This was refuted by the narrations above where we see that the people without deeds are relying upon the love of the Prophet pbuh. This superiority of love is from the Quran itself:

{….. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be the successful. }[Quran 7:157]

We see in this ayah that following the light is counted as the fourth. While honoring is instead counted 2nd and coming next to belief in the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him.

So the superiority of love and honour for the Prophet is from the Quran and those who maintain this are considered as those who are successful.

Wa salam

Please take a look at the website and share. Only traditional and classical authentic material on the site and its updated daily.

http://islamictext.wordpress.com

Salam,
Allie

I have heard from a scholar that Imam Sharwani in his hashiya of Tuhfa under the section kitabul Bayy, has equated the wahhabiyya with khawarij. Could you translate the relevent portion?

Quote which I found attributed to Salafi Muhammad Khalil Harras:

فقد قال محمد خليل هرّاس في تعليقه على كتاب التوحيد لابن خزيمة (ص126) :
( يعني أنّ نزوله إلى السماء الدنيا يقتضي وجوده فوقها , فإنه “انتقال” من علوٌ إلى سفل!!)

http://www.aslein.net/showthread.php?t=15112

 Firstly, he is one of the Imams of Sacred Law whose school of jurisprudence has survived (i.e. can be followed).

 His unique lineage as a cousin of the Prophet (Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him), descending from al-Muttalib who is the brother of Hashim, `Abd al-Muttalib’s father.

 Also, regarding his Qurashi lineage, scholars have said (among them is mentioned Imam Ahmad) that the following hadith refers to him: “O Allah! Guide Quraysh, for the science of the scholar that comes from them will encompass the earth. O Allah! You have let the first of them taste bitterness, so let the latter of them taste reward.” (Hafith Ibn Ḥajr and Al-Bayhaqi said that the chains are strong with all corroborating narrations together and Ibn Hazm declared it Sahīh in his Al-Iḥkām 6:286.)

 Another hadith of the Prophet says: “Truly, Allah shall send forth for this Community, at the onset of every hundred years, someone who will renew their Religion for them.” Scholars have mentioned that the first was`Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz (i.e. after first 100 years) and the second was Imam al-Shafi`i (after second 100 years). (A sound hadīth by agreement of the masters of hadīth see footnote 445 of The Four Imams by G.f. Haddad, this is the wording of Abu Dawud in his Sunan from his chapter on Malāhim number 3740, Al-Hafith Zayn ud dīn al-‘Irāqī stated, ‘Its chain is Sahīh’)

 Another unique aspect of the Imam: he was born in a Sacred Land (Gaza or Asqalan, both of which are in al-Sham), then at the age of two was taken to be raised and educated in another Sacred Land (Mecca), then at the age of thirteen went to be further educated in a third Sacred Land (Medina).

 He possessed a very strong memory. As such, he memorized the Qur’an at age seven, then Imam Malik’s Muwatta’ at age ten. There are also other stories mentioned about his exceptional memory.

 Growing up in Mecca he was a student of great Imams and scholars such as: Sufyan b. Uyayna, Muslim b. Khalid al-Zinji, Sa’eed b. Salim al-Qadah, Dawud b. ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Attar and ‘Abd al-Majeed b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. Abi Dawud (Allah be pleased with them). In other words, he knew well the Fiqh and knowledge of Mecca.

 After going to Medina, the City of the Prophet (Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him), he was then a student of the great Imam Malik for many years and also learned from Ibrahim b. Sa’eed al-Ansari, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. Muhammad al-Darawirdi and ‘Abdullah b. Nafi’ al-Saa’i’ (Allah be pleased with them). In other words, he knew well the Fiqh and knowledge of Medina.

 He also travelled to Yemen and learned from scholars such as: Mutraf b. Mazin, Hisham b. Yusuf (Qadi of San’aa), ‘Amr b. Abi Salama (companion of the great Mujtahid Imam al-Awza’i) and Yahya b. Hassan (companion of the great Mujtahid Imam al-Layth b. Sa’d) Allah be pleased with them. In other words, he knew well the Fiqh and knowledge of Yemen).

