The christian missionary, who has quite the record of lying upon Islam, recently claimed that the aayaat and ahadith that seem anthropomorphic in nature were understood “literally” by Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the orthodox Sunnis.

Herein is a brief refutation and defense of Imam Ahmad put together by myself and CallingChristians:

Thanks to Abdur-Rahman Khattab and those who assisted in this endeavor. I have a feeling we are going to have to make the effort to refute him further, with more detail from the orthodox understanding. May Allah guide him and us aameen!

It is interesting to note that the pseudo-salafis of our age, in their darkness and evil, refuse to be called “Wahhabis”. They take offense and even go to extremes in defending their innovated title of “salafi” over the ascription of others who call them “wahhabis”.

However, Bin Baz, their arch Imam in evil, anthropomorphism, treachery of the Muslims by releasing his fatwa that allowed the land of the sacred ka’abah – a land in which our very Prophet Muhammad still is alive within His grave, ‘alayhis salat wa salam, – to be inhabited by an army that defends the very emblems of economic tyranny through cursed usury, political oppression, imperialism,  called the wahhabis all sorts of wonderful names:

وليست الوهابية حسب تعبير الكاتب بدعاً في إنكار مثل هذه الأمور البدعية، بل عقيدة الوهابية: هي التمسك بكتاب الله وسنة رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم، والسير على هديه، وهدي خلفائه الراشدين، والتابعين لهم بإحسان، وما كان عليه السلف الصالح، وأئمة الدين والهدى، أهل الفقه والفتوى في باب معرفة الله، وإثبات صفات كماله ونعوت جلاله

“… Rather! The creed of the wahhabiyya is holding fast with the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, traversing upon His guidance, and the guidance of his rightly guided Caliphs, and those who follow them in good, and whatever the righteous forefathers were upon, and whatever the Imams of the Religions were upon, and the people of fiqh and fatwa in regards the gnosis of Allah, and affirming the attributes of Allah etc etc etc….”

All lies, but the point here is that he clearly professes the “Creed of the Wahabiyyah!”

Source the very site of binbaz in Saudi Arabia: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/8159

May Allah guide the Wahhabiyyah back to the pure Sunnah, the way of the righteous forefathers, and the Imams of the Muslims! May Allah allow their da’wah of evil to be overthrown, their plague removed, and the Sunni orthodoxy once again to gain control of the two Harams! Aameen!

http://thewahhabithreat.wordpress.com/

May Allah aide them in their efforts to remove this cancer from our Ummah Amin!

Have a look and read!

was-salam

SeekingIlm.com

Taken from Shafifiqh.com:

Salamu ‘alaykum all,

Shafi’i Institute | Shafifiqh.com will be broadcasting online with Shaykh Abdur Rahman Khan – graduate of Dar Al Ulum Al Arabiyyah wal Islamiyyah and teacher of Mughni Al-Muhtaj since 2006 – a seven week course on Fiqh Al-Manhaji of Drs. Mustafa Bugha, Mustafa Alkhin, and ‘Ali Ash-Sharjabi. This course will cover the first chapter of Taharah (ritual purification) in English and will cover the proofs of the school for the views expressed of the Shafi’i madhhab. Topics such aswudu‘, najasat, and other sub categories (furu‘) will be discussed. There will be time for questions and answers insha’allah. The course will be starting Nov. 12th 2011 and conveniently held every Saturday after at 10pm +2 GMT. The fee is $50USD, however if someone is unable to pay the amount, we offer financial aid. All money goes to paying the ‘Ulama‘ here at Shafifiqh.com as well all the overhead costs of the course.

If you would like to attend the online course follow the instructions here: http://shafiifiqh.com/course-application/

If you would like to donate to support this cause please do: http://www.shafifiqh.com/donate

We hope to see you in class insha’Allah!

The Shafi’i Institute team

Translated by the wonderful brothers at Al-Ma’rifah!

