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)

Wahdat ul-Wujud Explained

 

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 controversy over the doctrine of wahdat ul-wujud, or “oneness of existence”, rages in large part due to a misunderstanding among ordinary people and those who lack delicate understanding. The latter imagine the doctrine of wahdat ul-wujud is pantheism and hulul, whereas pantheism and hulul (that God incarnates or dwells within His creation) are manifest heresy and kufr. The belief that the essence of God is synonymous with the cosmos is called pantheism, which Islam clearly rejects. Likewise, any belief in which the distinction between the Creator and His creation is blurred is utterly heretical. The doctrine of wahdat al-wujud, however, teaches that only God is truly real and existent, and nothing else exists in reality. Mufti Taqi Usmani has explained this matter in some detail:

وقد استدل بعض الناس بشعر لبيد رضى الله عنه على صحة نظرية وحدة الوجود

Some people adduce the poem of Labid (Allah be pleased with him) as proof that the doctrine of the Oneness of Being (wahdat al-wujud) is correct (Takmilah Fath ul-Mulhim, Dar al-Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, v.4, p.373)

Labid’s verse of poetry, declared as true by the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, is:

أَلاَ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مَا خَلاَ اللهَ بَاطِلٌ

Everything except Allah is false

The apparent meaning of this verse of poetry accords exactly to the doctrine of wahdat al-wujud, namely, that only Allah’s existence is true and nothing else truly exists other than Him. However, as the nature of this statement is poetic, it is probably not meant to be interpreted literally.

I agree with Mufti Taqi Usmani when he says,

وهذه النظرية مع ما يقابلها من نظرية وحدة الشهود ليست من النظريات التي يجب في الدين معرفتها او الاعتقاد بحقيتها او بطلانها بل الاحسن ترك التشاغل بها والخوض فيها لانها مسالة خطيرة ربما ادى الخوض فيها الى الزندقة والالحاد

This doctrine along with its corresponding doctrine of the Oneness of Perception (wahdat al-shuhud) is not among the doctrines that are necessary in the Religion to know or to believe in their validity or invalidity. Rather it is best not to be preoccupied with it and not to discuss it, because it is a dangerous subject, discussion of which may lead to heresy (zandaqah) and deviation (ilhad) (ibid)

Mufti Taqi Usmani now briefly explains four different views among the Muslims with regard to the reality of existence:

فذهب جمهور علماء الشريعة الى ان وجود المخلوقات الممكنات وجود حقيقي مكتسب بمعنى انه متوقف على ارادة الله تعالى وخلقه وابداعه

The majority of the Ulama of the Shari’ah took the position that the existence of possible creatures is a real existence that is acquired, in the sense that it is dependent on the will of Allah Most High, His creation and His origination (ibid)

As Mufti Taqi Usmani says, this is the view of the majority of the Ulama of the Shari’ah, though not necessarily the majority of the Sufis, mystics and theologians, especially in our time. In support of this view consider the following glorification of Allah by the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam:

أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ وَوَعْدُكَ حَقٌّ وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ وَمُحَمَّدٌ حَقٌّ

You are the Truth, Your promise is true, Your speech is true, Your meeting is true, Paradise is true, the Hellfire is true, the Hour is true, the Prophets are true and Muhammad is true

The Prophet Muhammad, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, declared that Paradise, Hell, the Hour or Apocalypse, the Prophets and himself are all true and real, despite being Allah’s creation. Therefore, the majority view of the Ulama of Shari’ah, that the creation has a true and real existence, is basically my belief also, and Allah and His Apostle know best!

Mufti Taqi Usmani then summarizes the view of those who subscribe to the doctrines of wahdat ul-wujud and wahdat ul-shuhud:

وقال اصحاب نظرية وحدة الوجود ومن مقدمتهم الشيخ ابن عربي رحمه الله ان وجودها خيالي محض

وقال اصحاب نظرية وحدة الشهود ومن مقدمتهم مجدد الالف الثاني رحمه الله ان وجودها وجود ظلي

The adherents of the doctrine of the Oneness of Being, and the foremost of them is Shaykh Ibn Arabi (Allah have mercy on him), expressed the view that their existence is purely imaginary (khayali).