 He also travelled to Iraq and learned from Imam Muhammad al-Shaybani (one of the two main companions of the great Mujtahid Imam Abu Hanifa). Also, Waki’ b. al-Jarrah, Hammad b. Usama and ‘Abd al-Wahhab b. ‘Abd al-Majeed (Allah be pleased with them). In other words, he knew well the Fiqh and knowledge of Iraq.

 In the last part of his life he travelled to Egypt, in which he would have come in contact with the some students of the great Imam al-Layth Allah be pleased with him.

 He obviously knew the evidences used by the various Imams and their methodologies for deriving rulings. Since he was well versed in all of these schools of Fiqh it is difficult to say “well, if he only knew the proofs and arguments used by so and so, he may have also become convinced of that position…etc.”

 He possessed vast knowledge of the various Islamic Sciences, including knowledge of Prophetic Narrations. This can be seen from Imam al-Bayhaqi’s seven volume book of hadith (Ma’rifah al-Sunan wa al-Athar) pertaining to legal matters, in which it seems that most of his chains of narration go through Imam al-Shafi’i.

 He (himself) founded his school of Sacred Law and authored/dictated texts in Fiqh (e.g. al-Hujja, al-Hurmala, al-Imla, al-Umm, etc. and there are also the summarized works from two of his main students and transmitters of his school; al-Muzani and al-Buwaiti), so his positions on various issues were well known (as opposed to his school and rulings being derived after his time; as in the school of Imam Ahmad-Allah be pleased with him).

 He (himself) also authored/dictated texts in Legal Methodology (e.g. al-Risalah), as opposed to his methodological principles being derived after his time, based on his responses to various questions (as in the school of Imam Ahmad-Allah be pleased with him).

 He is considered to be the “Father of Legal Methodology” (Usul-al-Fiqh) since he was the first to record and develop that branch of knowledge. His book al-Risalah is considered the foundation of Islamic jurisprudence.

 His school of Sacred Law was well preserved after him and large numbers of great scholars developed the school and added rulings based on the methodological principles of the Imam, to the point where it seems difficult to find an issue concerning which Shafi’i scholars did not discuss.

 Great scholars from each field of Islamic Sciences also followed the school, including numerous great hufadh and Imams and of hadith such as al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqi, al-Daraqutni, Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, al-Nawawi, Al-‘Izz b. ‘AbduSalam, ibn Kathir, al-Dhahabi, Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, As-Suyuti, etc.

 Numerous rulings, on issues which do not necessarily fall within the scope of basic Fiqh chapters, are clarified (e.g. within books such as al-Adhkar, Sharh Sahih Muslim, various books of legal verdicts and even from the chapter headings of Riyadh al-Saliheen).

 Although all the schools of Sacred Law have differences of opinion (i.e. regarding a specific ruling, within a single school) later scholars of the Shafi’i school have clearly explained what should be regarded as the “relied upon” positions of the school (i.e. the conclusions of al-Rafi’i and al-Nawawi- Allah be pleased with them -the latter given preference if they disagree).

 If a difference of opinion does exist on a given issue, it is generally well known (e.g. through the specific terminology used by Imam al-Nawawi) whether or not a secondary opinion is strong. Examples are the use of the terms الأظهر (most apparent) vs. المشهور (well known) and الأصح (stronger) vs. الصحيح (correct), and the term قيل (it has been said), etc. Furthermore, through such terminology it is known whether the difference occurs between the Jurists of the school, or stems from differing transmissions of the Imams position, etc.

 The Shafi’i school seems to strike an effective balance regarding the use of qiyas (legal analogy); between excessive use (in preference to relevant texts which exist on a particular issue, as some have been criticized for) vs. complete lack thereof (as attempted by the Dhahiri school).

