Lord and to be an upright traveller on the Straight Path it is not enough to [just] say, ‘I take from the Book and the Sunnah.’

One has to do this [of course] but on its own this is not enough. There has to be the Book, the Sunnah and a third thing: [following] what the righteous predecessors were upon.

I will establish for you through some texts … and I don’t want to repeat the topic but will just remind you of His Saying, the Blessed and Most High, ‘And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the Believers We shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell–and evil it is as a destination.’ [Nisaa 4:115] it would have been enough to say in this noble aayah, ‘And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen …’  but Allaah the Mighty and Majestic added another sentence to the one just mentioned, saying, ‘…and follows other than the way of the Believers …’

This is a very important sentence, because it means that there is no way of understanding the Book and understanding the Sunnah except through our righteous predecessors.

Now, and as I said I don’t want to repeat what was said before for fear of repetition and boredom, the saying of some of the people of today following on from that of some of the people of theological rhetoric or scholars of theological rhetoric that Allaah is everywhere–do we find these words, this sentence, this belief in the words of the pious predecessors?

Allaah forbid!

The statements of the pious predecessors only contain that which complies and is in agreement with the aayahs and hadiths which affirm Allaah’s attribute of ascendancy over all of the creation.

‘… and then He rose over the Throne …’ [Al-A’raaf 7:54] ‘To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds),’ [Faatir 35:10] ‘The angels and the Spirit [Jibreel] ascend to Him …’ [Al-Ma’aarij 70:4]

‘Have mercy on those on earth and the One above the Heavens will have mercy on you,’ ‘Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven …’ [Al-Mulk 67:16]

Many aayahs and hadiths, let alone the sayings of the Salaf as-Saalih, which all come together in renouncing this misguidance that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, is everywhere, and which affirm that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, does not have a ‘place’ [makaan] but rather that He is as He said, ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty],’ [Taa Haa 20:5] And they explained, ‘rose over, [istawaa]’ to mean, ista’laa [ascended/rose over].

As for those people who say that Allaah is everywhere, then they have misinterpreted the aayah and dispensed with it in opposition to the [correct] methodology to be employed when explaining the Quraan which I mentioned to you just now, because they said that, ‘rose over, [istawaa],’ means, ‘conquered [istawlaa].’

Along with the fact that this is a khalafi explanation [i.e., not an explanation from the Salaf but rather from those who came later and opposed them] not having a basis in any word from the statements of the pious predecessors … then along with that it also opposes the tafsir of the Salaf as-Saalih.

This aayah, ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty],’ [Taa Haa 20:5] was explained by the Salaf to mean ista’laa [he ascended/rose over].

And the statement of Imaam Maalik, the Imaam of the place of migration [of the Prophet], may Allaah have mercy on him [is well-known]–when that questioner came to him and said, ‘O Maalik, ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne,’ how did He rise over?’

Imaam Maalik replied, ‘The istiwaa [rising over] is known …’ i.e., it is highness and ascension, ‘… and the ‘how’ …’ i.e., that which that person was asking about, ‘… is unknown, and asking about it is an innovation. Remove this man for he is an innovator.’

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September 20, 2011

A Discussion on the Ascendancy of Allaah, the Most High, and a Critique of the Belief that He is Present in all Things | 1


 

Questioner: We hear some people say that Allaah سبحانه وتعالى is in all places and we hear [others] say that He is above His Throne, above the Heavens or the Seventh Heaven. [Could you] benefit us [with an answer], may Allaah reward you with good.

Al-Albani: Yes, in reality this is an important question connected to the present day situation of the ummah.

Since that which delights the heart is that there is an Islamic awareness, and I do [indeed] believe that there really is an awakening, but it is in its early stages.

Part of it is that, as you see, I’m almost about to reach my eighties, forty years ago I would not hear, ‘Allaah said … the Prophet of Allaah said …’ on the tongues of the preachers and admonishers or those directing the people except for very few indeed.

And when one of them would speak about an aayah, he would not know its tafsir properly because he wouldn’t know the principles upon which the noble aayah should be explained.  And if he reported a hadith from the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم he would do so without verifying its authenticity.

As for today, then I think that you have all witnessed along with me that many times you will hear, ‘This hadith is authentic … and this [hadith] is reported by Bukhari … by Muslim … that Ibn Jarir at-Tabari explained this aayah to mean such and such and Ibn Kathir the Damascene explained it to mean such and such …’ and so on.

So this, without doubt, is from the signs of an awareness, but as I said just now, we are still in its early stages.

You raised the question of Allaah’s Names and Attributes, so is what some of these people talk about [actually] from the Attributes of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic?

Rather, [is] what all of the general masses today, and some of their scholars, amongst them being some who associate themselves with the schools of thought of theological rhetoric or tawheed, like the Ash’aris or the Maturidis, let alone the Mu’tazilah who are barely mentioned nowadays apart from a few individuals who have gone astray following their misguidance–[is what some of these people talk about [actually] from the Attributes of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic?]

For part of the creed of the Ash’aris and the Maturidis, following on from that of the Mu’tazilah, is that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, is everywhere–so is this from the Attributes of Allaah, the Blessed and Most High?

Is having a place from the Attributes of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic?

Us humans have a place, we are now in one of Allaah’s houses, we are in a place–but is Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, in a place?

The answer is that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, is far removed from being in a place. For even while bearing in mind all of the differences in this issue and others, there is unanimous agreement amongst all of the Muslims that Allaah was and there was nothing with Him. Allaah was and nothing was with Him as occurs in the hadith of Imraan ibn Husain in Sahih Bukhari.

Thus Allaah was and there was nothing with Him, and there was no universe with Him, i.e., saying that Allaah is everywhere is from major shirk which negates the Oneness/Uniqueness [tawheed] of Allaah in His Names and Attributes.  How so?

Let us look at what Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, has described Himself with.

Did He describe Himself in an aayah or an authentic hadith as being everywhere?

I do not say that not only have such statements not been reported in a hadith, but rather that this is speech for which Allaah has sent down no authority [whatsoever]. That is because it opposes what Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, described Himself as.

And as for the aayahs in which Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, has described Himself stating that the characteristic of complete and total ascendancy over all of His creation is His, and that He is not in anything from His creation but rather that He is above every [single] thing from it–then [such] aayahs [are so numerous that they] cannot be counted.

Like the aayah …, ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty],’ [Taa Haa 20:5]. ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty] …’

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September 19, 2011

The Misguided Saying of Some People that Allaah is Everywhere or Present in all Things


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

[Allaah’s Knowledge is All-Encompassing.  He has complete, total and perfect Knowledge of what was, what is, and what will be, but He is not everywhere]

The Shaikh was questioned about what many people say, that Allaah is everywhere or present in all things, so he answered:

This is manifest misguidance, [in opposition] to the clear text of the Quraan that, ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty],’ [Taa Haa 20:5] and His Saying, the Most High, ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,’ [Al-A’laa 87:1] and He described His believing servants as those who, ‘… fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded,’ [An-Nahl 16:50] [and], ‘The angels and the Spirit [Jibreel] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years,’ [Al-Ma’aarij 70:4] [and], ‘To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds),’ [Faatir 35:10].

Many aayahs and hadiths which clarify that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, does not stand in need of any of the worlds, that He is above all of His Creation, that He is not commixed with His Creation as these people who I pointed to say–[those who say] that Allaah is everywhere, Allaah is everywhere–exalted is He and high above what the oppressors say by great sublimity.

In an authentic hadith [there occurs], ‘Allaah was and nothing was with Him,’ where is the place which [He is supposedly] gathered in as these people who claim that He is everywhere say?  Especially when amongst these places are those which are clean, and those which are vile and filthy, [like] bathrooms, bars, pubs, brothels and so on.

How can they not declare Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to be far above being everywhere even though He has said in more than one aayah that He rose over the [Mighty] Throne?

And in an authentic hadith [there occurs] that the Prophet عليه السلام asked a slave girl whose owner wanted to free her, ‘Where is Allaah?’ She replied, ‘Above the Heavens.’ He then asked her, ‘Who am I?’ She said, ‘You are the Messenger of Allaah.’ So he turned to her master and said, ‘Free her for she is a believer.’

The slave girl in the time of the Prophet has more fiqh than the faqihs of today, because if you were to ask many of them where Allaah is, they would reply, ‘Everywhere.’

A neighbour of mine says that Allaah is present in all things–these people are miskeens.

That which is present is created. Allaah was and there was nothing created. So after our Lord created the creation did He become part of it [bearing in mind] all the rubbish that it contains?!  [Never].  Exalted is He and high above what the oppressors say by great sublimity.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 178.

The video:

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September 18, 2011

Al-Albani and the American Hitchhiker … Is Allaah Everywhere?


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Al-Albani: A woman who was also teaching at the university [asked me] … a doctor was arguing with her about the topic of Allaah’s Ascendancy over the Throne. The doctor said [that such a belief] was a mistake and that Allaah is everywhere.

Interjection: May Allaah guide him.

Al-Albani: By Allaah! A disbeliever would not even accept this belief, and this is something I have experience of.

One time I was travelling in Syria from Aleppo to Idlib, and from Idlib on to Latakia, westwards. One of our brothers, Abdur-Rahmaan Shilbi, was with us, [so] we went to Latakia from Idlib.

You know that the Europeans have a particular way of asking for a free car ride … the ones who get in to cars for free, what do they do?

Interjection: They call it, ‘Stop.’ [i.e., hitching a ride].

Al-Albani: I don’t know. A person [lit. beggar] stands on the road asking for a ride. [So] I’m going in my car and my companion is sitting next to me, naturally we were going slightly fast, or very fast [even], I don’t know … the important thing is that after we had travelled some distance I heard [i.e., was told] that there was a man who had raised his thumb so we stopped and looked in the [rear view] mirror. And indeed [there was, so I said], ‘What do you think, Abdur-Rahmaan, let’s take him with us, the car’s empty.’

