And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]. s.2 v.42

February 22 2012 , Written by Karim ben Amor Published on #Articles de Karim ben Amor, #Invitation à la Voie de Nos Pieux Prédecesseurs

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

(In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful)

The Question asked was:

"Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allâh and cursed by the cursers. (Al-Baqarah 2:159)

When it is said to them: "Follow what Allâh has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." (Would they do that!) Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided? (Al-Baqarah 2:170)

The Ahl al-sunnah wa al-jamaah have devoted themselves to the four imams, the leaders of the known schools of law, who are : Abu Hanifah born 80AH , died 150 AH; Malik born 95 AH died 179 AH ; al-Shaii born 150 AH, died 204 AH; and Ahmad ibn Hanbal born 165 AH , died 241 AH , this is in regards to the branches of religion (Furu al-Din)

these four imams have neither been among the Prophet's Companion (Sahabah) nor the followers (Tabi'un), and neither has the Prophet (s) recognised or met them , nor have they known or met him.

Concerning Usul al Din (principles of religion) , Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jammah refer to al-Imam Abu al-Hasan ali ibn Ismail al - Ashari , who was born in 270 Hijrah and died 335AH

Question 1:

WHY WAS THE DOOR OF (JURISPUDENCE) IJTIHAD CLOSED AFTER THE DEATH OF OUR HOLY PROPHET (P.B.U.H)

if Ahl al-Sunnah claim being comitted to the prophetic sunnah, why have then these schools emerged so late till that era? Where have Ahl-Sunnah been before the emergence of these schools of law?

(Did our Holy Prophet (pbuh) say to the people after my death do not follow the code of Shariah and IJTIHAD until the coming of the above four madahhabs , did he authorise knowingly or unknowingly , to say that Allah , Glory to him, had not sent the best of his Messenger and Prophets with the best of his religions and codes , nor has he revealed unto him his best book,judgement and doctrines, nor has he completed his religion for him and perfected his blessings to unto him , nor has he taught him the knowledge of the past and the present , except for the sole purpose that the whole matter would end up to the imams of those sects to control Islam , hundred(s) years later ?)

Can you reply using only quranic refrences . . ."

Answer:

First of all, AhluSunnah wel Jamaah who are the Salafiyyoon do not refer or follow Abu al-Hasan ali ibn Ismail al - Ashari. This is clear falsehood and lie, the Asha'ira and the Maturidiyya are NOT part of Ahlu Sunnah wel Jamaah, only those who follow the Way of the Righteous Salafs (in Belief and Acts of worship) are Ahlu Sunnah Wel Jamaah, as Allah The Most High says:

“And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” (S.9 v.100)

Now we need to understand who are the Righteous Salafs that we have to follow in order to be on the only One Right Path?

Allah The Most High says (Surah 4 verse 115):

“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.”

“So if the person who “opposes the Messenger” and “follows other than the Way of the believers”, is threatened with he Hellfire. The opposite is also correct, so whoever does follow “the Way of the believers”, then he is promised Paradise, and there is no doubt about this.

"Follow the way of the Believers! The way of those believers from present times? The answer is no, we mean the Believers from the past - the first era - the era of the Companions- the Salaf As-Saalih (Righteous Predecessors). These are the people whom we should take as our example and as the ones whom we follow. And there is absolutely no equal to them on the face of the earth.

Therefore, the essence of our call is based on three pillars: (1) the Qur’aan, (2) the Sunnah and (3) Following the Salaf As-Saalih (Righteous Predecessors).

So whoever claims that he follows the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, and that he doesn’t follow the Salaf As-Saalih, and he expresses in both words and actions: “They are men and we are also men” [i.e the Companions and them are equal], then this person is in deviance and misguidance. Why, because he did not accept the verse (S.4 v.115). Did he follow the “Way of the Believers”? No. Did he follow the Companions of Allah’s Messenger? No. What did he follow? He followed his desire, and he followed his intellect. Is one’s intellect infailible and free from error? The answer is no. So then, he is upon clear misguidance.

So whoever follows the Qur’aan and the Sunnah without following the Salaf As-Saalih, he in fact has not followed the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, rather he has only followed his intellect, if not his desire.”