 Scholars of the school have mentioned that the doors are not completely closed for followers of the school to follow the positions of other Imams. Furthermore, even the particulars of how and when this can be done are clarified (e.g. in “Reliance of the Traveller” under “following another Imam” in the notes and appendices and in the introduction to al-Nawawi’s “Majmoo’”)

 The Shafi’i school is very widespread and can be easily learned with local teachers or by traveling to scholars overseas (e.g. al-Sham, Yemen, Egypt, Malaysia, etc.) or even on-line (e.g. Qibla, Seekers Guidance, Cordoba Academy, etc.)

 Also, questions can get answered easily by local teachers or on-line (eg. Sh. Hamza Karamali and Sh. AbdulKarim Yahya of Qibla; ShafiiFiqh.com shaykhs; Qibla and Seekers Guidance Q & A sections, etc.)

Scholarly quotes regarding Imam al-Shafi’i (Allah be pleased with him ):
(*For these quotes & more see: “The Four Imams and Their Schools” by Dr. Gibril Haddad)
 Abu `Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam said: “If the intelligence of an entire nation was brought together he would have encompassed it.”
 al-Muzani said: “I have been looking into al-Shafi`i’s Risala for fifty years, and I do not recall a single time I looked at it without learning some new benefit.”
 Al-Sakhawi in the introduction to his al-Jawahir wa al-Durar and others narrate that someone criticized Ahmad ibn Hanbal for attending the fiqh sessions of al-Shafi`i and leaving the hadith sessions of Sufyan ibn `Uyayna. Ahmad replied: “Keep quiet! If you miss a hadith with a shorter chain you can find it elsewhere with a longer chain and it will not harm you. But if you do not have the reasoning of this man [al-Shafi`i], I fear you will never be able to find it elsewhere.”
 Ibn ‘Abdul Barr related in his Al-Intiqā’ from Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal that he said of him, “He was like the sun over the world and good health for people – do these two have replacements or successors?”
 Ahmad ibn Hanbal also said: “Not one of the scholars of hadith touched an inkwell nor a pen except he owed a huge debt to al-Shafi`i.”
 Yunus ibn Abi Ya`la said: “Whenever al-Shafi`i went into tafsîr, it was as if he had witnessed the revelation.”
 Ibn ‘Abd al-Salām said that there is not a single hadith that did not reach al-Shāfī’ī in one form or another, whether musnad, mursal, or munqati’. (Ibn Kathīr in his Bidāyah 10:276 )
 Imām Al-Bayhaqī narrated: [From Al-Rabī’]: Al-Shāfi’ī was an ‘Arab in his soul and an Arab in his speech. If you had seen him and seen the beauty of his expression and eloquence you would have been awestruck. If he had authored his books in the way that he used to speak, no one would have been able to read them.” (Manāqib 1:19 )
 Bayhaqi narrated from Ibn Hisham: I was al-Shafi`i’s sitting-companion for a long time, and I never heard him use except a word which, carefully considered, one would not find (in its context) a better word in the entire Arabic language.
 Bayhaqi narrated from al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Za`farani: A group of edouins used to frequent al-Shafi`i’s gathering with us and sit in a corner. One day I asked their leader: “You are not interested in scholarship; why do you keep coming to sit with us?” They said: “We come to hear al-Shafi`i’s language.”
 At the age of fifteen, his knowledge was so thorough, Muslim Ibn Khalid Al-Zinji, the Mufti of Makkah, told him: “O Abu Abdullah, give fatawa (religious rulings), for by Allah it is time for you to do so!”
 Al-Karabissi, a famous scholar of the time of Al-Shafi’i said: “I have seen nothing nobler than Al-Shafi’i’s study sessions. People of hadith used to attend them as well as people of jurisprudence and poetry. Most of the well-known scholars in poetry and linguistics used to visit him, and they would listen to his discourse on all these disciplines.”
 Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, “Imām Ash-Shāfi’ī is a Hujjah (proof) in the language of Arabic!” (see Ibn Kathīr’s Tabaqāt Ash-Shāfi’yyīn )
 Yahyā ibn Sa’īd Al-Qattān said: “I supplicate Allah for al-Shāfi’ī even inside my prayer, while Imām Ahmad himself said he made du’ā’ for Imām Al-Shāfi’ī for forty years. ((Ibn Kathīr in his Bidayah as well as his Tabaqāt Ash-Shāfi’īyīn ))