The point is that we went back and found that the man was an American and his wife was standing … but she wasn’t in plain view, [she was standing] to the side, so when we stopped the car he signalled to her [to come].  So I said to [our brother] Abdur-Rahmaan, ‘We’ll cover the distance [on the journey] with them,’ after we came to know that they were foreigners.

They both got in and we left. My companion [Abdur-Rahmaan] speaks English as for me, I do not. My Albanian is enough for me.

I said to him, ‘Ask them where they’re from …,’ until we go to the point [where I told him to ask them], ‘What is your belief in Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic?’ The American replied, ‘He’s everywhere,’ this is [also] the aqidah of the doctor [at the university]. How strange that the belief of a non-Muslim American … [in fact] it’s not strange.

I said to Adbur-Rahmaan, ‘Say this to him, say that to him …,’ so he’s translating until we got to the crux of the matter. [After explaining the correct Islamic belief to him], the American said, ‘By God, this makes sense. It makes sense that God is above all creation.’

Because Allaah existed when there was no creation, no time, no place, [so] how can it be said that Allaah is everywhere.

The Egyptian doctors still don’t understand this creed and teach the students that He is everywhere; in Azhar University, an Azhari will come and debate with you [about this issue] and then above that will declare you to be misguided because you say, ‘The Most Gracious rose over the [Mighty] Throne [in a manner that suits His Majesty].’ [Taa Haa 20:5]

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 282.

The video:

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September 13, 2011

Are Allaah’s Attributes Limited?


Questioner: Noble father, may Allaah protect you, the Prophet of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said in a hadith reported by Muslim, “His veil is light; if He were to uncover it, the splendour from His Face would annihilate the creation as far as His vision extends.” [Muslim] My question is whether this means that His Sight سبحانه وتعالى has a limit?

Al-Albani: … the creation as far as His vision extends, i.e., it is the creation that has a limit.  As for His Sight, the Most High, and all of His Attributes, none of them have a confined limit.

It is, rather, the creation that is limited. This is what is meant by the hadith. The limitation has no connection to the Attributes but to the creation only.

Rihlatun-Noor, 29.

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September 10, 2011

There is no place for the question, ‘How?’ in the Matters of the Unseen


Questioner: In the hadith of the Prophet’s Ascent to the Heavens, when the prayer was prescribed upon him صلى الله عليه وسلم and Moosaa عليه السلام asked him to go back [and ask for the number of prayers to be reduced] … how [exactly] was it?

Al-Albani: There is no ‘how’ in the matters of the Unseen, may Allaah bless you!

Regarding the matters of the Unseen, take [the following] as the principle and relax: there is no ‘how’ in the matters of the Unseen.  People other than you twist and turn [this way and that], and go on at length but in the end they conclude with this word which you just said now, ‘How?’

There is no, ‘How?’ in the matters of the Unseen.

There is only total and complete faith, without [the question], ‘How?’

Because that world is metaphysical [lit. ‘… behind or beyond matter …’] as they say today, that which is beyond the intellect … our physical world cannot be compared to it and vice versa.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 28

The video:

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September 6, 2011

Wishing for Death


The Permissibility of Wishing for Death for Religious Reasons,
and from the Signs of the Hour is that a Man will Wish for Death Due to Trials and Afflictions that have Come Down on Him

The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم  said, “The Hour will not be established until a man passes by a grave, and says, ‘Woe to me!  Would that I were in his place!’  He will have no desire to meet Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.”

Al-Albani: And the meaning of the hadith is that the reason for him seeking death is not for [the sake of] his religion or to get closer to Allaah and out of [his] love to meet Him, but instead due to worldly trials and afflictions that have come down on him.

In it is an indication of the permissibility of wishing for death for religious reasons.  And his saying صلى الله عليه وسلم, “Let not one of you wish for death due to a harm that has befallen him …,’ does not negate this, since this is specifically concerning wishing [for death] due to a worldly matter, as is apparent.

Al-Haafidh said, ‘And this is supported by the fact that a group of the Salaf wished for death under poor conditions of religiousness/[when the affairs of the religion were being corrupted].”

An-Nawawi said, ‘It is not disliked, rather a large number of the Salaf did it, from them Umar ibn al-Khattaab and …’

As-Saheehah, 2/121.

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September 1, 2011

Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim and the Perishing of the Fire


Questioner: In [his book] Al-Waabil as-Sayyib, Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned that the Fire will come to an end.  What do you say [about that]?

Al-Albani:  Ibn al-Qayyim has two sayings.  The one which it is fitting to adopt [or rely upon] is the elaboration which he mentioned in Al-Waabil as-Sayyib: [that] there are two Fires, one for the disbelievers and another in which the disobedient Muslim sinners [faasiqs] are punished.

The first fire will not cease to exist, it is the second one which will.

And that which is found in some of his books and some of the books of his Shaikh, Ibn Taymiyyah, the apparent meaning of which is that the fire will cease to exist totally–it is fitting that this is taken to mean the perishing of the fire which the disobedient sinners from the Muslims will enter.  Because they will be saved one day, as he عليه الصلاة والسلام said, “Whoever says, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah,’ it will help him one day …” [Compilers note: it will help him one day before Allaah].

And I have written an introduction to this book [Raf’ul Astaar of San’aani], almost fifty pages long, confirming the view that as-San’aani, may Allaah have mercy on him, held: that the saying that the fire of the disbelievers will cease is something which contradicts the Book and the Sunnah.

And the [high] regard we have of the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah is that they would not fall into a contradiction as apparent as this one.

So it is fitting that the fire which he stated would cease be taken to mean that of the disobedient sinners from this Ummah and not the fire of the disbelievers.

Fataawaa Jeddah, 4.

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August 31, 2011

Not Drinking from a Cracked Cup: A Scientific Miracle and Prophetic Medicine


From Abu Sa’eed who said, “The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade drinking from the cracked place on a cup …” [Abu Dawud, no. 3722]

Al-Albaani said, “Sahih li ghairihi.”  Then he quoted Ibn al-Athir’s explanation of the term, ‘ثُلْمَة – cracked place,’ “I.e., the place where it is broken, and he only forbade it because the mouth of the one drinking cannot grasp [the cup] properly and [thus] the water may spill onto his garments or body.  And it has been said: [it was said] because when the cup is washed, the place where it is cracked cannot be cleaned completely.” An-Nihaayah.

I [al-Albaani] say, “And today it is possible to say: [it was said] because it is the place where germs and microbes gather, so it is from Prophetic medicine, and a scientific miracle.

So may Allaah send prayers upon the Prophet, the Unlettered one.”

Saheeh Mawaarid adh-Dhamaan, 2/15.

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August 27, 2011

Do the Souls of the Dead come back to the World?


Question: The soul of the dead, does it come [back] and recognise what we do, in our houses for example?

Al-Albani: Never.  These are superstitions which are present in the minds of some people. When a person dies his connection to the world is totally cut off. Namely, if a nuclear bomb were sent down, and you have heard about [how powerful] one of them [is], [such as the one] the Americans sent down on Japan … if hundreds of nuclear bombs were sent down on this planet the dead would not feel it whatsoever, “When a person dies, his actions are cut off except for three things …” And our Lord said in the Noble Quraan, “But you cannot make hear those in the graves.” [Faatir 35:22].

The dead do not hear, so do not believe any of these stories.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 290.

The video:

 

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August 22, 2011

Does the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم know the Unseen? A Long Discussion Concerning that | 3


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Following on from the second post:

The Shaikh continues, “Another point remains which I alluded to earlier [but] I [still] want to talk about it a little, and hopefully [talking about] it won’t go on for too long.

If [for argument’s sake we were to say that] Allaah chose His Prophet عليه السلام by [indeed] informing him of all of the Unseen, who is that person who can encompass the knowledge of the Messenger عليه السلام, and claim to have memorised it?

We now say [the following, let us suppose that] Ustaadh Maaher [is an expert] in any field you want to name, and he has the most adept and bright of students, the best memoriser–how much of Ustaadh Maaher’s knowledge will he memorise? A little. So will this intelligent teacher pour all of his knowledge into the breast of that student? [To do so] will require him [to expend] an extraordinarily exhausting effort.  And Allaah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear.

So from this angle which negates human nature it is not plausible that the Prophet عليه السلام … if Allaah had taught him everything and had made him a partner with Himself concerning the knowledge of the Unseen, it is not reasonable [to say] that he would inform the people of that which they are not capable of bearing or enduring.

So in summary, may Allaah bless you, it is obligatory to explain hadiths such as this one in light of the aqidah of the Muslims which has been derived from all of the Book of Allaah and all of the Sunnah and hadiths of the Prophet of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and that we do not stop at one hadith. For this reason I’m telling you now that the last word in this issue is: we claim that, firstly, we are all Muslims, alhamdulillaah.

But there is something else which we claim which is that we respect our Pious Predecessors from the Companions and their students [taabi’een], and the mujtahid Imaams. Through them we learnt the knowledge of the Book, the Sunnah, fiqh and aqidah.

So who from the scholars of the Muslims says that Allaah taught the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم everything, [that He taught him all the things that] occur in the hadith of the Pen, ‘Write that which will be up until the Day of Judgement,’ basing that upon the hadith of Muslim [quoted in the question].  I do not know a Muslim scholar who has preceded us in such a statement.

For this reason it is not permissible for a person to say that which opposes what our scholars of before, who were from different madhhabs and inclinations, have said.