Click Here

• We should look for excuses for Muslims
• Swearing by the Nabi ‘alayhis salam and the Ka’bah are held permitted by many as stated by Ibn Mundhir as the “intent is extolling Allah and drawing near to Him, these do not fall under the prohibition.”
• Discusses that Tawaf falls under Makruh or Haram and the majority say Haraam, clarifying that Shirk and kufr do not fall into the matter unless belief that the dead person is co-equal with Allah is manifested.

Shaykh Shukrī was born in the Al-Qanawāt District of Damascus, Syria in 1920 CE (1338 H). He grew up in the care of both his parents. His father worked as a shoemaker and was a wise and extremely tolerant man. His mother was a pious woman descended from Algerians who settled in the Levant (al-Shām). His family originated from the Turkish city of Kalas, near Aleppo.

Shaykh Shukrī completed his primary and junior high school education in 1944, and then completed his high school education four years later. He began memorizing the Qur’ān when he was nine years old. He continued his Islamic studies at the Faculty of Sharī’a in the Damascus University established by Shaykh Tāj al-Dīn al-Hasanī, son of the great Muhaddith, Shaykh Badr al-Dīn al-Hasanī, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Shaykh Shukrī worked as a teacher in various primary schools located in Aleppo, Daraa and Damascus. He also served as the principal of a school in the Ashrafiyya Valley of Damascus for a period of two years after which he was transferred to various different education directorates within Syria.

Shaykh Shukrī is fluent in Persian (Farsi) and even taught it. He organized courses for memorizing the Qur’ān for both male and female teachers. Students also benefited greatly from his experience and proficiency in Arabic calligraphy. Among his teachers in Arabic calligraphy were: Ustādh Mamdūh al-Sharīf (d. 1935), Ustādh Muhammad Badawī al-Dirānī (d. 1967) and Ustādh Hilmī Habbāb (d. 2000), may Allah have mercy on their souls.

Shaykh Shukrī married a sharīfa from the noble Al-Hasanī family and was blessed with four children. He went for the Hajj only once.

His Teachers in the Islamic Sciences

Shaykh Shukrī read the Ten Qira’āt in the way of Shātibiyya and Durra with Shaykh Yūsuf Abū Dayl, may Allah be pleased with him, and received the ijāza from Shaykh Abū al-Hasan al-Kurdī (d. 2009), may Allah be pleased with him. He also received the ijāza of the Ten Qira’at in the way of Shātibiyya and Durra from Shaykh Kurayyim Rājih, may Allah preserve him. He memorized the entire Qur’ān with Shaykh ‘Izz al-Dīn al-’Irqsūsī, may Allah be pleased with him, and was given the ijāza of the riwāya of Hafs from ‘Āsim. He read the Arba’īn of Imām al-Nawāwī with Shaykh Abū al-Khayr al-Maydānī (d. 1960), may Allah be pleased with him, and was given a general ijāza. He also received a general ijāza from Shaykh Lutfī al-Fayūmī, may Allah be pleased with him. He read Fiqh and the Arabic language with Shaykh Mahmūd al-Rankūsī (d. 1985), may Allah be pleased with him. He read Tawhīd with Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Shāghūrī, may Allah be pleased with him. He read Hanafī Fiqh with Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hamīd Kīwan, may Allah be pleased with him. He took Tasawwuf from the hands of Shaykh Muhammad al-Hāshimī (d. 1961) when he was still at a young age.

His Character

Shaykh Shukrī is an esteemed ‘ālim, though more known for his humility, gentleness and asceticism. It has been said that he is the embodiment of Shaykh Muhammad al-Hāshimī, may Allah be pleased with him, who, when alive, was the most humble ‘ālim in Damascus. Since the time of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Shāghūrī, may Allah be pleased with him, Shaykh Shukrī has always been seen serving water to the attendees of the Shādhilī Hadras. He still does that to this day even when he is the Shaykh of the majlis.

