Sunni vs. Qadiani

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا خاتم النبيين

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

My master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, predicted that division would occur in his Ummah such that it would fragment into seventy-three sects. Seventy-two of them are in the Fire while one is the Saved Sect. He explained that the Saved Sect is that which is upon what he and his companions are upon and that they are the Jama'ah. Naturally, the Saved Sect of Islam is therefore that which has been continuously existing since the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his companions till the present including every era in between. It is illogical and false to claim that the true Islam was only understood in modern times and that it was nonexistent in every era prior to ours. The Qadiani sect, founded by the false prophet and antichrist Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, was established in 1889:

The Qadianis, who call themselves "Ahmadiyyah Movement in Islam" claim that they are the Saved Sect of Islam and all the other Muslim sects that oppose them are in the Fire. But ask these Qadianis which sect of Islam was the saved one prior to the establishment of their Ahmadiyyah Movement in 1889 and they will be stumped. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad himself was born into a Sunni Muslim family. His father, Mirza Ghulam Murtaza, his grandfather, Mirza Gul Muhammad, his great grandfather, Mirza Ata Muhammad, his great great grandfather Mirza Faiz Muhammad, and all his Barlas Mughal ancestors were Sunni Muslims like the overwhelming and vast majority of the Ummah in all eras since its inception through the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad himself said:

غرض وہ تمام امور جن پر سلف صالحین کو اعتقادی اور عملی طور پر اجماع تھا اور وہ امور جو اہل سنّت کی اجماعی راےٴ سے اسلام کہلاتے ہیں اُن سب کا ماننا فرض ہے

It is obligatory to believe in all those matters upon which the pious Salaf had consensus over, in creed and deed, and those matters which through the unanimous opinion of Ahli Sunnat are called Islam (Ruhani Khazain, v.14, p.323)

Evil of the Desert Arabs (UAE, KSA)

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

‌السَّلَامُ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌أَيُّهَا ‌النَّبِيُّ ‌وَرَحْمَةُ ‌اللهِ ‌وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace be upon you, you who are the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing

Concerning the desert Arabs, Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

اَلۡاَعۡرَابُ اَشَدُّ کُفۡرًا وَّنِفَاقًا وَّاَجۡدَرُ اَلَّا یَعۡلَمُوۡا حُدُوۡدَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ عَلٰی رَسُوۡلِہٖ ؕ وَاللّٰہُ عَلِیۡمٌ حَکِیۡمٌ

The desert Arabs are severest in unbelief and hypocrisy and least likely to know the limits sent down by Allah upon His Apostle. And Allah is knowing, wise

(Surah 9, Ayah 97)

وَمِمَّنۡ حَوۡلَکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡاَعۡرَابِ مُنٰفِقُوۡنَ

And of the desert Arabs around you are hypocrites

(Surah 9, Ayah 101)

یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ بِاَلۡسِنَتِہِمۡ مَّا لَیۡسَ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ

They say with their tongues that which is not in their hearts

(Surah 48, Ayah 11)

قَالَتِ الۡاَعۡرَابُ اٰمَنَّا ؕ قُلۡ لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡا وَلٰکِنۡ قُوۡلُوۡۤا اَسۡلَمۡنَا وَلَمَّا یَدۡخُلِ الۡاِیۡمَانُ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِکُمۡ

The desert Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, “You have not believed but say 'We have accepted Islam' for Faith has not yet entered into your hearts.”

(Surah 49, Ayah 14)

Allah has made it plain that the desert Arabs are, generally speaking, a negative element within the broader Ummah and behave in a way that is hypocritical and ignorant. Like the Jews, they bear the stain of their ancestors who bitterly opposed the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم

For much of Muslim history the desert Arabs and Bedouins remained in a state of ignorance, not bothering to observe the basic laws or moral teachings of Islam. This is why Allah says they are least likely to know the Hudud or limits prescribed by Him which He revealed upon the pure heart of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم

This divine statement applies to both the two polar extremes the desert Arabs are known for. On one hand while these desert Arabs are sometimes totally negligent of observing even the basic teachings of Islam such as praying, fasting, and turning away from the major sins, at other times they have been the principal composition of the various Kharijite factions. Those desert dwelling Kharijite extremists also disregard the Hudud by spilling the blood of the Muslims so casually and raising the sword against the accepted Islamic authorities and the State. Closer to our time, the desert Arabs of Najd became the shock troops of the Wahhabi-Sa'udi tribulation, which may be characterized as a neo-Kharijite tendency responsible for causing much strife in Arabia and its surrounding countries.