Questioner: your excellency, the [respected] Shaikh, knows that the Companions were the most truthful and precise of people in reporting from the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام, such that one of them would refrain from reporting [something from him عليه الصلاة والسلام] for fear of [the possibility of] forgetting something. So [even though they were so careful, here] this narration came to us on the tongue of a Companion with precision, ‘He told us what was and would be.’ The Companion could have said, ‘He informed us of the keys to these things, or told us in generality, or the major events that would occur,’ but instead he said, ‘He told us what was and would be,’ meaning comprehensively/exhaustively. This is one point.

The second thing is that the Companion said, ‘To the extent that there was not an [army] detachment except that he informed us of it and its leader.’ And it is known that the ‘detachment’ is a group [of people].

As for your saying that if Allaah, the One free of all imperfections and the Most High, informed the Prophet of His Knowledge then he would have become a partner [with Allaah in that], then this is not said for one reason: as long as we ascribe the matter back to Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, saying, ‘Allaah informed him,’ then this is something from the creation. This is one matter.

The second thing is that your Excellency knows that Allaah, the One free of all imperfections and the Most High, bestowed [lit. ‘split/shared’] some of His Beautiful Names on him which are present in the Quran, “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you (to be rightly guided …), for the believers full of pity, kind [ra’oof], and merciful [raheem].” [Tawbah 9:128].  And these are from the Most Beautiful Names of Allaah [Al-Asmaa al-Husnaa].

We are only trying to say the following: He said about our master Ishaaq, “…a boy (son) possessing much knowledge and wisdom [aleem].” [Hijr 15:53] and this [i.e., aleem] is also from the Asmaa al-Husnaa. But when the wisdom is attributed back to Allaah the Mighty and Majestic then the knowledge of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام is something originated or brought into being [haadith], so if Allaah were to inform him of the Unseen and [we also have] the open statement of the Companion that He informed him of what was and what will be, then this is somethng brought into being [haadith] in relation to the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام.  Because the Prophet عليه والسلام is muhaddath [“spoken to” i.e., this knowledge is revealed unto him].  So this does not show that there is any sharing in any way, nor does it mean that the kindness of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام is the same as the divine Kindness, nor that the prophetic mercy is the same as the diving Mercy. Because the first Mercy [i.e., that of Allaah], is sempiternal, and the mercy of the Prophet عليه والسلام is recent and created. Just like that is the knowledge of our master Ishaaq, which is recent knowledge, whereas the knowledge of The Truth is pre-existent.

Thus: Imaam al-Busiri has a point when he says, ‘And from your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen,’ i.e., he came across this hadith and is not ignorant or a polytheist. Rather he was in a generation that had scholars and people of tawheed, [discerning scholars] who knew how to separate the wheat from the chaff. So if he was a polytheist they would have refuted him [it’s as though here the questioner is saying to Shaikh al-Albaani, ‘If he was a polytheist or a kaafir as you Salafis claim …’ even though Shaikh al-Albaani has not made any such accusation in the discussion]. [On top of that] it is well known that if we have ninety-nine reasons to declare a Muslim to be a disbeliever and we have one reason not to, we should resort to the safer option [of not declaring him to be a disbeliever], as long as supporting rationale exists.

Al-Albani: I’m sorry, you are now straying from the topic at hand, no offense intended.

Questioner: I haven’t strayed at all.

Al-Albani: I’ll establish for you the fact that you have strayed.

Questioner: If I have strayed I take back what I have said.

Al-Albani: I’m sorry but now you’re saying firstly, secondly, thirdly, fourthly and fifthly. Wallaahi, I admit to you that my memory is weak, I will not say to you that the answer to number one is so and so, and number two is so and so, etc. But at the end I felt that you left the topic when you said that al-Busiri is [not] a polytheist and no one declared him to be a disbeliever etc.–we were not discussing that.

Interjection by someone at the gathering: What’s known to people is that this majlis [assembly/sitting] is clean and its conduct is vindicated [of accusing anyone of shirk “idolatry”].

[Compilers note: The questioner was trying to say that the Salafis say that al-Busiri is a mushrik, so Shaikh al-Albaani answered him back because by saying that he has now entered into a new topic of discussion and so the above interjector was trying to say that it is common amongst many who associate themselves to Salafiyyah that al-Busiri is a mushrik but as for the gathering of Shaikh al-Albaani then it is clean and its conduct is vindicated from abusing people. Shaikh al-Albaani also responds by saying what is written below, that as long as our gathering is clean and free of such things then why do you want to make it filthy with your accusation of shirk?]

Al-Albani: I’m sorry but just now you didn’t mention [the topic of] shirk and that it is not shirk and that he is not a polytheist.

Questioner: Because there is a story …

Al-Albani: I’m sorry ustaadh, did you say he was not a polytheist or not?

Questioner: Indeed.”

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August 18, 2011

Does the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم know the Unseen? A Long Discussion Concerning that | 2


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Continuing from the first post on this topic.

Shaikh al-Albani continues, “Here we say that the word, ‘Unseen,’ is [understood] exactly as what we were previously talking about: does our Lord inform the Prophets about all of the Unseen?  No.

The scholars of tafsir said: it all goes back to the Will of our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, to inform whoever He wants to from the Messengers about some of the Unseen, but not all of it.

That is because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, [in fact] all Prophets, when Allaah gives them some knowledge then it becomes obligatory upon them to proclaim it to the Muslims, exactly as Aishah said, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with her, in a long hadith which we are not in the middle of explaining right now [but] in it she says, ‘Whoever tells you that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم concealed something that he was ordered to proclaim …’ ‘O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allaah will protect you from the people.’ [Maa’idah 5:67]  [So] she said, ‘Whoever tells you that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم concealed something that he was ordered to proclaim then he has fabricated a great lie against Allaah.’

Thus, our Lord said, “… and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen …” [Jinn 72:26], i.e., some of the unseen, [the word ‘some’ being] an implicit [or omitted] qualifier here, because as we said, even though the Prophet is the chosen one, it is not possible for him to be a second deity [comparable to Allaah] in his knowledge and in his encompassing all things that will be, for then he would have become a partner [to Allaah].

Here we [should] remember something very important connected to the knowledge of tawheed.  Allaah the Blessed and Most High is One in His Essence, so there is none of what the disbelievers from the Christians said about Allaah being one of three, no, He is a single deity, “Say, “He is Allaah, [who is] One. Allaah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.” [Ikhlaas 112:1-4]

So Allaah is One in His Essence, in opposition to what the Christians say, and He is One who is singled out for worship, He is the one [and only] deity, i.e., not like what the polytheists, the Arabs [used to] say and still say today, “We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allaah in position.”

So [like we said] Allaah is the One singled out for worship too. Whoever believes that Allaah is One in His Essence [Rububiyyah] but worships others along with Him has not singled Him out [Uluhiyyah]. And the final [category of] tawheed after mentioning that Allaah is One in His Essence and the only One who deserves to be worshipped, [is that He is] One in His Characteristics [Sifaat].

So it is not permissible for a Muslim to believe that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic would inform His prophet of all of the knowledge of the Unseen, because then he would have become a partner with Him in the characteristic of [knowing all of] the Unseen, “Say, “None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allaah …” [Naml 27:65], the aayah is as such [is it not], inshaa Allaah?

Questioner: “And with Him are the keys of the unseen …” [An’aam 6:59]

Al-Albaani: No, this aayah is not relevant to us now, because these are the keys, the head issues, the foundations of the Unseen, but we now are referring to the details.

I say, “Say, “None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allaah …” [Naml 27:65] so, [is it that] the Messenger of Allaah doesn’t know anything from the Unseen?

This is a mistake.  Why?

Because Allaah said in the previous aayah, “Say, “None in the heavens and earth knows the Unseen …” i.e., the Unseen in its entirety, “… except Allaah …” the Blessed and Most High.

Look, my brothers, and learn, and know that knowledge is that a person does not give a free hand to his intellect regarding an aayah and say, “Here you go, [Allaah said], ‘Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allaah …,’ so [that means] the Messenger of Allaah does not know any of the Unseen.”

This is incorrect.  Why?

Because Allaah said in the previous aayah, “[He is the] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone except [those] whom He has approved of [from the] messengers …”

Okay, don’t stop at His Saying, “… and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen [to anyone except those whom He has approved of from the messengers],” [and take it to the other extreme and say that He gives them] all of the knowledge of the Unseen, no.

Because He is One in His Characteristics just as He is the only One who deserves to be worshipped, just as He is One in His Essence, so it is not permissible for a Muslim to believe that Allaah would inform His Prophet عليه السلام of everything that is to happen up until the Day of Judgement, because this is a characteristic of Allaah [Alone], the Mighty and Majestic.

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August 13, 2011

Does the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم know the Unseen? A Long Discussion Concerning that | 1


Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Questioner: Our Shaikh, I have a question if you would be so kind. It has been reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed the morning prayer one day and mounted the minbar and delivered a sermon up until the mid-day prayer. Then he prayed and [again] mounted the minbar, then he repeated that and so on. So he informed them about what was and what would be up until the Day of Judgement.  The Companion says, ‘He who memorized it, did so. And he who forgot it, did so. And I may pass by a matter and remember it just as a man remembers the face of another.’

So when Imaam al-Busiri said, ‘And from your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen.’  So he said: he informed us of what was and what would be until the Day of Judgement and this corresponds to, ‘He said to it, ‘Write.’ It said, ‘What shall I write.’ He said, ‘Write that which will be until the Day of Judgement?’