The adherents of the doctrine of the Oneness of Perception, and the foremost of them is Mujaddid al-Alf al-Thani (Allah have mercy on him), expressed the view that their existence is a shadow existence (wujud zilli) (ibid)

The burning question to be posed to those who subscribe to the doctrine of wahdat ul-wujud and who say that the existence of the creation is imaginary is that does not Allah possess the power to create something that is not imaginary, having a true and real existence? I therefore don’t agree with the so-called Wujudi camp who argue that true monotheism is to negate the real existence of everything besides Allah. Allah is the Creator, and how can one be described as creator, with creative ability, if he is only able to create imaginary things that have no being?

Mufti Taqi Usmani further elucidated the meaning of wahdat ul-wujud through a parable in which a glass is placed before the Sun:

ان قرص الشمس يترآى في الزجاج كانه حال فيه ولكن الواقع ان صورة الشمس التي تترآى في الزجاج ليس لها وجود حقيقي فانها ليست عين الشمس كما هو ظاهر ولا شبحها ومثالها بل هو محض وهم وخيال وليست حقيقته الا ان الشعاع البصري حينما يقع على الزجاج فانه ينقلب الى الشمس فترآى الشمس في ذلك الشعاع البصري فصورة الشمس المنعكسة في الزجاج صورة وهمية انما نشات بالشعاع البصري فلو اغمض احد عينه لا يبقى في الزجاج شيء من صورة الشمس فلو كان لها وجود حقيقي في الزجاج لما زال ذلك الوجود باغماض العين فهذا مثال للوجود الخيالي

The glass facing the sun is that the disc of the sun appears in the glass as though it is located in it. However, the reality is that the image of the sun which appears in the glass does not have a real existence since it is not the same as the sun, as is clear, or an apparition of it or a replication of it, rather it is purely fantasy and imaginary. Its reality is nothing except that the visual rays, when it descends on the glass, it turns to the sun, so the sun appears in those visual rays. Thus the image of the sun reflected in the glass is an imaginary image, generated only by visual rays. Hence, if one were to close his eye, the image of the sun will no longer remain in the glass. If, therefore, it had an actual existence in the glass, that existence would not disappear upon closing the eye. This is an illustration of imaginary existence (ibid, pp.374-375)

The doctrine of wahdat ul-shuhud, taught by Mujaddid Alf Thani, Imam Rabbani, Ahmad Sirhindi, rahmatullah alayh, is slightly different than the doctrine of wahdat ul-wujud but certainly superior to it and more in line with Islamic orthodoxy. Mufti Taqi Usmani presents its parable:

ان ظل الزجاج يقع على الارض وان هذا الظل ليس له وجود حقيقي وانما هو ظلام اصلي احاط به النور فتكون بهذه الاحاطة صورة في الخارج تسمى ظلا فهذا امثال الوجود الظلي

In the glass facing the sun is that the shadow of the glass falls on the earth. This shadow does not have a real existence. It is but an original darkness encompassed by light, and by this encompassment it becomes an image from the outside called a shadow. This is an illustration of shadow existence (ibid, p.375)

In other words, the existence of creation, according to the Shuhudi camp of Mujaddid Alf Thani, is neither a true, real existence nor an imaginary existence, but lies somewhere in between the two. This is why it is called a shadow existence, for a shadow is from one perspective not real and from another something real. And the profoundness of wahdat ul-shuhud is from it we understand that the creation is indicative of the real, independent existence of the Creator, Allah. So while the doctrine of wahdat ul-wujud is not kufr, though the ignorance mischaracterize it as pantheism or hulul, it is nonetheless a doctrine that is not firmly established in the Wahi to my master the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam. Rather, it may be said that its realization was through a kashf to Shaykh Ibn Arabi, may Allah have mercy upon him, and some of the other mystics, and likewise, the understanding of wahdat ul-shuhud was given to Mujaddid Alf Thani Ahmad Sirhindi, may Allah have mercy upon him, through a kashf. Muslims should avoid arguing over this controversy and unite on the basic elements of our creed, that Allah alone is As-Samad, having an eternal existence independent of everything, while the existence of the creation is dependent upon Allah, subject to change and annihilation by His will and power.