Allah says the desert Arabs are the severest in hypocrisy. This begins to explain why there are actually Bedouins serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and why the UAE and Bahrain recently allied themselves with the evil “State of Israel” under the outrageous “Abraham Accords” while the Zionists are determined to ethnically cleanse Palestine of Muslims. The Emiratis act hypocritically with regard to the ongoing conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Somalia too. They actively back the genocidal RSF in Sudan which has committed unimaginable atrocities against Muslims in Darfur, and are backing the STC Marxists in Yemen to secularize and divide that great country. Shockingly, the Emiratis have been exposed for funding the most heinous Islamophobic campaign in Europe, thereby harming the Muslims. They have opened idolatrous Hindu mega temples in the UAE, while encouraging the Hindutva forces in India whose main target are the Muslims. The hypocritical behavior and Satanic misdeeds of the Emiratis and Saudis is precisely revealed in the Holy Quran. Their betrayal of Palestine and Al-Quds is unforgivable.

Stick to the Jama'ah of the Muslims and their Imam

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

‌السَّلَامُ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌أَيُّهَا ‌النَّبِيُّ ‌وَرَحْمَةُ ‌اللهِ ‌وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace be upon you, you who are the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing

Previously, I mentioned the violent tendency of Quran-only or more fittingly Hadith-rejecting sects like the Yan Tatsine cult in Nigeria. The Yan Tatsine have now evolved into what is referred to as the Kala Kato movement. In December 2009, in Bauchi, Kala Kato members went on a rampage of killing. Their leader, Badamasi, was killed during these riots in which at least 38 people also lost their lives. We mainstream and orthodox Sunni Muslims must beware of the Quran-only movement in particular. It is an extreme heresy that has much potential for violence directed at the Ummah. The various Muslim states and governments of the world should proscribe any organization or group that has left Sunni orthodoxy and calls toward “Quranism”. These groups tend to view mainstream Sunni Muslims as polytheists and apostates and engage in much antisocial behavior. Although the original Kharijites were technically not a Quran-only movement, they rejected many established practices and doctrines from the Sunnah and so in a sense are the forebears of today's Hadith-rejecting sects. Likewise, the Wahhabis of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab may be characterized as a neo-Kharijite tendency. They share a disdain for mainstream Sunni Islam and Sunni Muslims with Quranists. And like the extreme Quranists (Yan Tatsine and Kala Kato), the Wahhabis have a history of violence and bloodshed directly inwardly to the Ummah. Terrorist factions like Al-Qaeda and ISIS are heavily influenced by the original Wahhabism of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his followers, whereas that ideology was somewhat watered down by the present Saudi Kingdom under King Abd al-Aziz (d. 1953).

During Algeria's civil war in the 1990s, an extremely violent and brutal neo-Kharijite faction called the Armed Islamic Group or GIA, made mass-Takfir of Algerian society and on the basis carried out horrific massacres of ordinary civilians. Antar Zouabri was the leader of this faction from 1996 until he was killed in a shootout in 2002. The GIA had gone on a rampage in Algeria to such an extent that rival Salafi Jihadist groups accused it of being infiltrated by Algerian security and intelligence forces so as to destroy the credibility of the rebellion in general.

Another tendency that began in the late 20^th century was the establishment of organizations under the name Jama'at al-Muslimin, apparently with reference to the Hadith:

تَلْزَمُ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِمَامَهُمْ

Stick to the Jama'ah [congregation] of the Muslims and their Imam

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

A former Salafi in Pakistan, Mas'ud Ahmad, BSc., founded a sect which he named Jama'at al-Muslimin in Karachi in 1962. He declared himself the Imam and Amir of this group, which views all other Muslims outside of it to be unbelievers. Although the group is non-violent (for the moment) its takfiri ideology and separation from the main body of the Muslims is concerning. Another group that was based in London, UK, also called itself Jama'at al-Muslimin and was led by an individual known as Muhammad al-Rifa'i. A third group branding itself Jama'at al-Muslimin was led by one Yasin Abu Bakr, based in Trinidad. This sect attempted to violently overthrow the Trinidadian government in 1990. But we shall see how merely naming one's organization Jama'at al-Muslimin does not make it the one intended in the Hadith quoted above. The true meaning of the Hadith is to stick with the main body of the Muslims and not to separate from it by joining schismatic sects and offshoots. Therefore, the real Jama'at al-Muslimin is not a registered organization but the worldwide community of mainstream Sunni Muslims, known as Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. As for the Imam of this Jama'ah, after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passed away it was Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, then Ali رضى الله عنهم