Al-Albani: Firstly, alhamdulillaah, this hadith is authentic and is in Sahih Muslim.  Secondly, my brother, it is possible that what he spoke about in the phrase, ‘He informed us about what would happen until the Day of Judgement,’ were the momentous matters that would occur, and not the details which no man is able to grasp and comprehend no matter what knowledge or power he has been given by Allaah, the Blessed and Most High–meaning, by way of argument let me say [this] to you: it is possible that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, chose his Prophet عليه الصلاة السلام with whatever He willed such that He really told him what is apparent in this authentic hadith, i.e., [He told him] what was and what would be until the Day of Judgement.  But how can that be when he is talking to people who are not Prophets or Messengers and their capacity is limited and they do not have that characteristic which our Lord the Mighty and Majestic chose for our Prophet عليه الصلاة السلام?

For this reason, may Allaah bless you, it is not permissible for us to understand the hadith … and I say that maybe what was just mentioned while we were eating applies now [too] … and I mention this example because reality will help us understand this authentic hadith.

When interpreting a saying of the Prophet عليه السلام it is not allowed to stop at that hadith alone, but rather we have to extend our scope and look at other hadiths too. And will it help us to understand this authentic hadith with the expansive, general, encompassing meaning that occurs in the Most High’s Saying, “… leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it,” [Kahf 18:49] or is the meaning [of the hadith] more limited than that?

Just now we spoke when we were eating, someone asked a question about a hadith in which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Whoever takes a loan and his intention is to pay it back, and then is unable to do so, Allaah will clear it on his behalf on the Day of Judgement.” I say that this is an authentic hadith, and it explains that other hadith–and herein lies the point–he عليه السلام said, “The martyr is forgiven all sins except debt.” So shall we explain this hadith, “ … except debt …” … [to mean that] the martyr [who] dies and has a debt is not forgiven this sin even if he had intended to pay it back?  We say: no, because the first hadith explains and makes specific the [meaning intended in] the second hadith.

This hadith of yours resembles this second hadith [just mentioned in the example of the martyr], by Allaah, this is something very, very dangerous, this person fought in the Way of Allaah and died in the Way of Allaah and his sin is not forgiven because he died owing money to some Muslims?  No, this [hadith] is not to be understood as something in [such a] general, encompassing sense but is specified to mean if he did not intend to pay back the right to its owner.

This is the exact example of what we are talking about now: there is no doubt that from the hadith which you mentioned we understand that Allaah taught the Prophet عليه السلام every small or great thing as He said, “… leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it,”–but no, this is not correct.

Rather the meaning of the hadith is that He taught him essential, fundamental things like the major signs of the Hour and [other] things similar to that like the minor signs which it is important for the Muslims to be familiar with, as Allaah the Most High, said in the noble Quraan, “[He is the] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone, except he whom He has approved of [from the] messengers …” [Jinn 72:26-27].

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August 13, 2011

Does the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم know the Unseen and what is the Ruling Concerning Praying Behind Someone who Believes that?


Questioner: An Imaam of a mosque claims that the Prophet of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم knows the Unseen, so is it permissible to pray behind him?

Al-Albani: The texts of the Quraan regarding this topic are explicit in stating that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم does not know the Unseen, as occurs in His Saying, the Most High, “If I had the knowledge of the Unseen [Ghaib], I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me.” [Al-A’raaf 7:188]

And likewise, the hadiths reported in this regard confirm this meaning.  Such as the hadith in Sahih Bukhari that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passed by a little girl who was singing [lines of elegiac poetry] and was saying, ‘Among us is a Prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow.’  So he صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘Leave this (saying) for none knows the Unseen except Allaah and carry on saying the like of what you had been saying before,’ i.e., the permissible things.

So when that Imaam is informed [about this issue] but still insists on his misguidance, then it is not allowed to pray behind him, yes.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, no. 19.

Here’s the video a brother made of this post, jazaahullaahu khairaa:

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August 12, 2011

Is the Punishment of the Grave Continuous or Does it Cease?


Questioner: Our teacher, the punishment in the grave, is it [constant] up until the Day of Judgement or does it cease? And what is the proof for that?

Al-Albani: In the Noble Quran, our Lord said about Pharaoh and his people, “The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon.” [Ghaafir 40:46].  This is in relation to most of the people, Pharaoh and his people, who took a deity [to worship] other than Allaah.   As for the others then there is no doubt that the disobedient sinners [faasiq] from the Muslims, their punishment will be less than that.  As for details of between how long and how long [the punishment will last for], then this is not mentioned in the Sunnah.

Al-Huda wan-Noor, no. 9.

Here’s the video a brother made of this post, jazaahullaahu khairaa:

8 Comments
August 12, 2011

Concerning the Squeezing in the Grave


 

Questioner: He said in the Musnad … the hadith of Hudhaifah, who said, “We were with the Prophet of Allaah, صلى الله عليه وسلم, during a funeral. So when we got to the grave he sat down on his two shins and started to look at it, and then said, ‘The believer is squeezed in it one time such that his ‘hamaa’il’ are crushed, and the disbeliever is covered in Fire.'”

He said the hamaa’il are the veins of the testicles.  What does, “… the veins of his testicles are crushed …” mean?

Al-Albani: It’s an expression to show the severity of the punishment. [The compiler of the book said, ‘I.e, his ribs are crushed to such an extent that it affects his testicles.’]

Questioner: Namely, the believer will be squeezed to such an extent?

Al-Albani: And his ribs will overlap, no one will escape it, not even Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh [did] as he, عليه السلام, said in some authentic hadtihs.

Questioner: Namely, he will feel pain from this squeezing?

Al-Albani: … without doubt. When the ribs overlap then this is severe pain, but it does not persist. One squeezing and then everything returns to its natural state, if he was a righteous person then [he will be in the state of a] righteous person, and if he was an evil person then [he will be the state of an] evil person, as we just explained that a window is opened up in the grave for the dead person.

Questioner: Namely, the squeezing, there is no escape from it?

Al-Albani: There is no escape from it.

Mawsoo’atul-Allaamah, al-Imaam, Mujaddidil-Asr, Muhammad Naasirid-Deen al-Albaani, of Shaikh Shady Noaman, vol. 9, pp. 159-160.

Here’s the video a brother made of this post, jazaahullaahu khairaa:

18 Comments
August 11, 2011

PDF: Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle?


Here is the PDF version of all the separate posts in one place.  If you want to save it, right click on the link and go to ‘Save Link/Target As’:

Skewers.

The video:

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August 10, 2011

Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle? | End


 

I had travelled to Aleppo from Damascus for da’wah and gave a lesson after which the people dispersed. Normally four to five people from our brothers, our friends, stay behind. [This time] another person stayed behind with them who I had never seen before. He was sitting there, far away from me. His stomach was like this, he was not overweight, slim, yet along with that his stomach was like this [i.e., sticking out].

I said to him, ‘What is this?’

He said, ‘This is ‘Rahmaaniyyah.’’ That was the first time I heard this word, [I heard it] there in Aleppo. I said, ‘What does Rahmaaniyyah mean?’

He said, ‘It means the skewers.’

I said, ‘So why did you come to me?’ I knew why.  He said:

‘To show you our miracles [karaamaat].’

I said to him, ‘This is easy [to deal with].’  That day I had a two-sided blade with me to sharpen my pencil, each side was like this, small.

I said to him, ‘[If that’s the case], I’ll hit you with this blade using my hand.’

So he said, ‘[No], with my hand,’ i.e., he wanted to strike himself with the blade which I would give him.

So I said, ‘No, with my hand.’

He said, ‘With my hand.’ So the people started to look at these words being repeated by both sides, I was saying, ‘With my hand,’ and he was saying, ‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

 ‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

And I naturally was more patient than him because firstly, I knew I was upon the truth and secondly so many years have passed by me, as many as Allaah has willed, calling all types of people to the true religion of Allaah.

So he became tired and fed up.

[And when he did] the last thing he said was, ‘What’s the difference?’

I was saying to him, ‘With my hand.’ And he was saying to me, ‘With my hand. With my hand.’ Afterwards he got tired and became fed up, and said, ‘What’s the difference?’

I said, ‘If there is no difference, [then] with my hand.’  He then turned the topic on its head, and this is from their ignorance.

He called the person whose house it was, and his name was Abu Ahmad, he said to him, ‘O Abu Ahmad! Bring the brazier [i.e., a metal container for carrying hot coal, etc.].’

I understood what he meant and so I said, ‘O Abu Ahmad, don’t bring the brazier, bring a matchstick.’ Subhaanallaah, he was from the Sufis and they were used to wearing a white head covering without the head cord [iqaal, the round black cord Arabs wear to keep the head covering in place].

So he brought the matchstick. I lit it and got up going towards him and said, ‘You will denounce this false claim of yours or otherwise I will burn you.’

Miskeen, he was speechless, silent, not saying a single word.

I was moving towards him step by step until I came close to him–and I really put the matchstick onto his head covering, and it started to catch fire.

Then I took it and rubbed it against itself like this [i.e., put it out after having proved the falsehood of his claim], fearing that the sparks would increase, I [put it out] like this, and then said to him, ‘Go to those Shaikhs of yours and tell them:

‘These are the miracles [karaamaat] of the Salafis.’

Mawsoo’atul-Allaamah, al-Imaam, Mujaddidil-Asr, Muhammad Naasirid-Deen al-Albaani, of Shaikh Shady Noaman, vol. 3, pp. 965-972.

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August 9, 2011

Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle? | 2


 

So these are two forbidden matters that have come together in these people: beating the daff during the remembrance of Allaah, and stabbing themselves with skewers.  Along with harming oneself, this is something which misguides the Muslims in addition to the fact that they try to deceive the people into thinking that this act is a miracle [karaamah].

Whereas the reality is that, firstly, it is not a miracle but rather indignity. Secondly it is [but] an exercise which the most profligate of sinners can do just like them.  The non-Muslim can do it. The non-Muslim who doesn’t believe in Allaah and His Messenger [can do it], why?