He has also been seen picking up scraps of food in the market and arranging shoes in front of mosques, something which Shaykh Muhammad al-Hāshimī was famous for. He has the habit of constantly looking down towards the ground so much so that his neck bone has become crooked. He has also never been seen wearing more than two or three different types of clothing, and once, he only broke his fast with raisins when he did a 40 day fast.

Shaykh Muhammad al-Ya’qūbī, may Allah preserve him, has said that Shaykh Shukrī is ‘The Pole of Humility’ (Qutb al-Tawādhu’), while Shaykh Tawfīq al-Būtī, son of Shaykh Ramadhān al-Būtī, may Allah preserve them both, said that ‘If you want to see a living example of the Companions, look at Shaykh Shukrī!”

May Allah preserve our beloved Shaykh and bless him in both worlds. Amin.

By Abu Isma’il and checked and corrected by Abu Layth ibn ‘Ata

Taken from: http://www.hayrah.net/the-guide/

There are several amazing jewels in this discourse that I took away from this lecture, and feel free to add what you like in the comments:

• The recognition of Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, T.J. Winters, as the Ghazali of the west. There is no doubt in my mind, after hearing his multitude of lectures and listening to his deep insight, that Shaykh Abdal Hakim has a strong command of the sciences, and he has achieved this – as Shaykh Habib is pointing out – through his mastery of the Ihya Ulum Ad-Din!
• The Shaykh clearly uses the Sunni Imams – particularly Imam Ahmad – for the solidification of weak hadith as a source of benefit and meritorious acts and – regarding Imam Ahmad – as a source of fiqh when there is nothing authentic related regarding a fiqh issue. He also refers the student to the agreeable words of Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr Al-’Asqalani, Ibn As-Salah in his Muqaddimah, Imam As-Suyuti in Tadrib Ar-Rawi, Imam An-Nawawi in his introduction to his Al-Adhkaar. He states clearly that the scholars of hadith – the vast majority [jumhur] of them hold this to be the case.
•  I should point out that regarding the hadith which Shaykh Habib – a Shafi’i – is alluding to regarding the measure of water being a qullatayn and not carrying najasah with it, that the translator does not translate his words precisely – which he is certainly excused for. The shaykh says – and note his mastery of the nomenclature of the Ulum Al-Hadith – that this chain is mutakallim fihi, i.e. that there is scholarly debate regarding the authenticity of this narration. He then goes to say that what is – in his opinion – the closer view to the truth [aqrab] is that it has weakness [note he did not call it da’if absolutely, but that its weakness is closer to truth.
• Another point the Shaykh correctly makes is that in no chapter of the Ihya does Imam Al-Ghazali make his point or argument by only weak hadith, but that he always uses ayaat from the Qur’an or rigorously authentic (sahih) hadith to prove his point, adding along with it weak hadith.

Lesson in Adab: The Shaykh points out that Hafith Al-’Iraqi – the master of Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalani – when doing his takhrij (research and commentary regarding the hadith quoted in the Ihya) would say – and this is known only to one who has delved into the works takhrij – ‘I could not find this hadith‘. In other words, ‘Iraqi would not bash and degrade the hadith being quoted as fabricated or even weak  ’having no source for it’ as the extremist polluters of the religion the pseudo-salafis and their ilk do, but he would simply admit that he did not know of the source of the hadith – which is an incredibly gentle way of saying there is not an isnaad (chain) that I have found for this hadith, but it may exist so I should have enough humility to say it like it is.

In fairness, some of the pseudo-salafis do say that they ‘can’t find‘ a hadith or a biography for a reporter, but interestingly enough, when they do say such they immediately conclude that the athar or hadith is weak, unlike Hafith Al-’Iraqi and the masters of the past. I recently came upon a horrid example of this regarding the very authentic words of Imam Ash-Shafi’i ‘There are two types of Bida’ah’. Halabi and Hilali, two pseudo-salafi Albanites who have polluted the works of the scholars with their immense ignorance of hadith, claimed that Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Fadl As-Sayrafi was unknown because they could ‘not find a biography for him‘! Lo and Behold, beloved ummah of Prophet Muhammad, an ignorant non-scholar – myself – found his biography in less than 5 minutes of simple research! You can read the research and the refutation of them here with the scans and the references! This is an example of the treachery in abandoning the tradition of the traditionists!