Woman's Voice is Awrah

 

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 commands the believing women:

وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ

And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment

(Surah 24:31)

Based on the prohibition of ladies striking their feet to make the jingle of their anklets heard to strangers, the Hanafi scholar and commentator on the Quran, Abu Bakr al-Jassas, analogized that the voice of a woman is likewise to be concealed from strangers:

وَفِيهِ ‌دَلَالَةٌ ‌عَلَى ‌أَنَّ ‌الْمَرْأَةَ ‌مَنْهِيَّةٌ ‌عَنْ ‌رَفْعِ ‌صَوْتِهَا ‌بِالْكَلَامِ ‌بِحَيْثُ ‌يَسْمَعُ ‌ذَلِكَ ‌الْأَجَانِبُ إذْ كَانَ صَوْتُهَا أَقْرَبَ إلَى الْفِتْنَةِ مِنْ صَوْتِ خَلْخَالِهَا وَلِذَلِكَ كَرِهَ أَصْحَابُنَا أَذَانَ النِّسَاءِ لِأَنَّهُ يُحْتَاجُ فِيهِ إلَى رَفْعِ الصَّوْتِ وَالْمَرْأَةُ مَنْهِيَّةٌ عَنْ ذَلِكَ

It indicates that a woman is forbidden from raising her voice when speaking in a way that strangers can hear, since her voice is closer to temptation than the sound of her anklets. For this reason, our companions disliked the Adhan from women, because it requires raising the voice, and women are forbidden from doing so (Ahkam al-Quran, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, v.5, p.177)

The Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, said:

التَّسْبِيحُ لِلرِّجَالِ وَالتَّصْفِيقُ لِلنِّسَاءِ

The tasbih [saying ‘Subhan Allah’] is for men and clapping is for women (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Hadith indicates it is forbidden for a woman to speak in the Salah, and that if she must correct an error of the Imam she should only tap her hand. This is another strong proof for the view that a woman’s voice is awrah—that it is to be silent in the presence of strangers:

وَلِهَذَا قَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ التَّسْبِيحُ لِلرِّجَالِ وَالتَّصْفِيقُ لِلنِّسَاءِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَسْمَعَهَا الرَّجُلُ وَمَشَى عَلَيْهِ الْمُصَنِّفُ فِي الْكَافِي فَقَالَ وَلَا تُلَبِّي جَهْرًا لِأَنَّ ‌صَوْتَهَا ‌عَوْرَةٌ وَمَشَى عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُ الْمُحِيطِ فِي بَابِ الْأَذَانِ وَفِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ وَعَلَى هَذَا لَوْ قِيلَ إذَا جَهَرَتْ بِالْقُرْآنِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَسَدَتْ كَانَ مُتَّجَهًا

For this reason, he - may Allah bless him and grant him peace - said: “Tasbih is for men and clapping is for women.” So it is not permissible for a man to hear it. The author followed this view in Al-Kafi, saying: “Do not recite the Talbiyah aloud.” Because her voice is awrah, and the author of Al-Muhit followed this in the chapter on the call to prayer and in Fath Al-Qadir. Based on this, if it were said that if she recites the Qur’an aloud in prayer, it is invalid, then that would be correct (al-Bahr al-Ra’iq Sharh Kanz al-Daqa’iq, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, v.1, p.470)

However, the dominant view of the Hanafi school is that a woman may speak to a stranger if it is necessary, without softening her voice. Nevertheless, Fakhr al-Din Uthman bin Ali al-Zayl’i has said:

وَالْمَرْأَةُ تُخَافِتُ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ لِأَنَّ ‌صَوْتَهَا ‌عَوْرَةٌ

A woman lowers her voice when saying the Takbir for her voice is awrah (Tabyin al-Haqa’iq Sharh Kanz al-Daqa’iq, v.1, p.227)

The view that a woman’s voice is awrah was also transmitted by some of the Malikis:

لأن ‌صوتها ‌عورة

For her voice is awrah (Sharh al-Kharashi, v.1, p.237)

Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi al-Maliki said:

وَالْمَرْأَةُ كُلُّهَا عَوْرَةٌ ‌بَدَنُهَا ‌وَصَوْتُهَا فَلَا يَجُوزُ كَشْفُ ذَلِكَ إلَّا لِضَرُورَةٍ أَوْ لِحَاجَةٍ كَالشَّهَادَةِ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ دَاءٍ يَكُونُ بِبَدَنِهَا أَوْ سُؤَالِهَا عَمَّا يَعِنُّ وَيَعْرِضُ عِنْدَهَا