Because it is [acquired by] practice, [just] an exercise. And maybe all of you have heard of some of the strange things the Hindus and idol worshippers do; those who bury themselves alive in plain view of the people and examining doctors, who have gathered specifically to see how this person can be buried underground and then come out alive, [and to see] how he can breathe?

Does this then mean that this idol worshipper who survived underground for days not just hours and then comes out alive is from the major Allies of Allaah [Awliyaa’ullaah]?  How perfect is Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic!/Allaah forbid!

This is practise and exercise, and exercise can result in some strange things. For example you have seen many, many incidents … a rope stretched out on to the sea–if we were to walk on a narrow bridge [it would be something!]–but as for this person he is walking on a rope–so [now] what, this is a miracle?

This has no connection whatsoever to do with miracles.

This is practice.  The righteous and the sinner, the believer and the disbeliever all share in it. And the Muslim’s scholars, both past and present, have experience with these people who do not know anything about their religion except these exercises which they have become accustomed to and by which they then misguide the people, whereas the scholars say:

If you see a person who may fly
And on the ocean does walk
Yet does not stop at the limits of the Legislation
Then an innovator is he
being lead to destruction progressively

Why did they say that? Because supernatural events can be split into three categories:

1) Miracles [Mu’jizah].

2) Miracles of a lesser degree [karaamah].

3) And something which leads to destruction progressively [istidraaj].

Miracles [Mu’jizah] are done by a Prophet. Miracles but of a lesser degree [karaamah] are done by an Ally of Allaah [Waliyullaah]. And istidraaj is performed by the disbeliever and the hypocrite.

You are not in need of us speaking about miracles, they are mentioned in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah, maa shaa Allaah, extensively, as are karaamaat.

The karaamaat of the true Allies of Allaah and the righteous people, alhamdulillaah, are many. He, the Most High, says, “Everytime Zakariyyaa entered the Mihraab [prayer room] to visit her, he found her supplied with sustenance.” [Aali Imraan 3:37]. This was a karaamah of Maryam عليها السلام. And there are books written about this topic, from the best of them is that of Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, what is it called?

Questioner: …

Al-Albani: Yes?

Questioner: The Maxim of the Miracles of the Allies of Allaah …

Al-Albani: No, no, remind us of its name, O people.

Questioner: Al-Karaamah and the Miracles of the Messengers and Prophets of Allaah.

Al-Albani: No.

Questioner: The Maxim of the Miracles of the Allies of Allaah … [The compiler of the book, Shaikh Shady Noaman said, ‘It appears to me that the Shaikh, may Allaah have mercy on him, meant the book called, ‘The Criterion between the Allies of The Most Merciful and the Allies of the Devil. [Al-Furqaan bayna Awliyaa’ir-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa’ish-Shaitaan].

Al-Albani: In summary, the topic that we should talk about is istidraaj. In many authentic hadiths, rather mutawaatir even, it is mentioned that the greatest Dajjaal at the end of time will say to the sky, ‘Rain.’ And it will.

He will say to the earth, ‘Bring forth your produce.’ And it will.

He will say to some desolate land, ‘Bring out your treasures.’ And it will and will follow him.

He will cut a man into two with a sword and will then bring him back to life–are these miracles of an Ally of Allaah [karaamaat]?

These are extraordinary/supernatural occurrences which Allaah will cause to happen at the hands of this great Dajjaal who the Prophet عليه السلام told us about, saying, “There is not, between the creation of Aadam and the Hour, a trial greater than that of Al-Masih ad-Dajjaal.’ So here is this Al-Masih ad-Dajjaal coming with these supernatural occurrences.

Thus, supernatural events do not show the validity of something, ever.

Validity/goodness is only through righteous actions. For this reason the previously mentioned poet said:

If you see a person who may fly

Namely, he flies without wings, not in a plane, the non-Muslims fly in planes and beat us to it.

If you see a person who may fly
And on the ocean does walk
Yet does not stop at the limits of the Legislation
Then an innovator is he
being lead to destruction progressively

So these people who strike themselves with skewers, these are exercises, and from the greatest proofs of that is that if you were to say to one of them, ‘Come, I’m going to strike you with a small pin, he will say to you, ‘No.’ Why? If he really is a person who can perform miracles, let him bring his miracle to any person who wants to hit him in any place.

[But, no] he will say to you, ‘No.’ Why? Because he’s not trained to have himself struck here in his chest, in the heart, nor here, or here, but only here, where there is muscle, where there is meat, not where the nerves and bones are.

I said to you just now, throughout time the scholars of the Muslims have had a lot of experience with these Dajjaals.

The most famous of them was the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, who challenged the Shaikh of the Rifaa’ees of his time. [The Rifaa’ees] were known as Battaa’ihiyyah [in attribution to al-Bataa’ih, the village where Ahmad ar-Rifaa’ee, the founder of the Rifaa’eeyah came from].

This Rifaa’ee Shaikh used to make it appear as though he could enter fire without getting burnt.

So Ibn Taymiyyah challenged him.

News of this challenge reached the then Amir of Damascus who accordingly summoned the Shaikh of the [Rifaa’ee Sufi] Tariqah, along with Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, so that he could see how they would debate and what they would do in the end. So Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah spoke with the knowledge he had, [stating] that these people were from the worst of the creation, from the worst of creation, that they have no knowledge nor piety [taqwaa] and no righteousness and that they only deceive the people through matters which both the righteous and the wicked, the believer and the disbeliever, share in.

Part of what he said was that they oil their bodies with a special substance, and their thowbs too, and then enter the oven and the fire does not burn them. And I challenge them with one condition, O Amir, that they take off these thowbs and are given thowbs that have been washed by you, and that you order them to wash their bodies with water and vinegar, then they are to wear those [clean], white thowbs–and at that time I too will enter the fire with them, and whoever from us burns is the liar.

So when the [truth of the] matter concerning that Dajjaal was uncovered, he turned and fled.

[And there are] many, many [such] incidents–and maybe it is beneficial that I mention a very short story about something that happened to me, and I am the poor, needy servant of Allaah …

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August 8, 2011

Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle? | 1


 

Questioner: In relation to some of the Sufis lodges [zawaayaa], they beat the daff and use skewers, yes, what is the ruling regarding this issue?

Al-Albani: Striking the daff for entertainment is haram, but that which is even more severe than this haram is to include it as a part of worship in the remembrance of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic.

This is haram and is not permissible.

Because committing an act of disobedience is [in and of itself] disobedience, but more severe than that is seeking nearness to Allaah the Blessed and Most High, through it.

These Sufis or those who follow these tariqahs who dance when performing dhikr and beat the daff, indeed even the drum [tabl], the saying of one of the people of knowledge applies to them:

“When did the people come to know that in our religion singing is a Sunnah which is followed

And that a man eats just as a donkey does and dances amongst hordes until he falls

And they say, ‘We are drunk with the love of Allaah.’ But nothing intoxicated them except a platter stuffed with food

Just like the animals who prance around once quenched and satiated

So O People of Intellect and O Men of Understanding! Is there not one from you to denounce such innovations?

Our Mosques are disgraced by listening [to Music] and are now ‘honoured’ as churches are?” [i.e., singing and dancing is part of worship in churches under the pretense that they are honouring their places of worship through that, so these Sufis have imitated them in this by dancing and singing in the mosques].

And another said:

“O You evil, innovating generation!
You have come with an affair which is inconceivable.
Was it in the Quraan that my Lord told you–
to ‘Eat like animals and dance for Me?!”

Far be it.

So, the forbiddance of beating the daff or the drum [tabl] as part of dhikr is more severe than beating the daff as part of mere entertainment. Because the [following] Saying of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic in His Book applies to them, “Those who took their religion as amusement and play and the life of the world deceived them.” [Al-A’raaf 7:51]. And the Blessed and Most High said regarding the polytheists, “Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and the clapping of hands.” [An’aam 8:35].

“Their prayer …” i.e., their worship, “… at the House …” the Haram, [Ka’bah].

“… was nothing but whistling …” whistling, and nowadays you see how the youth whistle. This is a legacy which the disbelievers have inherited one from another. During the Days of Ignorance the polytheists would seek nearness to Allaah through whistling and clapping.

“Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and the clapping of hands.” Likewise some of the Muslims today do the same thing, and you have come to know the censure of the faqihs of the Muslims and their severe repudiation of them. So much so that some of them declared that the place where these eating dancers perform their ‘remembrance’ be razed because it is impure, i.e., the disobedience of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic having occurred therein.

That dhikr which they regard as being remembrance [of Allaah] is only idle speech.

As for striking oneself with skewers, this is the calamity of all calamities–that there are hundreds of thousands of Muslims who falsely assume that harming oneself in this way is a miracle. It is a miracle [karaamah] for those people who falsely think that they are on some [sort of Truth] in regards to the religion.

But they follow nothing.

Because the religion is [nothing but] following what the Prophet was upon عليه السلام. And neither the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم nor his noble Companions remembered Allaah in this manner. [A method of remembrance] which you have come to know something about from the lines of poetry that I recited to you.

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August 8, 2011

PDF of Shaikh al-Albaani’s Meeting with ‘the Hashish Wali’


Here is the PDF version of all the separate posts in one place.  If you want to save it, right click on the link and go to ‘Save Link/Target As’:

The Hashish Wali.

Here’s the YouTube video:

2 Comments
August 7, 2011

Al-Albaani and the time he met the Druggie who was a Wali [an Ally] of Allaah! | End


 

There used to be a Shaikh who had followers [mureeds]. He said to one of them, ‘Come here my son. Go and bring me your father’s head.’

