Notes From the 1st Ihya us-Sunnah Class

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Notes From the 1st Ihya us-Sunnah Class
By Na’eem Abdullah



http://www.nuruzzamaaninstitute.org/
http://www.lightoftheage.com/
http://www.nuruzzamaan.blogspot.com/


This was the 1st of a series of ongoing classes. This class is based on the book named Ihya us Sunnah wa Ikhmaad ul-Bid’ah, which means “The Revival of the Sunnah and the Destruction of Innovation.” This blessed book has been written by the Amir, Mujaddid, Mujahid, and Wali of Allah - Shehu (Shaykh) ‘Uthman ibn Muhammad (better known as “Dan Fodio”). The translation being used is that of Shaykh Muhammad Shareef bin Fareed.

The class is aired live on Nur uz-Zamaan’s Radio show; which can be heard by going to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sunnachild or by calling (914) 338-0884 on Sunday at 8pm. When calling in you may press the number “1” on your keypad – this notifies us that you have a question or comment – then we will bring on the air, Inshaa’Allah. If you miss the class you can always download it later at the website mentioned above. These and other notes can be found on our website and blog mentioned at the top, as well as my notes on Facebook. Success is with Allah!



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The Author's Preface

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful, may peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and upon his Family and Companions. Says the poor slave in need of the mercy of his Lord - Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn Uthman - famous as Dan Fuduye`, (may Allah engulf him in His mercy - Amen).

All praises are due to Allah: who raised the supports of the Sunna and exalted its lamps; who diminished the existence of innovation (al-bid`a) and eclipsed its lights; who elucidated the evidences of truth (al-haqiqa) and revealed its secrets; who laid bare the path of falsehood and wiped out its traces; who clarified the procedures of the spiritual realities (al-haqa'iq) and constructed its mysteries; and who commanded us to follow the Sunna and to adhere to its traditions. May the best prayers and most abundant peace be upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and Companions - all of them. May Allah be pleased with the best of the Followers (Taabi`een), the right-acting scholars, the four Imams who exercised independent judgment, and those who follow them until the Day of Judgment. This is the book called:

The Revival of the Sunna and the Destruction of Innovation



It will be of benefit, if Allah wills, to whomever relies on it for his beliefs and behavior. It has been arranged into chapters so that each chapter could stand alone with regard to its meanings and what may be sought from it. This will make it easy for comprehension and to facilitate those who may desire to examine a particular issue according to its subject. If mistakes, delusions, shortcomings, heedlessness, forgetfulness, ignorance and offense appear in this text, then it is from my nafs and from Satan. This is because creation is susceptible to that and even more; which only testifies that Allah and His Messenger spoke truthfully. However, if good appears from it, then it is from the bounty of Allah and His mercy.

We ask Allah the Mighty, the Lord of the Tremendous Throne, that He make this book sincerely for His Generous sake and that He makes it a proof for us and not against us. We ask that He show us his blessings on the Day of Standing before Him and when human beings decompose in their graves. We ask Him that He cause this book to be of benefit to everyone who examines it, is spurred on by it, acquires it, writes it down, studies it, and contemplates its meanings -- openly and secretly. We ask Him for forgiveness, mercy, pardon, concealment of our faults; and the sealing of supplication for us, our parents, our Shaykhs, their Shaykhs, those who taught us, those who benefited us and for all the Muslims. Amen . . .O Lord of the Worlds.



Introduction

Let the critic of this book know that my aim in it, Allah willing, is the revival of the Sunna of Muhammad and the destruction of satanic innovation. My intention in it is neither to bring shame upon people nor to engage in finding faults with them. Whoever aims to revive the Sunna of Muhammad and to remove satanic innovation for the purpose of offering sincere advice to the Muslims, Allah will be responsible in aiding him. However, he whose aim is to bring shame upon people and be preoccupied with their faults, Allah will question him and reckon with him. For whoever pursues the faults of his brother, Allah will pursue his faults until he exposes him, even if he be in the recesses of his home. Believers ask for excuses while hypocrites pursue the faults of others and Allah helps a person as long as he helps his brother. It is related in the Muwatta , “Do not examine the faults of people as if you were a Lord, but rather examine your own faults as though you were a slave.” As-Sulami said in his Kitaab `Uyuub 'n-Nafs, “Among the faults of the self (nafs) is being preoccupied with the faults of people and being blind to one's own faults.” Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Shaadan said, “I heard Ibn Zaydan say, ‘I saw some of the people who had many faults, as a result they were quiet concerning the faults of other people. Thus Allah covered their faults and wiped them out. Then I saw some of the people who did not have faults but were preoccupied with the faults of other people, as a result many faults befell them’.”