A woman’s entire body and voice are awrah, so it is not permissible to uncover that except out of necessity or need, such as testimony against her, or an illness in her body, or asking her about something that concerns her and comes to her mind (Ahkam al-Quran li-Ibn al-Arabi, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, v.3, p.616)

Similarly, Sulayman al-Baji said:

وَهَذَا كَمَا قَالَ إنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ ‌رَفْعُ ‌الصَّوْتِ بِالتَّلْبِيَةِ لِأَنَّ النِّسَاءَ لَيْسَ شَأْنُهُنَّ الْجَهْرَ لِأَنَّ صَوْتَ الْمَرْأَةِ عَوْرَةٌ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ الْجَهْرِ إلَّا بِقَدْرِ مَا تُسْمِعُ نَفْسَهَا وَمَا زَادَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ إسْمَاعِ غَيْرِهَا فَلَيْسَ مِنْ حُكْمِهَا وَالْجَهْرُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَذَلِكَ

This is similar to what he said, that women are not required to raise their voices in the Talbiyah, because it is not the nature of women to speak out loud, as a woman’s voice is awrah, so she is not required to speak out loud except to the extent that she can hear herself, and anything more than that, such that others can hear, is not part of her ruling. And speaking out loud in prayer is likewise (al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, v.2, p.211)

Allamah al-Alusi says:

روي عن بعض أمهات المؤمنين أنها كانت ‌تضع ‌يدها ‌على ‌فمها إذا كلمت أجنبيا تغير صوتها بذلك خوفا من أن يسمع رخيما لينا

It was narrated on that some of the Mothers of the Believers that would place her hand over her mouth when speaking to a stranger, and her voice would change as a result, for fear that he would hear her soft and gentle speech (Ruh al-Ma’ani, Mu’assasat al-Risalah, v.21, p.281)

So if it is said that a woman’s voice is awrah, it means that she should not speak to a male stranger unless it is absolutely necessary. And it is certainly unlawful for her to sweeten or soften her voice when speaking to a male stranger, and likewise it is unlawful for a man to listen to the singing of a woman that is a stranger [ghayr mahram] to him. This is why in Islam women do not give the adhan or iqamah, nor do they say the talbiyah loudly like men during Hajj and Umrah. It is therefore not right for women to recite the Quran audibly such that her recitation is heard by a male stranger.

In our time, the cultural norms have radically changed such that ladies speak loudly and casually in public and in the presence of male strangers. This is all a terrible consequence of cultural Westernization and modernity.

False Prophet Hamim al-Ghumari

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا خاتم النبيين

Prayers and peace be upon you, Seal of the Prophets

One of the false prophets to appear in this Ummah was Hamim bin Mann Allah al-Ghumari: “His full name was Hamim Ibn Man Allah Hafid al-Muftari. He was a Berber prophet among the Ghommara tribe in the Rif. He preached a new version of Islam with a Berber Qur’an and modifications of the five pillars. He reformed Islamic practices consisted of two daily prayers, a weekly fast, three to 10 days of fast during the month of Ramadan, almsgiving, and no pilgrimage. Eating fish and bird eggs was forbidden, as was eating animal heads, but eating wild animals (except the boar) was permitted. Ha-mim started preaching in 925 and died in battle with Masmuda in 927-928” (Ilahiane, Hsain. Historical Dictionary of the Berbers. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2006, p.55)

The historian and geographer Abu Ubayd al-Bakri mentioned the reality of this false prophet:

ويجاور بلد نكور بلد غمارة فمنه مجكسة وتنبّأ بذلك الصقع أبو محمّد ‌حاميم ‌بن ‌منّ ‌الله بن حريز بن عمرو بن وجفوال بن وزروال الملقّب بالمفتري