‘I hear and I obey,’ [said the boy], since this is what he had learnt, i.e., that when the Shaikh orders something it is obligatory to follow him even if it opposes Allaah’s Legislation.

The boy went home and chopped off his father’s head while he was asleep next to his wife. He then came to his Shaikh full of joy. Why? Because he had carried out his Shaikh’s order.

So the Shaikh smiled at him and said another one of those recurring falsehoods given as answers by such people, ‘You think you killed your father? No. My son, your father is on a journey. As for this person who you killed, then he is your mother’s boyfriend. You think I was [really] going to order you to kill your father?! Allaah forbid. This person [who you decapitated] was your mother’s boyfriend, he was fornicating with her. That is why I ordered you to kill him.’

So when the Shaikh narrates this story with the [dramatic] ending it has, these poor souls, doped on this type of opium fill the mosque with what? With cries of Allaahu Akbar and so on.

This story happened in Ramadaan about ten years ago. One of the brothers came to me after we had prayed taraawih in one of the mosques in which [implementing] the Sunnah was [unfortunately] abandoned.  In those days at the start of the da’wah we used to gather in my shop while I would be repairing watches, he said to me, ‘Do you know what Shaikh so and so said today?’

I replied, ‘No, what happened?’ He mentioned the story to me and while we were talking about it a relative of this man speaking to me passed by the shop, his maternal cousin to be exact. He was known as Abu Yusuf and was one of the committed followers [mureeds] of the Shaikh who narrated the story.

My brothers, the reality is that it is obligatory upon us to praise Allaah the Mighty and Majestic who has protected us from such opium. Because it is more dangerous than actual opium. It is true that real opium does take away a person’s senses–but [the effect is] not there all the time, [it wears off]. But the one who takes this abstract opium is lost, taken, gone.

The proof [that this is the case] is at the end of the story. So Abu Yusuf is in front of the shop, this person inside the shop with me, his cousin, calls him, ‘Abu Yusuf, come here.’ He enters and he says to him, ‘What do you think about tonight’s lesson, the Shaikh’s lesson?’

He said, ‘Maa shaa Allaah, tajalleeyaat, tajalleeyaat.’ [i.e., kashf which the Sufis claim, they claim that certain things, realities, manifest themselves to the Sufi Shaikhs which do not manifest themselves to others, so when he says ‘Tajalleeyaat,’ it’s like he’s saying that the story is just proof that, ‘… amazing realities manifest themselves to the Shaikhs.’] 

We have a joke here in Syria, Damascus specifically. In Damascus there is a place especially for the Christians called Baab Tawmah. There is a shop there, the owner of the shop which has two entrances sells alcohol and on the shop sign there is written, ‘Tajalleeyaat Baqlah.’ Baqlah is the name of the Christian and he has called his shop by a name which doesn’t actually inform you as to what he sells.  So when these Sufis say about such [ridiculous stories], ‘Maa shaa Allaah, tajalleeyaat,’ we follow up by saying, ‘Tajalleeyaat Baqlah!’ [i.e., this Christian whose name was Baqlah called his shop ‘tajalleeyaat’ the same word the Sufis use for their shaikh’s manifestations. So he called his shop ‘Tajalleeyaat Baqlah,’ or ‘Baqlah’s Manifestations/Revelations,’ because when you drink alcohol certain realities become clear to you that are not clear to those other sober folk! So Shaikh al-Albaani said that when these Sufis come and relate such far-fetched stories claiming them to be manifestations of realities that their shaikhs see, i.e., ‘tajalleeyaat,’ he follows up by saying, yes, just like Tajalleeyaat Baqlah!]

The point is that Abu Yusuf was saying, ‘Maa shaa Allaah, tajalleeyaat,’ [Shaikh al-Albaani adds] Baqlah. His cousin [who was with me in the shop] asked him, ‘What is your opinion about this story?’

He said, ‘It’s true. You wahhaabis reject the karaamaat [miracles] of the Allies of Allaah.’ In his mind he thought it was a miracle. So his cousin [who was with me in the shop] started to debate with him, but he was at the same level of knowledge as his cousin, Abu Yusuf.

I was sitting behind the table fixing watches. I felt as though there was no benefit in [what was being said between] the two of them, no result, no benefit. So I said [to myself] I must enter the discussion, so I got up and sat next to them both and started to talk to Abu Yusuf.

I said to him, ‘O Abu Yusuf, may Allaah bless you. Pay attention. The story [itself] shows you that it is fabricated and put together.  So you see when the Shaikh spoke saying, ‘This is your mother’s boyfriend and because he fornicated with your mother I told you to kill him, to slaughter him, and do you really think I was going to tell you to kill your father?’ Okay, from this it is clear that he is upon ignorance from three angles.

The first: is it for anyone other than a Muslim ruler to carry out the prescribed punishment? [It’s not] because [if other people do it] discord will occur amongst the people.

Secondly: is the penalty for someone who is married and commits fornication that he be decapitated or that he be stoned to death? [It is that he be stoned to death].

Thirdly and lastly: why did he carry out the punishment on this fornicator, this man–who may not have been married [and thus it would not be allowed to kill him]–while he left the fornicating mother just as she was [who, according to the story, we know is married and so should have had the punishment applied to her]?

So it is clear that the story is fabricated and does not require any debate, there is no benefit in it, ‘Deaf, dumb and blind. They understand not.’

Finally I said to him–and we have no weapon except that of [trying to make them understand by appealing to their] sentiments, and there is no movement nor power except by the Will of Allaah–I said to him, ‘O Abu Yusuf, now, in short, if the Shaikh, your Shaikh who narrated this story to you, ordered you to slaughter your father, would you do it?’

A very uncomfortable question, and someone from the common Muslims in answer to this question would say, ‘I seek refuge with Allaah from killing my father.’ Do you know what he said [instead]?

He said, ‘I have not reached that level yet,’ and fled, leaving [the shop] while I was saying to him in our Syrian dialect, ‘You’ll never get there inshaa Allaah.’ He thinks that his reaching the level is when his Shaikh orders him to kill his father and he carries it out then, maa shaa Allaah, he has arrived. But he’s not there yet. So I said to him, ‘You’ll never get there inshaa Allaah.’

For this reason the remedy is to return to the Book and the Sunnah and not what is said or was said or reported [in such false stories].

End.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, no. 195, at 47:36, carries on to tape 196.  If you make a video send me a link to it please.  Mawsoo’atul-Allaamah, al-Imaam, Mujaddidil-Asr, Muhammad Naasirid-Deen al-Albaani, of Shaikh Shady Noaman, vol. 3, pp. 957-965.

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August 5, 2011

Al-Albaani and the time he met the Druggie who was a Wali [an Ally] of Allaah! | 3


 

He said, ‘There used to be a Shaikh, who would enjoin the good and forbid the evil, hoping for Allaah’s reward in that and not seeking any material gain from it. He would go out to the marketplace along with some of his keen students. Every time he saw an evil in the market [perpetrated] by a merchant, by a store owner, by a spice dealer, he would advise and remind them.

Until one day he stopped by a store owner and saw him selling hashish to another person so he criticised him strongly, ‘O disobedient one! O criminal! You sell that which harms and does not benefit …’ and so on. So this Azhari Shaikh said to them that this noble scholar who used to enjoin the good and forbid the evil had not completed his sentence except that he became just like an animal that doesn’t understand anything.

[Little did he know that] the store-owner was a Shaikh and one of the major Allies of Allaah and righteous people. For this reason, when that noble Shaikh criticised him, the store-owner-Shaikh stole and took away his intellect and reasoning.

His students were now perplexed regarding their Shaikh so they started to ask about the remedy to this problem which they did not know the cure for. They asked one person and another, going from one place to the next, until [finally] they came to a person who told them that no one could tell them [anything] about this person’s problem except so and so, for he is someone who has ‘two wings’, i.e., has gathered both the [knowledge of the] Sharee’ah and the ‘Reality,’ so go to him.

They did and told him the story. So he said that the store keeper–and I [Shaikh al-Albaani] am going to call him the ‘Hashish Wali’–is from the major Allies of Allaah [Awliyaa’ullaah] and from the major righteous people, ‘Your Shaikh’s cure is that you take him to that Hashish Wali and try to appease him so that he becomes pleased with this Shaikh [of yours, and when that happens,] the Shaikh will return to being just as he was.’

They went to him, they went to him and said, ‘Our master, don’t blame the Shaikh, the Shaikh didn’t know your rank and standing …’ –i.e., just as the alleged two-winged one had directed them, the one who had gathered between the Sharee’ah and the Reality–they kept on trying to please him in this manner until the Hashish Wali became pleased with the Shaikh, the Shaikh who would enjoin the good and forbid the evil.

And just like one asleep, [behold] the Shaikh awoke and the group [of students] felt that, truly, what the two-winged one had said was correct, i.e., the Shaikh returned to being just as he was.

And thus, the Shaikh, in turn, started to apologise and excuse himself before the Hashish Wali, ‘Don’t blame us for we did not know your rank and standing and your station before Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.’

So where is the lesson?

The Hashish Wali said to this scholar, ‘You, O Shaikh, think that I sell Hashish, the drug. [But] I sell hashish which looks just like hashish but its effect is the opposite to hashish. No one buys this from me except that he is cured from smoking hashish.’

In this way they dispensed with the laws of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic and the intellect of the people so as to enslave and subjugate them.

And I know shaikhs in Damascus, in Syria, and a man in Aleppo who openly declare in their general lessons in big Jaami mosques, ‘If you see a Shaikh and he has hung a cross around his neck, then do not criticise him. For he sees what you do not, and knows that which you know not.’