The extremists that Shaykh Habib Ali Jifri, qaddasa Allahu sirruh, refers to in this discourse are in fact the so-called “salafis” who have polluted Sunni works with their blatant lies and manipulations for the past 150 years – unless you include Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab in their cult and then you have to add about another 300. May Allah bless the Sunni ‘Ulama’ for their defense of the tradition as it is attacked by the pseudo-salafis and the modernists of this era amin!

Part 1:

http://youtu.be/GI7RUARO4_Q

Part 2:

http://youtu.be/SW-CkASfNvg

Part 3:

http://youtu.be/N44rAa5tuZ4

*This is an open letter so all may benefit*

Dear beloved Sidi Zachary [and all of those who seek to benefit from the following],

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin for the immense grace of our Lord upon us. We thank Allah, the exalted, for placing the light of faith within us, and allowing us all to see and act upon the light of Ihsan. We also thank Allah for His immense grace in allowing us to have a Shaykh who loves the Sunnah of our beloved Master Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam). He has instructed us that the best of the adhkar are those reported in the Al-Adhkar of Imam An-Nawawi. Thus, here is the du’aa I was sharing with you in the car the other day. It is the du’aa that I told you has transformed much of my inner and outward sight. It is my favorite du’aa and I hope that it becomes one of your most beloved as well.

Some time ago I was going through the Adhkar of Imam An-Nawawi, reviewing some of the supplications and litanies reported from the Prophet Muhammad on certain occasions. I came across the following hadith:

Click Image to Make Larger

This du’aa comes from a longer hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (radiya Allah anhu) though summarized here by Imam An-Nawawi only to inform the aspirant of the du’aa of the Prophet Muhammad (saaws) when he went towards the masjid. He would say [transliteration and translation are mine obviously],

Allahumma Aja’l fī Qalbī Nūrā, wa fī lisānī nūrā, waj’al fī sam’ī nūrā, waj’al fī baṣrī nūrā, waj’al min khalfī nūrā, wa min Amāmī nūrā, waj’al min fawqī nūrā, wa min taḥtī nūrā, Allahumma ‘A’ṭīnī nūrā.

[ ’ = 'ayn ع whereas ‘ is Alif with a hamza أ]

“Oh Allah! Place (or make) within my heart radiant light, and upon my tongue radiant light, and within my hearing radiant light, and within my sight radiant light, and place radiant light behind me, and place in front of me radiant light, and place above me radiant light, and [place] below me radiant light! Oh Allah! Give me radiant light!” [Reported in Sahih Muslim]

Here is an audio recording of this powerful du’aa done by myself – apologies for poor audio quality – for those who need to hear it: Du’aa of going towards the Masjid

What is meant by “Nur“, or radiant light in this du’aa? Well the actual meaning, according to the masters of the art/science of Tasawwuf generally state that the meaning of Nur is relative to its context. Imam Al-Haddad was asked a question regarding the multiple meanings of “Light” and he simply referred the questioner to Imam Al-Ghazzali’s “The Niche of Lights”. [See Imam Al-Haddad's "The Sublime Treasures; Answers to Sufi Questions" translated by Mostafa Al-Badawi and Published by Fons Vitae page 156.] and so we do so as well.

What there is certainty about is that “Nur” (light) is an attribute of Allah – The Light [An-Nur], as Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Allah is the Light (Nur) of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.” [24:35]

[Read Ibn 'Ajibah's tafsir for further elucidation on this point, apologies for no English translation]

As stated before, from an anecdotal perspective, I found that this du’aa has illumined my life in ways I would have never imagined. It is for this reason, as well as the reason of sharing the blessed tradition of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) that I share this du’aa with you. I ask The Light of the Heavens and the Earth to illumine your heart, mind, and limbs with this noble du’aa.