During the Caliphate of Mawla Ali كرم الله وجهه there was a tragically division and civil war within the Ummah. According to this Hadith the Muslims were instructed to stick to the main body of the Muslims and their Imam, which was Mawla Ali رضى الله عنه

Mawla Ali رضى الله عنه was martyred and succeeded to the Imamate by his son al-Hasan رضى الله عنه who reconciled with the opposing party of Mu'awiyah رضى الله عنه

As part of that reconciliation, Imam Hasan رضى الله عنه surrendered his claim to the Caliphate and Mu'awiyah became the ruler of all the Muslims.

Hudayfah bin al-Yaman رضى الله عنه asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم what the Muslims should do in the event there is no Jama'ah or Imam, to which he عليه السلام replied:

فَاعْتَزِلْ تِلْكَ الْفِرَقَ كُلَّهَا وَلَوْ أَنْ تَعَضَّ بِأَصْلِ شَجَرَةٍ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَكَ الْمَوْتُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ

Then withdraw from all those sects, even if you have to bite on to the root of a tree and death overtakes you while you are in that state (Sahih al-Bukhari)

This Hadith has been woefully misinterpreted and wrongly applied by the non-Sunni schismatics especially the Qadianis, Isma'ilis and those groups branding themselves Jama'at al-Muslimin.

While the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used the word Imam when he said “Stick to the Jama'ah of the Muslims and their Imam” the meaning is to remain in obedience to whoever the Muslim ruler is in the land one resides in. The title of Imam may not be applied to every Muslim ruler, for it may only apply to a ruler who is just and righteous. But the Prophet عليه السلام used the word Imam because the immediate Muslim rulers who succeeded him were certainly Imams. Thus when Hudayfah رضى الله عنه asked about a scenario in which there is no Imam what he intended was a scenario of anarchy due to civil wars and chaos when it is unclear who the ruler is or when the State has collapsed. In such a frightening scenario the Muslims are instructed to avoid joining any of the various armed factions that are vying for power even if it means they have to flee to the wilderness. In this Hadith the term Jama'ah does not refer to an organization but the Muslim community whose majority naturally recognizes the authority of the State and the ruler. The non-Sunni schismatics wrongly teach that the Hadith means Muslims must join one of their many fringe organizations because the Ummah as a whole does not have a single Imam ruling them today.

Qadianis Make Takfir of Muslims

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

Prayers and peace upon you, my master, Apostle of Allah

In 1974, Pakistan’s National Assembly declared Ahmadis/Qadianis non-Muslims. Ever since, Qadianis have been arguing that no Earthly council is authorized to determine who is and who isn’t a Muslim. They attempt to deceive ordinary Muslims by saying that they recognize all other sects as legitimately Muslim and within the circle of Islam. The reality, however, is that Qadianis consider all Muslims who reject the false prophet and antichrist Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian to be infidels. Hence, Mirza Bashir Ahmad, one of the sons of the false prophet, wrote:

ہر ایک ایسا شخص جو موسٰیؑ کو تو مانتا ہے مگر عیسٰیؑ کو نہیں مانتا یا عیسٰیؑ  کو مانتا ہے مگر محمدؐ کو نہیں مانتا اور یا محمدؐ کو مانتا ہے پر مسیح موعودؑ کو نہیں مانتا وہ نہ صرف کافر بلکہ پکا کافر اور دائرہ اسلام سے خارج  ہے

Every person who believes in Moses but does not believe in Jesus, or believes in Jesus but does not believe in Muhammad, or believes in Muhammad but does not believe in the Promised Messiah is not merely an unbeliever but a confirmed unbeliever and expelled from the circle of Islam (Kalimat-ul-Fasl, p.110) 

Tree of Mount Sinai (23:20)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا خاتم النبيين

Prayers and peace upon you, Seal of the Prophets

وَشَجَرَۃً تَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ طُوۡرِ سَیۡنَآءَ تَنۡۢبُتُ بِالدُّہۡنِ وَصِبۡغٍ لِّلۡاٰکِلِیۡنَ 