And the proof for that is the following story …

14 Comments
August 4, 2011

Al-Albaani and the time he met the Druggie who was a Wali [an Ally] of Allaah! | 2


 

The story of the wine and vinegar–and this is the calamity of this time–and researching this reality will take a long time … especially when some of the scholars permit reporting what is even more dangerous than this narration where [it was mentioned that] this person called upon Allaah to transform forbidden wine into permissible vinegar.

But what do you think then–and [such] stories are numerous indeed–of a person who drinks wine and is rebuked and he answers by saying, ‘He is drinking from the wine of Paradise. It has nothing whatsoever to do with your [wordly] wine!’

And another one is selling hashish and when he is refuted he says, ‘You think I’m selling hashish, the drug? I’m selling hashish that is the antidote to that hashish. And every person who buys this hashish from me is able to quit his addiction to [that other harmful] hashish.’

And through such means they paralysed people’s intellects and dispensed with the Sharee’ah. And enough for you [in this regard] is their saying, ‘There is the Sharee’ah and then there is the reality.’ And the reality contradicts the Sharee’ah, and they have other extremely dangerous sentences [too].

And maybe it is fitting that I mention a story that happened to me personally.

As was my habit, I [once] travelled to go to my brothers in Aleppo. On the way we got a house to spend the night in, in a town about twenty kilometres from Damascus, called Deer Atiyyah.

While we were chatting at night, having stayed up, instead of the door [of the house] being knocked–and the house was a single floor [i.e., like a bungalow, no upstairs]–instead of the door being knocked, the window was.

So the landlord went out to see who this strange night comer, knocking in an odd manner, was. [Like I said] instead of knocking the door he’s knocking the window. So we were all taken aback by the loud welcoming cries of the landlord for this night visitor, ‘Welcome so and so!’

We craned our necks to try and see this noble guest to whom the landlord had given such a hearty reception.

This guest enters [the house] and I was surprised when I saw him just as he was when he saw me.

He was a man given to taking hashish, one who had left praying, wouldn’t fast in Ramadaan, would smoke in Ramadaan while leaning back on one of the outside corner walls of the mosque, with his yellow eyes gazing and fixed in a stare due to the effect of the hashish.

I was surprised as to why this landlord with whom we were guests was welcoming [someone who was] a hashish addict, was disobedient [faasiq] and a criminal [faajir]–if not a disbeliever.

He was surprised to see me because he was my neighbour.

My shop was next to that mosque [where this druggie would sit], so every time I left for prayer he would be taking his hashish, smoking and naturally it had hashish in it. Every time he would see me he would sit far away from me and act as though he was overcome, i.e., captivated, in a [sufi] state of haal, i.e., he would start bowing and prostrating saying things which in Syria we call broken speech, i.e., in Arabic it is called an incomplete sentence, like, ‘Tomoatoes, hashish, eggs, aubergine.’ It’s not a sentence, it’s incomplete.

It was then that I realized that the landlord believed that this person was from the major Allies of Allaah [Awliyaa’ul-Allaah]. So I started to speak at the spur of the moment and opened what I said with the aayah, “Behold! Verily on the friends of Allaah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve. Those who believe and fear Allaah much. For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the Hereafter …” [Yunus 10:62-64]. What is taqwaa? What is eemaan, we spoke in this vein.

Then we spoke about the likes of this Dajjaal [i.e., the stranger].

That this was nothing to do with Islaam at all. That the honour of the Muslim was only through his faith in Allaah and his taqwaa of Him. And that this was all there was to it, whether a miracle occurred at his hands or not. One of the Shaikhs with us in Damascus said:

When you see a person who may fly
And on the ocean does walk

Yet does not stop at the limits of the Legislation
Then an innovator is he
Being lead to destruction progressively

I don’t recall [exactly] what we said in this regard but we spoke about the fact that the landlord believed that this man, a disobedient sinner and criminal, who makes out as though he is someone who is so overcome with the remembrance of Allaah that he does not know what is going on around him, is from the major Allies of Allaah.

And then the landlord said, ‘O Shaikh, by Allaah, in this town we …’–and herein lies the lesson–‘… in this town we used to be as you said.  [We used to hold] that eemaan and taqwaa is what Islaam is about. But then Shaikh so and so came to us, and he had studied in Azhar University for twenty years, he left his town for twenty years, and then he came, warning the people and teaching them in the mosque at night. More than once we would hear him say that Allaah has special, chosen people in [certain] places and times … common phrases [oft-repeated by innovators].

And that the jewel that doesn’t impress you will harm you. The jewel that doesn’t impress you will harm you: if you see a person who is drinking wine, taking hashish, it is possible that he is one of the major Allies [of Allaah] from the righteous people. Just don’t ever, don’t ever criticise him or else you will fall into problems with this righteous ally [of Allaah!].’

Then [the landlord said that] the [Azhari] Shaikh reported the following story to them …

1 Comment
August 1, 2011

Al-Albaani and the time he met the Druggie who was a Wali [an Ally] of Allaah! | 1


 

Questioner: My question is concerning the subject that the brother, Shaikh Muhammad mentioned concerning stories and hadiths which some Shaikhs mention, for example, the story which I heard and which Abdul-Hamid Kishk reported. A story which I see great contradictions in such that I cannot believe that it is attributed or even mentioned in history [before].

The story as he himself says is that a person used to drink wine from a bottle. Umar ibn al-Khattaab passed by him the first time and when he saw him he threatened him that he would be whipped if he saw him drinking wine a second time. So he passed by him a second time at a distance, the man saw Umar ibn al-Khattaab and so asked Allaah to turn the wine into vinegar. When Umar ibn al-Khattaab asked him what was in the bottle, he replied, ‘It is vinegar.’ So Umar ibn al-Khattaab smelt it and it was [indeed] vinegar.

In my opinion this story has some contradictions and is also in opposition to [correct] fiqh. What I mean is that that person was committing a sin, and [then] calls on Allaah to save him from it while he is still doing it. Also, it has been mentioned that Abdul-Hamid Kishk reports or quotes some weak hadiths whose chains of narration are not authentic.

My question is in regard to this, because I know that Abdul-Hamid Kishk has a big effect on the youth today and he mentions weak hadiths and stories.

We’d like your input on this?

Al-Albani: The reality is that I have never come across this story which you just related about that man–[I’ve never seen it mentioned] amongst the authentic hadiths, nor the hasan hadiths, nor the weak ones, nor the fabricated ones and not even those that have no basis.

And another painful reality is that no one is denying that Shaikh Kishk’s style in effecting the people is uncanny, but I do not mean [by saying that] that his style is a legislated one. Because he uses emotion, inflaming the emotions of those present by such things as ordering that salaah be sent upon the Prophet [by saying], ‘Send more prayers!’ and ‘Let me hear you send prayers upon him,’ and so on. But in the end, his style leaves an affect.

But he, with great remorse, is a storyteller and not a scholar especially in that which is connected to the field of prophetic hadith. So along with being a storyteller he is also one who [just] rounds up and gathers things. He collects all kinds of hadiths [not caring about their authenticity] and then admonishes the people with them, reminding them using such hadiths.

And it is here that the alleged rule which leads admonishers such as this to deviate makes its entry. [A principle] which is mentioned in some of the books of the science of hadith as though it is something undisputed and without blemish: that it is allowed to act upon those weak hadiths which talk about the excellence [or merit] of [certain] actions [Fadaa’ilul-A’maal].  Whether this sentence is accepted or rejected is something disputed amongst the scholars of hadith.

That which I hold and which I have mentioned in more than one book or treatise is that it is not allowed for a Muslim to seek nearness to Allaah the Blessed and Most High through a hadith which he knows is weak. This is what I hold.

But [we must bear in mind that] those who adopted this rule laid down conditions [that must be met] to act upon such hadiths. So when the majority of the people who came later and who adopted this rule [actually] broke it, [the result was that] weak and fabricated hadiths became widespread.

We have very extensive experience with those who associate themselves to knowledge: when one of them mentions a hadith and we know for sure that he does not know where this hadith has come from, he doesn’t know whether it is authentic or weak, but when he is taken aback after he is repudiated and it is said to him, ‘O my brother, you’re relating this hadith and it is weak,’ he replies immediately with the alleged rule, ‘But weak hadiths can be acted upon in relation to the excellence of [certain] actions.’

But this rule is not taken without exception.

Do you [actually] know that the hadith you just related is [in fact] weak?

He doesn’t know anything about that.  Thus, he has broken the rule, for conditions were laid down for it, from them being the fact that he should know that this hadith [which he is quoting] is weak so that he does not become mixed up [in differentiating between the] the weak hadith and the authentic one.

[The incorrect implementation of] this rule helps the admonishers, storytellers and preachers not to be cautious when narrating hadiths from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

If the hadith were authentic then alhamdulillaah, and if it were weak [and the conditions applied] then it can be acted upon in relation to the excellence of [certain] actions. [I.e., Trans. note: the Shaikh does not agree with this rule but here mentioned the opinion of those who do hold it to be permissible, i.e., at the very least if these storytellers knew that a hadith was weak maybe this rule could then be implemented according to those who hold it to be permissible, but therein lies the problem, normally the storytellers don’t even know if it is weak: it could be worse than being just weak, i.e., it could be fabricated or have no basis whatsoever, so when they are not sure about the grading of the hadith how can they implement the rule that, ‘Weak hadith can be used concerning the excellence/merit of certain actions,’ correctly?]

So the aforementioned Shaikh does not have knowledge of hadith and for this reason in his stories and admonitions he narrates all kinds of hadith. So it is not strange that he should report narrations which have no basis whatsoever and have no connection to the sayings of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

[Sorry folks, the druggie comes later!]

6 Comments
August 1, 2011

Is it Allowed to Seek the Assistance of the Jinn?