وببلد مجكسة جبل حاميم المنسوب إليه وهو على مقربة من مدينة تيطاوان

وأجابه بشر كثير أقرّوا بنبوّته وجعل لهم الصلاة صلاتين عند طلوع الشمس وعند غروبها يسجدون على بطون أكفّهم ووضع لهم قرآنا بلسانهم فممّا ترجم منه بعد تهليل يهلّلونه حلّني من الذنوب يا من يحلّ البصر ينظر في الدنيا حلّني من الذنوب يا من أخرج موسى من البحر ومنه آمنت بحاميم وبأبي خلف يريدون أبا حاميم وكذلك كان يكنّى وأمن رأسي وعقلي وما أكنّه صدري وما أحاط به دمي ولحمي وآمنت بتانفيت وهي عمة حاميم أخت أبي خلف منّ الله وكانت كاهنة ساحرة وكانت لحاميم أيضا أخت تسمّى دجّو وكانت ساحرة كاهنة من أجمل الناس وكانوا يستغيثون إليها في كلّ حرب وضيق ويزعمون أنّهم يجدون نفعها وفرض عليهم صوم الخميس كلّه ويوم الأربعاء إلى الظهر فمن أكل فيهما غرم خمسة أثوار لحاميم ووضع لجميعهم صوم سبعة وعشرين يوما من رمضان وأبقى فرض صوم ثلاثة أيّام ويوم الفطر الرابع وجعل عيدهم في الثاني من الفطر وفرض زكاتهم العشر من كلّ شيء وأسقط عنهم الحجّ والطهر والوضوء وأحلّ لهم أكل أنثى الخنازير وقال إنّما حرم ذكورها وذلك في قرآن محمّد صلى الله عليه وسلم وحرّم عليهم الحوت حتّى يذكّى وحرّم عليهم البيض من جميع الطير

وقتل حاميم المفتري بمصمودة الساحل من أحواز طنجة سنة خمس عشرة وثلاثمائة

Nekor is adjacent to the country of Ghomara, from which Majkasa came. Abu Muhammad Hamim bin Man Allah bin Hariz bin Amru bin Wajfwal bin Wazruwal, nicknamed al-Muftari, prophesied in that region. In the country of Majkasa is Mount Hamim, which is attributed to him and is close to the city of Tataouine. Many people responded to him and acknowledged his prophethood. He made for them two prayers: at sunrise and at sunset, prostrating on the palms of their hands. He fabricated for them a Qur’an in their language, and among what was translated from it after the glorification they glorify: “Free me from sins, O He who frees the sight and looks into the world. Free me from sins, O He who brought Moses forth from the sea, from whom I believed in Hamim and in Abu Khalaf, meaning Abu Hamim.” This is how he was called. “My head and my mind are safe, and what my chest conceals, and what my blood and flesh encompass. I believed in Tanfit” who is the aunt of Hamim, the sister of Abu Khalaf Man Allah. She was a soothsayer and a sorceress. Hamim also had a sister called Djou, who was a sorceress and a soothsayer. Among the most beautiful people, they would seek help from her in every war and distress, and they claimed that they would find benefit from her. He imposed on them the fast of Thursdays, and Wednesdays until noon. Whoever ate on those days would pay five bulls for Hamim. He lifted on all of them the fast of twenty-seven days of Ramadan, and he left the obligation of fasting three days and the fourth day of Eid al-Fitr. He made their Eid on the second of Eid al-Fitr. He imposed their Zakat as a tenth of everything, and he dropped the Hajj, purification, and ablution for them. He permitted them to eat female pigs, and he said that only male pigs were forbidden, and that is in the Qur’an of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He forbade them fish until it was slaughtered, and he forbade them the eggs of all birds. Hamim the slanderer was killed in Masmuda, on the coast of the outskirts of Tangiers in the year 315 AH (al-Masalik wal-Mamalik, v.2, pp.776-777)

The historian Ibn Khaldun has likewise mentioned an account of this false prophet:

كان غمارة هؤلاء عريقين في الجاهلية بل الجهالة والبعد عن الشرائع بالبداوة والانتباذ عن مواطن الخير وتنبّأ فيهم من مجكسة ‌حاميم ‌بن ‌من ‌الله بن جرير بن عمر بن رحفو بن آزوال بن مجكسة يكنّى أبا محمد وأبوه أبو خلف تنبّأ سنة ثلاث عشرة وثلاثمائة بجبل حاميم المشتهر به قريبا من تطوان واجتمع إليه كثير منهم وأقرّوا بنبوّته وشرع لهم الشرائع والديانات من العبادات والأحكام وصنع لهم قرآنا كان يتلوه عليهم بلسانه فمن كلامه يا من يخلى البصر ينظر في الدنيا خلني من الذنوب يا من أخرج موسى من البحر آمنت بحاميم وبأبيه أبي خلف من الله وآمن رأسي وعقلي وما يكنّه صدري وما أحاط به دمي ولحمي وآمنت تبانعنت عمّة حاميم أخت أبي خلف من الله وكانت كاهنة ساحرة إلى غير هذا وكان يلقّب المفتري وكانت أخته دبّو ساحرة كاهنة وكانوا يستغيثون بها في الحروب والقحوط وقتل في حروب مصمودة بأحواز طنجة سنة خمسة عشر وثلاثمائة وكان لابنه عيسى من بعده قدر جليل في غمارة ووفد على الناصر ورهطهم بنو زحفوا موطنون وادي لاو ووادي راس قرب تطوان وكذلك تنبّأ منهم بعد ذلك عاصم بن جميل اليزدجومي وله أخبار مأثورة وما زالوا يفعلون السحر لهذا العهد وأخبرني المشيخة من أهل المغرب أن أكثر منتحلي السحر منهم النساء العواتق قال ولهم علم استجلاب روحانية ما يشاؤنه من الكواكب فإذا استولوا عليه وتكنّفوا بتلك الروحانية تصرّفوا منها في الأكوان بما شاءوا والله أعلم