Allah The Most High says (Surah 16 verse 44):

“And We revealed to you the Dhikr (Sunnah) that you may (O Muhammad) make give an Explanation to the people of what was (already) revealed (Qur’aan) to them”

“The Companions are the ones who transmitted to us, firstly the wording of the Qur’aa, wich Allah revealed unto the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). And secondly, they transmitted to us, the Prophet’s Explanation (of it) which has been mentioned in the previously stated verse, as well his (peace be upon him) aplication of this Noble Qur’aan.

The Prophet’s Explanation (of the Qur’aan) can be divided into three categories: (1) Speech, (2) Action and (3) (Silent) Approval.

Who are the ones who transmitted his (peace be upon him) speech? His Companions. Who are the ones who transmitted his (peace be upon him) actions? His Companions. Who are the ones who transmitted his (peace be upon him) silent approvals? His Companions.” [1]

For instance, Allah The Most High commands us to establish prayer (salah):

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (S.98 v.5)

“And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].” (S.2 .43)

“And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing.” (S.2 v.110)

“Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.” (S.2 v. 238).

And many many other verses mentioning the obligation to establish prayer. But no verses from the Qur’aan mention the number of raka’at to do during the prayer of Fajr, or Dhohor, or Asr, or Maghrib,or Icha. The way and numbe of raka’at can be found in the Authentic Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) that the Companions transmitted to us. That is why Allah The Most High says: “And We revealed to you the Dhikr (Sunnah) that you may (O Muhammad) make give an Explanation to the people of what was (already) revealed to them” (Surah 16 verse 44).

Who are the Companions (Sahabas which is the plural of Sahabi)?

“A companion is someone who met the Prophet (peace be upon him), believed in him, and died being a believer.

We mentioned previously about the Companions that there is absolutely no equal to them on the face of the earth. Indeed, they are the best people of Islam Community and the Best generations, because they are the first who embraced Islam and they had the honour to have been with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and followed him (peace be upon him), doing Jihad with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and they had transmitted the Shariah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to those who came after them.

And Allah The Most High praises them in the Qur’aan:

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.” (S.48 v.29)

“For the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] approval and supporting Allah and His Messenger, [there is also a share]. Those are the truthful.

And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.” (S.59 v.8-9)” [2]

And whatever the troubles that happened between them after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we have to obey Allah by submitting ourselves to His Command, if we are believers in Allah and in the Last Day:

“And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.”

Allah The Most High said:

“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” (S.5 v.3)

We do not devote ourselves by following blindly a madhhab, even the Four Great Imam were clear on that statement, they never commanded us to follow them, but they were following the Way of the Companions. Indeed nowadays, many of the “blind” people who refuse to seek for the truth, and do not bother to make sure that their act of worship are authentically prescribed in the Qur’aan and the Authentic Sunnah, they stick to their madhhab even if they do an act of worship which has no basis neither in the Book of Allah nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). And if you ask them, what is your evidence to do such and such act of worship? They answer to you “I am a hanafee”, or “I am a Malikee”…And most of the time you realize that their deed has no basis even in the madhahab that they pretend to follow.

Furthermore, they are just opening the door of the division between the Muslims, while we know that the division is not praised in Islam.

“Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah ; then He will inform them about what they used to do.” (S.6 v.159)

“[…] and do not be of those who associate others with Allah [or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.” (S.30 v. 31-32)

“In the light of the above quoted verses from the Noble Qur’aan it is clear that there is no place for different Madhahib and sects in Islam and it is not obligatory to follow anyone of these Madhahib or sects. What is worth following is the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him), as stated in the Noble Qur’aan:

“Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah ; and I am not of those who associate others with Him." ” (S.12 v.108)”[3]

And Allah The Most High commands us to hold fast the rope of Allah:

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” (S.3 v.103)

As we mentioned previously “Is one’s intellect infailible and free from error? The answer is no.” [1]

So, if any statement of anyone opposes the Book of Allah and the Authentic Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we do not look at it, and we put it under the feet. Because, if we disagree or differ on something, we were commanded by Allah The Most High to refer to His Book (Qur’aan) and to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as Allah said:

“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result. ” (S.4 v.59)

I hope that the question was fully answered, and Allah The Most High knows Best.

We salem aleykom we rahmette Allah we baraketuhu,

Karim ben Amor

[1] from the lecture of Sheikh Al Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) (This is Our Call)

[2] from the book of Sheikh Salih Al Fawzan (Kitab At Tawheed)

[3] from the book of Sheikh Muhammad Sultan Al- Ma’soomi Al-Khajnadee (Should a Muslim follow a particular Madhhab?)