If you have realized the liability in bringing shame upon people and being preoccupied with their faults is a grave deed and a tremendous sin - then know also that the excuse for objecting (al-inkaar) to anyone is difficult. Rather, those to whom one objects are excused. This is so based upon what Shaykh Izza 'd-Deen ibn Abd as-Salaam said, “Objection (inkaar) can only pertain to that about which there is agreement concerning its obligation (i'jaab) or its prohibition (tahreem). Whoever avoids doing that which there is a difference of opinion concerning its obligation; or performs an act in which there is a difference of opinion concerning its prohibition (while following the scholars in that) - then there is no objection against him. There can only be objection to him if he is following the scholar in an issue whose legal judgment has been repealed (yunqudu). If he is ignorant of that, there is no objection against him. However, there is no harm in guiding him to what is more correct. There is no objection to him because he is not committing something clearly forbidden. This is because it is not incumbent upon him to follow the one who says it is forbidden (at-tahreem) nor is it incumbent upon him to follow the one who says it is an obligation (al-ijaab).”

In the Takhlees al-Ikhwaan it says, “There is no harm in guiding the common person to that which is the most well known (al-ahwatt) in his deen. However, he is not to be guided by the theories of the mujtahid. This is in order that he can be returned to the more acceptable proofs. The disagreements of the scholars is a mercy. Based upon that, objection is not permitted except for him who knows that the action which he is prohibiting, there is absolute agreement concerning its prohibition - and the action which he is commanding, there is absolute agreement concerning its obligation. What we mean by objection in this context is the prohibited objection, because if it can be objected to - then the proof upon which it depends can also be objected to. Further, if it can be commanded - then that commanding should be done with sincerity and guidance, which is giving good advice and excellent deeds.”

Ibn al-Hindi said, “Do not oppose everyone who passes judgment concerning a problem from the issues of the branches of the deen, except when you are certain that his judgment contradicts the Qur'an or the Sunna. If you are not certain of that, then do not raise objection to his judgment. Even when you realize that his judgment contradicts the Mudawwana or other books of jurisprudence." In the at-Taqyeed it says, "Whoever follows a particular madhhab, then it is incumbent upon him to choose the legal decisions of whomever he wishes from the scholars of that particular madhhab. This is because he is an uncritical adherent (qallada) of a madhhab." Al-Ghazali said, may Allah be merciful to him, "It is the duty of the common to be occupied with his worship and his livelihood, and to leave knowledge to the scholars." I say: what he intended by that is that the common person should leave knowledge to the scholars regarding discussion and disputes, but not with regard to seeking knowledge.

Al-Ishbili said in his commentary of the al-Arba`een of an-Nawawi , "Truly commanding and forbidding is only incumbent upon the one who is knowledgeable of that in which he is commanding and forbidding. If it is from the matters of the outward, like the prayer, fasting, fornication and adultery, drinking intoxicants, and the like - every Muslim is knowledgeable of these. However, when it is from the details of actions and words, and what is included in the realm of independent judgment (al-ijtihaad) - then there is no way for the common person to enter into any discussion concerning that, nor is there anyway for them to object to it. That is only fitting for the scholars to do, since the scholars only object to that in which they are agreed upon (ma ajma`a `alaihi). As for that in which there is disagreement (al-mukhtalaf), there is no objection concerning it." He then said after a few words, "However, (the scholar) should be willing, out of sincerity, to emerge from differences, because that is better, more accepted and highly recommended for his own actions and others. This should be encouraged by way of gentleness. The scholars are unanimously agreed (muttafiquun) to eventually emerge from differences of opinion." In the ad-Durari it says, "Whoever is strict, Allah will be strict with him. What Allah ta`ala desires from this umma when disagreements occur among them is that ease may result. It is for this reason that Allah revealed to them an Arabic book, since Arabic language is sufficiently vast and is capable of embracing diverse meanings."