These Ghomara were deeply rooted in pre-Islamic times, or rather ignorance, and distance from the laws, through nomadism and seclusion from places of goodness. And among them, from Majkasa, Hamim bin Man Allah bin Jarir bin Umar bin Rahfu bin Azwal bin Majkasah, whose nickname was Abu Muhammad, and whose father was Abu Khalaf, prophesied in the year 313 AH at Mount Hamim, which is famous near Tetouan. Many of them gathered around him and acknowledged his prophethood. He established for them laws and rites of worship and rulings, and he made for them a Qur’an that he recited to them with his tongue. Among his words were: “O He who frees the sight to look at the world, free me from sins. O He who brought Moses out of the sea, I believe in Hamim and his father Abu Khalaf from Allah, and my head and mind believe, and what my chest contains and what my blood and flesh encompass, and I believe in the aunt of Hamim, the sister of Abu Khalaf, from Allah” and she was a soothsayer and a witch, and other than that. He was nicknamed the slanderer, and his sister Dabbu is a sorceress and they used to call upon her in wars and droughts. He was killed in the Masmuda wars in the outskirts of Tangier in the year 315 AH. His son Isa after him had great power in Ghomara. He came to al-Nasir and his people, the Banu Zahf, settled in Wadi Law and Wadi Ras near Tetouan. Likewise, Asim bin Jamil al-Yazdjoumi prophesied from them after that and he has authentic stories. They continue to practice magic to this day. The elders of the people of Morocco informed me that most of those who claim to practice magic among them are virgin women. He said that they have the knowledge of attracting the spirituality of whatever planets they want. If they take control of it and are covered by that spirituality, they can dispose of it in the universe as they wish. And Allah knows best (Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, v.6, p.288)

Now a few comments on this false prophet and the phenomenon that gave rise to him. As Ibn Khaldun noted, the rise of false prophets like Hamim al-Ghumari is due in part to the ignorance of those Muslims who live isolated from the Muslim heartland and urban centers of learning. In the early days of Islam, certain non-Arab populations—Iranians and Berbers—were susceptible to the call of nativist religious leaders who would present a syncretic version of Islam to them incorporating their pre-Islamic heritage and customs and freeing them from what they perceived as Arab religious and cultural “imperialism”. Hence, the fabricated scripture of Hamim al-Ghumari was composed in the Berber language, undoubtedly to attract the ignorant Berbers and those among them uneasy about the Holy Quran being a Scripture in Arabic, a foreign tongue. This phenomenon is what gave rise to Sikhism in the Punjab, attracting Punjabi peasants to the new religion whose scripture, the Granth, was composed and recited in Gurmukhi Punjabi. Here is the cunning mixing of religion with nativist and ethnonationalist sentiment to gain following among a certain population. Hamim al-Ghumari modified many of the strictures of the Islamic Shari’ah, formulating a new law and new set of rites, also apparently to appeal to the tastes and desires of the people. He reduced the five daily Salah to two, and likewise lifted the obligation of fasting in most of the days of Ramadan save three. He also made pork permissible, so long as it was from a female swine and not a male swine, arguing that even in the Holy Quran the Verses that ban eating of the pig refer to the pig in the masculine! Like many other false prophets and heresiarchs, Hamim al-Ghumari’s movement was apparently steeped in the occult—the practice of witchcraft. His aunt and sister were soothsayers and witches.