And a tree which springs forth from Mount Sinai; it produces oil and a sauce for those who eat

(Surah 23, Ayah 20)

The Mufassirin interpret the tree which springs forth from Mount Sinai literally, usually identifying it as the olive tree. But the specific mention of Mount Sinai compels one to reflect deeper on the meaning of this tree. Mount Sinai is of course the location from where Moses went into communion with God and received from Him the Tablets and the Torah. That was a momental moment in history that forever changed the course of humanity. It seems odd that Allah would mention the favor of olive oil—not to belittle its benefit—when His favor of a Scripture containing a divine law and guidance is undoubtedly so much greater. Therefore, should we not understand the oil and sauce being produced from the tree that sprung forth from Mount Sinai as referring to the fruits of law and morals that remain the basis of Islam from which the Believers eat?

Allah says,

وَطُوۡرِ سِیۡنِیۡنَ

وَہٰذَا الۡبَلَدِ الۡاَمِیۡنِ

And Mount Sinai

And this safe City

(Surah 95, Ayat 2-3)

Al-Balad al-Amin is universally understood to mean Mecca. It could be as though Allah is saying “Mount Sinai, and that is this safe land (Mecca)”. Most Muslims, along with Jews and Christians, locate Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula, situated in modern-day Egypt. However, there is a theory worthy of consideration postulating that Mount Sinai is actually somewhere in Arabia. Paul of Tarsus explicitly states that Mount Sinai is in Arabia (Galatians 4:25). Moses sought refuge in Midian when he fled Egypt after manslaughtering an Egyptian. Midian was generally in the lands of northeast Arabia adjacent to the Sinai Peninsula. While I personally continue to believe that Mount Sinai is that mount historically identified as such in the Sinai Peninsula, upon which today stands a small Musalla and a Christian chapel, the idea that Mount Sinai is somewhere in modern-day Saudi Arabia should not be so casually dismissed.

But what if Mount Sinai is actually deeper into Arabia, and is in fact none other than Jabal al-Nur, the Mount of Light, in Mecca upon which the Angel Gabriel first appeared to the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم

It would certainly be another remarkable similarity between the two Prophets Moses and Muhammad عليهما السلام

Status of the Talmud in Islam

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

‌السَّلَامُ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌أَيُّهَا ‌النَّبِيُّ ‌وَرَحْمَةُ ‌اللهِ ‌وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace be upon you, you who are the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing

Allah says,

فَقَدۡ اٰتَیۡنَاۤ اٰلَ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ الۡکِتٰبَ وَالۡحِکۡمَۃَ وَاٰتَیۡنٰہُمۡ مُّلۡکًا عَظِیۡمًا

Surely, We gave the Family of Abraham the Scripture and the Wisdom and We gave them a great kingdom

(Surah 4, Ayah 54)

Allah Most High gave the Torah to Prophet Moses عليه السلام at Mount Sinai. It was the Scripture, a written text. But He also gave him the Hikmah or “wisdom”, an unwritten teaching which the Jews refer to as the Oral Torah. The Talmud preserves much of the Oral Torah. Some Muslims have mistakenly swallowed a Christian narrative that the Talmud is a fabrication of the Rabbis and there is nothing in it that is divine, even referring to it as “Satanic”. Undoubtedly there is content in the Talmud that is objectionable from an Islamic perspective, especially what the Rabbis have said about the Messiah Jesus عليه السلام

However, much of what the Talmud says is remarkably similar to what is said in the Quran and Sunnah. I believe that Talmudic content in accordance with Islamic teaching and theology is originally from God and that the Rabbinic narrative concerning the Oral Torah is ultimately true. Some Jewish sects denied the Oral Torah, such as the Sadducees and modern-day Karaites. Their heresy is similar to the “Quran-only” movement that appeared in the 20^th century. These sola scriptura heretics, commonly known as Hadith-rejecters, are easily refuted by the conjunction of the Hikmah with the Kitab in many passages of the Quran. In other words, Allah has said that He gives something additional to the Scripture, namely, the Wisdom, its compliment or supplement. One of the orthodox Sunni beliefs which the Quran-only movement tend to reject is the doctrine of the Punishment of the Grave. While there are indications of it in the Quran, it is clearly spelled out in the Hadith. A Jewess once told the Prophet's wife, our mother A'ishah رضى الله عنها