Allah the Exalted knows best

May His Peace and Mercy forever be upon our beloved Messenger Muhammad, and upon his noble family and companions, one and all.

Sources & Further Reading:
 Intro to Al-Risalah of Imam al-Shafi’i; Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi.
 Intro to Minhaj al-Talibeen of Imam al-Nawawi; Dar al-Basha’ir al-Islamiyyah (contains a great discussion and explanation of Imam al-Nawawi’s legal terminology and their meanings)
 Manaqib al-Shafi’i (Virtues of the Imam) of Imam al-Bayhaqi; Maktabah Dar al-Turath
 Al-Madkhal fi Madhab al-Imam al-Shafi’i (Introduction to the Legal School of Imam al-Shafi’i); Dr. Yusuf Umar al-Qawasimi; Dar al-Nafa’is (contains useful information regarding the foundation, transmission and preservation of the Madhab)
 Reliance of the Traveller (contains much info regarding the Shafi’i School, eg. useful information regarding a description of the relied upon position of the school, etc.)
 Shafi’ifiqh.com (Contains a great biography of the Imam and other Shafi’i scholars. English quotes from scholars, general info. etc. taken from this site)
 The Four Imams and Their Schools; Dr. Gibril Haddad (Biographical information on the Imam and others. Many English quotes from the scholars, hadith rulings, etc. taken from this work)
 Ma’rifah al-Sunan wa al-Athar of Imam al-Bayhaqi; Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah.
 Al-Adhkar & Riyadh al-Saliheen of al-Nawawi’ (legal comments & chapter headings, etc.)
 Shafifiqh.wordpress.com (useful info. about the Shafi’i Madhab)
 Sh. Abdul-Karim Yahya, Farid Dingle and Mohamed Elcott (Qibla Academy for the Islamic Sciences; Intro to the following courses: Essentials of Islam (al-Risalah al-Jami’ah) & Introduction to Islamic Worship (al-Maqasid)

Sufyaan ath-thawri said, when asked about the verses commonly argued about in this regard, “The tafseer of these verses is SILENCE!”.. This is clearly tafweedh!!

Imam al-Nawawi in his classic, al-Maqasid, which every scholar under sun accepts as one of the most concise and disciplined works of Shafi’i fiqh includes a chapter called the principals of sufism.

Qal, says Imam al-Nawawi, ‘Wa usulu tasawwufi khamsatun – and the principals of tasawwuf are 5′

1. Taqwa llah fi s-siri wa l-’alaniya – to be consious of Allah in public and in private.

2. Living according to the Sunnah in word and deed. This state can be attained through caution and good character. Remember that the Prophet has informed us, “Haste is from the Shaitan.”

3.Indifference to whether others accept or reject us. This state can be attained through patience and entrusting our affairs with Allah.

4. Satisfaction with Allah, the Most High, in scarcity and plenty. This state can be attained through contentment with what one has and submission to the Will of Allah.

5. Turning to Allah in happiness and affliction. This state can be attained through having gratitude to Allah in happiness and taking refuge in Him in affection.

So was Imam Nawawi a devient as well? If so then majority are misguided while only Mustafa and his bandwagon remain on the straight path.

Whilst staying in Egypt, i encounted similar hostility by Muslim youth. One year they raged with anger screaming bida to those celebrating maulood. The next year they were angry at those not wanting to celebrate moulud’.

Salam,
Muhammad Allie Khalfe.