 

Questioner: Regarding the jinn, there are two questions regarding them, the first is about seeking assistance from them. It is known that amongst the jinn there are disbelievers, sinners [faasiq] and Muslims.

Al-Albani: Yes, by Allaah.

Questioner: So is it permissible for a Muslim, if he is able to, or some things happen [as a result of which] it becomes clear to him that the jinn, for example, is a Muslim, and so he seeks his assistance in some worldly affairs. So is it permissible for a Muslim to use this jinn …, in the same way that I seek the assistance of a human Muslim brother?

Al-Albani: When you mentioned seeking assistance from the Muslim jinn, how do you know he is a Muslim?

Questioner: He says so!

Al-Albani: He says so?

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albani: And you do not know him [he is unknown].

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albani: And you do not know him [he is unknown].

Questioner: Yes. Unknown because I do not know him.

Al-Albani: So how do you judge with the testimony of someone unknown?

Questioner: And he, namely, in reality, he is just like one of the brothers.

Al-Albani: No I am asking you, if there were a brother next to you, how do you know if he is a Muslim and a righteous one if you do not know him?

Questioner: I don’t know.

Al-Albani: Thus, the question from its general, initial, onset was wrong. Is it permissible to seek assistance from the jinn or not? The answer is no.

As for categorising the jinn then it can be [done] in two ways. Dividing them in terms of there being amongst them those who are righteous and those who are sinners, believers and disbelievers. This is correct, “There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups each having a different way.” [Jinn 72:11]. This is from the angle of there being an unseen reality, something which we do not see.

As for dividing the jinn in terms of their relation to us humans/mankind, then such a division is lost on us. We cannot say, “So and so who speaks to us is a Muslim jinn, or a non-Muslim jinn, or a righteous Muslim jinn … no, we cannot make apparent such judgements. Because this is a judgement about something which is behind–as they say today–nature, i.e., in sharee’ah terminology, the Unseen.  We do not know the Unseen.

And at the same time as it not being something legislated, believing someone who is unknown and from the Unseen, is also stupidity. Because if a person who you do not know at all were to come to you and say, ‘I am a trustworthy Muslim. And I want to share with you [in something].’ You would not agree to it, because you don’t know him. So then it is even more fitting that you do not accept the testimony of someone who is behind a wall who says, ‘I am a good, righteous Muslim. And I am going to interact with you from behind this wall based upon the fact that the religion is sincerity.’

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albani: Would a person accept such a dealing?

Questioner: No.

Al-Albani: So what do you think about [someone] behind a wall, behind all matter [i.e., someone from the Unseen].

Thus, the correct question is: is it permissible to interact with the Jinn at all?’ The answer is that it is not allowed at all.

The only thing that is allowed in that which is connected to Jinn and mankind is that if one were pretty sure that there is a person who has been possessed by a Jinn, then some aayahs can be recited on him, and [the Jinn] can be warned through such recitation … this is what has been established in the Sunnah.

As for the Quraan then it warns us against seeking the assistance of the Jinn [this having been quoted] from the believing Jinns [themselves] who came to the Prophet عليه السلام and believed in him. They spoke about their situation such as saying, ‘And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief,’ [Jinn 72:6] i.e., … in misguidance.

Because of this it is not allowed to seek the assistance of the Jinn. This is the answer to the question.  End of Shaikh al-Albaani’s words.

I’ve seen some of the translations that have been put up on the blog have been taken and made into YouTube videos.  I happened to chance by some of them.  I don’t mind anyone taking such an initiative since I had been hoping someone could do it, may Allaah reward you guys well, whoever you are. At the same time I’d like it if you could send me a link to inform me of such videos.  If they’re done well, I can then put up a link to them on the blog here.  Shukran.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape no. 704, starts at 3 minutes and 50 seconds approximately.

Mawsoo’atul-Allaamah, al-Imaam, Mujaddidil-Asr, Muhammad Naasirid-Deen al-Albaani, of Shaikh Shady Noaman, vol. 3, pp. 1053-1055.

The YouTube video:

 

11 Comments
July 29, 2011

A Question About Some Sentences Connected to Creed


 

Questioner: There are some sentences or phrases which many people have fallen into saying. [We would like a clarification] about their permissibility or impermissibility. Some of them say, ‘O Faasiq! [one who is rebellious and disobedient to Allaah]. Or, ‘O Fattaal! [like faasiq]’ And, ‘[The answers to my problems are] with Allaah and then you,’ or when someone says, ‘Come and [eat] with us,’ they reply, ‘May Ar-Rahmaan eat with you,’ or ‘May Ar-Rahmaan be with you,’ and such words …

Al-Albani: These [words] are [said] amongst you?

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albani: How strange! We have words that are similar to these and all of them are not allowed. Here in Syria they say, ‘We trust in Allaah and you.’ There is no doubt that some of those phrases which the question is about are incorrect. Like I just said to you in some places in Syria we have sayings that resemble those, like, ‘We trust in Allaah and you,’ this is shirk. Also, ‘Whatever Allaah wills and you will,’ is shirk. The correct wording is, ‘Whatever Allaah wills and then you will.’

Most of the Arabs today do not differentiate between ‘then’ and ‘and.’

The sentence, ‘‘We trust in Allaah and you,’ is disbelief in His Saying, “… and in Allaah (Alone) let those who trust, put their trust.” [Ibraaheem 14:12]. Namely, [we trust] in Allaah alone. So without a care such a person says, ‘We trust in Allaah and you.’

The saying, ‘We trust in Allaah and you,’ is shirk.  Here amongst us they also say, ‘Allaah’s Hand and your hand …”

Another questioner: Or they say this other wording, for example, [if someone invites you to eat, saying], ‘Come and eat with us, O Shaikh,’ he will reply, ‘May Ar-Rahmaan eat with you,’ ask about this, is there anything wrong with this?

Al-Albani: What is the second wording?

Questioner: He said, ‘May Ar-Rahmaan eat with you … may Ar-Rahmaan eat with you.’

Al-Albani: And there is nothing wrong with this?!

Questioner: This phrase … I’m not saying there is something about it.

Al-Albani: Is there something with it or not?

Questioner: I don’t know.

Al-Albani: He eats, Allaah eats?!

Questioner: We, yes … may Ar-Rahmaan eat with you.

Al-Albani: Our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, eats? No, this is disbelief. This is likening the Creator to His Creation. This is not allowed. Is there anything else they say?

Questioner: Some of them say, ‘Ar-Rahmaan is with you.’

Al-Albani: Ar-Rahmaan is with you?

Questioner: [If one of them were to invite you, saying], ‘Come with us.’ The other person replies with, ‘Ar-Rahmaan is with you.’

Al-Albani: Let us hear its interpretation …

Questioner: He’s saying, [when someone calls you saying], ‘O Shaikh, come to us … with us.’ He replies, ‘Ar-Rahmaan is with you.’ Namely, he is excusing himself [by saying that]. He doesn’t say, ‘No, I’m not coming.’ He [excuses himself by] saying it in a softer way.

Al-Albani: But what is the meaning of, ‘Ar-Rahmaan is with you?’

Questioner: Namely, [by] Ar-Rahmaan [they mean] blessings, goodness, ‘I can’t sit with you … [but] Ar-Rahmaan is with you.’

Al-Albani: He doesn’t want to give a harsh reply so [instead] he says something which is not fitting to be said [in the eyes of the] Shariah?

Questioner: Because of his notion that it is something good.

Al-Albani: Because of his notion. But we want to correct his notion.

Questioner: No problem. If there is something blameworthy in it he should be stopped.

Al-Albani: It is not allowed to say, ‘Ar-Rahmaan is with you.’ Because … look now, the people of innovations … the people of hadith and those who cling to what the Pious Predecessors were upon, and those who believe in the aayahs and hadiths about Attributes are called mushabbihah [by the people of innovation] … they say that they are mushabbihah, mujassimah [anthropomorphists/people who liken Allaah to His Creation]. Namely, they say about us that we are mujassimah, why? Because we say, ‘[Ar-Rahmaan] The Most Beneficent rose over the Throne,’ [Taa Haa 20:5] i.e., He rose over it in a manner that suits and befits His Perfection. So when explaining this aayah if you say rose over means He sat on the Throne you would have opened the door for them to vilify you and would have given them support in their claim that you are a mujassim.

This saying, ‘Ar-Rahmaan is with you,’ they [already] deny that Ar-Rahmaan rose over the Throne, [even though] it is an aayah which we explain as the Salaf did, i.e., they deny the meaning of rose over because they falsely think that such a statement contains tashbeeh of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic as though He is sitting on a seat, [whereas] He is the One free of all creation. So what would the case be if they hear this saying, ‘With you is Ar-Rahmaan,’ i.e., Ar-Rahmaan is a guest with you. … Ar-Rahmaan is sitting with you, these are extremely vile meanings. [Rather], ‘[Ar-Rahmaan] The Most Beneficent rose over the Throne.’

Maybe it is possible to interpret this [saying] with a good meaning but from the cultivation that the Prophet عليه السلام taught his believing followers is his saying, ‘Do not say anything which requires an excuse before Allaah.’

So [after saying such dubious statements maybe someone will say], ‘I don’t mean that Ar-Rahmaan is with you in Essence, the Most High, but I mean His good, His aid and His blessings and so on,’–so this is an interpretation, but this interpretation does not contain good, [for] in another hadith there occurs, ‘Beware of that which requires an excuse,’ i.e., don’t say things after which you will be required to say, ‘By Allaah, I meant such and such.’

Questioner: Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.

Al-Albani: Well done, precisely.

Mawsoo’atul-Allaamah, al-Imaam, Mujaddidil-Asr, Muhammad Naasirid-Deen al-Albaani, of Shaikh Shady Noaman, vol. 3, pp. 1186-1189.

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