أَعَاذَكِ اللهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ‏

that is “Allah grant you refuge from the punishment of the grave”. When our Mother A'ishah رضى الله عنها asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم concerning this which she had hitherto been unaware of he صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم affirmed it. However, the Punishment of the Grave is not explicitly affirmed in the Torah or the other Scriptures, but it is found in the Talmud:

קָשָׁה רִימָּה לַמֵּת כְּמַחַט בַּבָּשָׂר הַחַי

The maggots that eat the flesh of the deceased are as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living (Shabbat 152a)

The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم taught something similar when he said:

كَسْرُ عَظْمِ الْمَيِّتِ كَكَسْرِهِ حَيًّا

Breaking the bone of the deceased is like breaking the bone of one who is alive (Sunan Abi Dawud)

The Talmud speaks of the practice of fasting on Monday and Thursday (Taanit 12a), which was regularly observed by the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسِ وَالاِثْنَيْنِ مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى

The Apostle of Allah, peace be upon him, would fast three days of the month; Monday, Thursday and the Monday of the next week (Sunan Abi Dawud)

Among Orthodox Jews, this is a custom they call Behab—an acronym that refers to fasting on Monday, Thursday and then the next Monday of the month, although it is today rarely observed by them.

False Mahdi: Ahmad bin Abi Mahalli

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

‌السَّلَامُ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌أَيُّهَا ‌النَّبِيُّ ‌وَرَحْمَةُ ‌اللهِ ‌وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace be upon you, you who are the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing

The false mahdi Ahmad bin Abi Mahalli arose in the early 17^th century CE in modern day Morocco. Proclaiming himself the Mahdi, he led a short lived uprising against the Saadi dynasty. Although coming from an apparently orthodox Sunni background, associated with Sufism and the Maliki school, Ibn Abi Mahalli turned against his Sufi elders and went astray. It appears he engaged in some kind of soothsaying, claiming that he would become a Sultan. Having made this prediction while moving or shaking in a gathering of fuqara (devout ascetics), a faqir in a corner of the gathering was apparently inspired through the Holy Spirit, moving and shaking proclaimed that such a “sultanate” would endure for three years less than four:

وفي يوم آخر وقع للفقراء سماع فتحرك وجعل يقول أنا سلطان فتحرك فقير أخر في ناحية وجعل يقول ثلاث سنين غير ربع وهذه هي مدة ملكه

(al-Muhadarat fil-Adab wal-Lughah lil-Hasan al-Yusi, Dar al-Gharb al-Islami, p.262)

This inspired prophecy of a Muslim ascetic was indeed fulfilled. After the Muslims surrendered Larache to the Spaniards in 1610, Ibn Abi Mahalli initiated his uprising and proclaimed himself the Mahdi, but was defeated and killed by the Saadids in 1613: “In the person of Ibn Abi Mahalli (1559-1613), the millenarian dynamic in Morocco achieved its full tragic purity, for in this case the cause of revolution, instead of triumphing as it had among the Almohads and the Sa'dids, was bloodily suppressed. Born in Sidjilmassa into a family of scholars and trained in Fez by Sufi masters, Ibn Abi Mahalli became one of the closest disciples of 'Abd al-Qadir Abi Samha, a holy man revered in the desert of western Algeria under the name of Sidi Shaykh. In 1602, however, the two men had an irreparable falling out, with Ibn Abi Mahalli angrily denouncing Sidi Shaykh as an imposter (dajjâl), a term by now famously associated with the Antichrist. In addition to attacking his former teacher, whom he accused of reprehensible innovations in doctrine, Ibn Abi Mahalli castigated the Sa'did dynasty for what he saw as its lax attitude toward the Spanish. He drew an apocalyptic picture of Christianity as a monstrous and insatiable beast having two heads—Malta and Oran, the staging points for raids against Islamic lands—and, by railing against the Antichrist of Shallala and encouraging millenarian apprehensions of conquest by the infidel, hinted that he himself might be the Mahdi. He also cast opprobrium on the mahdis who had previously appeared in the Maghrib, charging the Fatimids with Zoroastrianism and dismissing the Almohads as mere illusionists. The surrender of Larash to the Spanish in 1610 presented Ibn Abi Mahalli with the opportunity he had been seeking. Proclaiming himself the Mahdi at Sidjilmassa, he marched on Marrakesh, which soon opened its gates to his forces. But the Sa'did counterattack in 1613 was unrelenting and merciless. Ibn Abi Mahalli was killed by enemy fire, and his followers, having seen their faith in his invincibility disproved, fled in panic. The head of Ibn Abi Mahalli was hung from the ramparts of Marrakesh, until it finally disintegrated. A part of the population in the south of Morocco nevertheless refused to accept his death, believing instead that the Mahdi had hidden himself from public view.” (Apocalypse in Islam, University of California Press, 2011, pp.61-62)