I say: Consensus (al-ijma`) upholds that the various opinions of all the mujtahids are paths which lead to Paradise and are roads which lead to blessings. Thus whoever takes a path from among them, will in effect arrive at what they arrived at. Whoever digresses from their paths, it will be said to him, 'Away with you'. It is therefore permissible (yajuuz) to imitate them in all of their opinions, except when it contradicts the letter of the Qur'an, the letter of the Prophetic traditions, the fundamental principles (al-qawaa`id), consensus (al-ijma`), or clear analogy (al-qiyaas al-jalli). So understand! Therefore, if you have understood what we have put forward concerning [1] the liability of bringing shame to others; [2] that being preoccupied with their faults is indeed a grave deed and tremendous sin; [3] that the excuse for objecting to them is a very difficult; and [4] that they are indeed excused - then know also that it is not permitted (laa yajuuz) for you to hate the sinful (al-faasiquun) from among the people of Laa ilaha illa Allahu for any reason, not to speak of the pious among them. Rather, you should hate their sinfulness (fisq), and love them for their Islam. This is because their sinfulness does not take them out of the realm of Laa ilaha illa Allahu.

Ibn Ata'i Allah said as a warning and an admonition in his al-Misbaah, "Beware of having enmity of the people of Laa ilaha illa Allahu, for they indeed possess general friendship (al-wilaayat'l-`aamat) from Allah, for they are the saints of Allah (awliya Allah). If they were to make mistakes or if they were to come with errors as near in size to the earth, while they have not associated anything with Allah, then Allah will meet them with its like in forgiveness. Whoever has the friendship of Allah established for him, then it is forbidden to make war against him. For whoever makes war with him, has declared war against Allah. Whoever makes war against Allah, Allah has declared that He will repay him in this world and the next. Therefore, whenever it is not clear whether a person is the enemy of Allah - by Allah! never take him as your enemy! The least of your states when you are ignorant of him is to be slow at drawing conclusions about his affair. However, when you are aware that he is indeed the enemy of Allah and that he is associating partners with Allah, then stay clear of him in the same manner which Ibrahim the Friend (upon him be peace) did with regard to his father Azara. Allah ta`ala says, "But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, then he stayed clear of him." Further in the Takhlees 'l-Ikhwaan it says after the words of Ibn Ata'i Allah, "In this is enough for the one whom Allah has singled out for his forgiveness. This is because whoever finds someone who can remove from him the commitment of having enmity towards a Muslim, has profited greatly. Whoever imitates (qallada) a scholar will meet Allah secure, without doubt."

If you were to say, "What is an example of hating the sinful (al-faasiquun) for their sinfulness and loving them for their Islam?" Then I would answer with what al-Ghazali said about that in his al-Ihya' concerning the one who had a beautiful wife who was corrupt (faajira), "He loves her from one respect and he hates her from another respect." Abu'l-Hassan as-Shadhili said, "Show respect to the believers even if they be disobedient sinners (`usaat mudhnibeen), establish the legal punishment (al-huduud) upon them, then avoid them as a mercy towards them and do not console them." Ahmad az-Zaruuq said, "What is intended by these words of Abu'l-Hassan as-Shadhili is that everyone who has an apparent connection with Allah ta`ala, whether that connection be perfect or deficient, truthful or insincere - it is incumbent to esteem him and show him respect. It is obligatory to honor him and extol him in accordance with his spiritual state without showing scorn or disregard for him. Never follow anyone except he whose knowledge is sound, whose piety is sound and whose penetrating inner-vision is sound. Verily affinity with Allah is a tremendous thing and affiliation with Him can only occur by His assistance."

O Allah! make us successful at following the Sunna of Your Prophet Muhammad,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by his standing with You!