It is noteworthy that Ahmad bin Abi Mahalli did not fulfill any of the principal prophecies concerning the expected Mahdi, such as being a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم or obtaining the pledge of allegiance between the Rukn and the Maqam in Masjid al-Haram after which an army intending to attack him is miraculously destroyed by the earth sinking beneath their feet while marching toward Mecca. Sunni Muslims should beware of figures who are ideologically inclined toward violent insurrection against the State and proclaim themselves the Mahdi in order to obtain a religious coloring and cause excitement among the people. The true Mahdi will have no intention of revolt or overthrowing the State before he is recognized as the Mahdi and forcibly given the pledge of allegiance in Masjid al-Haram. His declaration of being the Mahdi will not be unilateral; he will first be recognized as the Mahdi by the saints and scholars who will come to him and inform him of this. It is also noteworthy that Ibn Abi Mahalli disregarded and in fact bitterly opposed his own Sufi elders and teachers. That was undoubtedly the beginning of his misguidance and his journey to the dark side. It may be said that the failed Mahdist adventure of Ibn Abi Mahalli was an echo of the earlier heretic and pretender Ibn Tumart in the same region of North Africa.

Majlis e Ahrar Disillusioned with Islam

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

‌السَّلَامُ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌أَيُّهَا ‌النَّبِيُّ ‌وَرَحْمَةُ ‌اللهِ ‌وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace be upon you, you who are the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing

Parties masquerading as Islamic during the British rule of India opposed the establishment of Pakistan. In reality these were heavily attracted to socialism, a foreign, European ideology that is totally at odds with Islam. One such faction is the Majlis Ahrar. Though relatively inactive today, int the past it was a popular party among the Muslims of Punjab in particular. The intellectual of this party, Chaudhry Afzal Haq, explained that the Majlis Ahrar is in fact disillusioned with the religion of Islam:

مگر یہ کون لوگ ہیں؟ وہی جن کا دل غریبوں کی مصیبتوں سے خون کے آنسو روتا ہے۔ وہ مذہب اسلام سے بھی بیزار ہیں۔ اس لیے کہ اس کی ساری تاریخ شاہنشاہیت اور جاگیرداری کی دردناک کہانی ہے۔ کسی کو کیا پڑی کہ وہ شاہنشاہیت کے خس وخاشاک کے ڈھیر کی چھان بین کر کےاسلام کی سو‏ئی کو ڈھونڈے تاکہ انسانیت کی چاک دامانی کارفو کر سکے؟ اس کے پاس کارل مارکس کے سائنٹی فک سوشلزم کا ہتھیار موجود ہے۔ وہ اس کے ذریعے سے امرا‌ء اور سرمایہ داروں کا خاتمہ کرنا چاہتا ہے۔

“But who are these people? They are the ones whose hearts weep tears of blood for the suffering of the poor. They are also dissatisfied with the religion of Islam because its entire history is a painful story of monarchy and feudalism. Why would anyone want to search through the pile of rubbish of monarchy and find the needle of Islam so that they can wipe out the corruption of humanity? They have the weapon of Karl Marx’s scientific socialism. Through it they want to eliminate the rulers and capitalists.” (Tarikh Ahrar, ch.4, p.176)

Reality of Bid'ah

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

‌السَّلَامُ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌أَيُّهَا ‌النَّبِيُّ ‌وَرَحْمَةُ ‌اللهِ ‌وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace be upon you, you who are the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing

Praise and glory be to Allah for the blessed month of Rabi al-Awwal has begun, in which my master the most holy Prophet Muhammad, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, brightened this universe with his birth. He is a shining light in this dark world, the one who decimated idolatry and made billions prostrate on their faces to the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Sunni Muslims celebrate the Prophet’s birthday in this month of radiance. We gather in the Mosques to listen to speeches about the beauty and stories of the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, and to fill our souls with joy by hearing heartfelt devotionals in praise of him. But there are those whose hearts are black and who, inspired by their devils, bark like dogs against the commemoration of the Mawlid, declaring it a reprehensible innovation. But what part of the Mawlid is innovative? Did not the Sahabah, radi Allahu anhum, gather in the Masjid to remember Allah’s blessing of sending the Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, to them? When the Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, observed some of his Companions sitting in a circle, he asked them what they were doing, and they replied:

جَلَسْنَا نَدْعُو اللهَ وَنَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا لِدِينِهِ وَمَنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِكَ

We sat down to supplicate to Allah and praise Him for guiding us to His Religion and blessing us with you.(Sunan al-Nasa’i, #5428)

The Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, then gave them the glad tidings that the Angel Gabriel had just revealed to him that Allah was boasting about them to the assembly of Angels. And this is what the Sunni Muslims do, they gather to praise Allah for having blessed the Ummah through the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam. Allah says

وَذَكِّرْهُم بِأَيَّامِ اللهِ

And remind them of the Days of Allah

(Surah 14:5)

قُلۡ بِفَضۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَبِرَحۡمَتِہٖ فَبِذٰلِکَ فَلۡیَفۡرَحُوۡا

Say, in the grace of Allah and His mercy—in that let them rejoice

(Surah 10:58)

Is there any doubt that the glowing day in which the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, was born was one of the days of Allah, and that his birth is for us the highest grace and mercy of Allah? Why then should we not rejoice for Allah’s favor of sending to us the “Mercy for the worlds”, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam!

The charge of bid’ah levelled against the Sunnis comes primarily from Wahhabis and Salafis, but also the modernists and Hadith-rejecters (so-called “Quranists”). These sects have erroneously conceived of spontaneity of religious acts that have no apparent precedent as bid’ah. But the Holy Prophet’s severe condemnations and warnings against bid’ah were primarily concerning the phenomenon of altering the established method of worship from the Shari’ah and Sunnah. For instance, changing the two rak’at of Fajr into four, or obligating a sixth fard Salah, or legislating the death penalty for the sin of false testimony. Likewise, the condemned bid’ah would include introducing new doctrines into Islam that have absolutely no basis, such as the belief in reincarnation. Then there are those innovations which some of the people commit that oppose a basic principle of Islam. The Shi’ah beat, cut and injure their bodies as an expression of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, radi Allahu anhu. Such ritualized mourning and self-flagellation opposes the basic principles of the Islamic Shari’ah that forbid injury to the body and forbid dramatic wailing rather than the prescribed patience and forbearance in the face of tragedy and difficulty. But will those who go overboard in the matter of bid’ah go to the extent of declaring someone who spontaneously walks around the streets holding a large Mushaf as an expression of his faith and da’wah an innovation because it has no apparent precedent? Mind you he is not declaring it something obligated, therefore not adding to the Shari’ah, nor does this action oppose any principle or law of the Shari’ah. And if the Muslims, observing him, are inspired to join him, such that soon a crowd begins moving through the streets as a procession, propping up a large Mushaf, as their spontaneous expression of zeal for Allah and His Scripture—will they declare this a bid’ah? This is an example of something that starts off spontaneously and thereafter may be repeated at times as it contains a maslahah or benefit. I do not hold it to be a reprehensible innovation. Now let us come to the issue of calling the adhan at the grave when the deceased has been buried in it. This has become a practice of many Sunni Muslims in certain places. The Wahhabis and Salafis brand it bid’ah, though it is neither conceived as an obligatory act that has been added to the Shari’ah, nor is it even considered a Sunnah, but merely a permissible and good deed that serves a useful purpose. It is known that the adhan is a means of warding off Satan and the devils, and also consoling a heart in pain or despair. What began as a spontaneous act at the burial of a deceased person with the hope that his hearing the adhan from the grave would comfort him and strengthen his resolve soon developed into a widespread practice of Muslims in some areas. I do not consider it the type of innovation that was condemned by the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam. Consider the act of Fayruz, radi Allahu anhu, who after slaying the false prophet al-Aswad al-Ansi [Abhalah bin Ka’b] proclaimed the adhan spontaneously, adding the words:

أَشْهَدُ ‌أَنَّ ‌مُحَمَّدًا ‌رَسُولُ ‌اللَّهِ ‌وَأَنَّ ‌عَبْهَلَةَ ‌كَذَّابٌ

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and that Abhalah is a liar (Tarikh al-Tabari, v.3, p.235)