Ethiopians Danced in the Prophet's Mosque

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Some narrow minded Muslims accuse the Sufis of innovation, or worse heresy, for their ecstatic movements that appear to be a form of dancing. However, when the Sufis and defenders of Sufism present the example of the Ethiopians playing with their spears in the Prophet’s Mosque in the presence of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم the detractors argue that this was not dancing but rather martial arts training with weapons for Jihad.

Yet, there is another version of the Hadith with wording that clearly states that the Ethiopians were dancing in the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم presence:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ كَانَتِ الْحَبَشَةُ يَزْفِنُونَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‌وَيَرْقُصُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ مُحَمَّدٌ عَبْدٌ صَالِحٌ

Anas رضى الله عنه said: The Ethiopians danced in the presence of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and were saying, “Muhammad is a righteous servant” (Musnad Ahmad; v.20, p.17, #12540. Shuaib Arnaut said the Isnad is Sahih upon the condition of Imam Muslim):

Jalaluddin as-Suyuti: Imam Abu Hanifah Prophesied in Surat al-Jumu'ah and Hadith ath-Thurayya

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Let me prove that the Great Imam Abu Hanifah رحمة الله عليه has the incredible virtue of having been prophesied about in both the Holy Quran and the Hadith of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

Allah Most High says:

وَّاٰخَرِیۡنَ مِنۡہُمۡ لَمَّا یَلۡحَقُوۡا بِہِمۡ

And others from among them who have not yet joined them

(Surah 62 Ayah 3)

And the interpretation of this Ayah was given by none other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم when he was asked about it by Abu Hurairah رضى الله عنه while he was sitting with some of his Companions among whom was Salman the Persian رضى الله عنه too. Abu Hurairah رضى الله عنه asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم who those people were in the aforementioned Ayah thrice, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم remained silent and did not answer him until Abu Hurairah رضى الله عنه had asked the third time. This was because he صلى الله عليه وسلم was receiving Wahi (Prophetic Revelation) from Allah in answer to Abu Hurairah’s inquiry. Then the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed his hand upon Salman رضى الله عنه and said:

لَوْ كَانَ الإِيمَانُ عِنْدَ الثُّرَيَّا لَنَالَهُ رِجَالٌ أَوْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ

If the Faith was at the Pleiades men or a man from among these would reach it

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

Interestingly, the great Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuti, who was of the Shafi’i school of jurisprudence, stated that this grand prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Imam Abu Hanifah (Tabyid as-Sahifah bi-Manaqib Abi Hanifah, p.32):

Sayyidi Abdul Qadir al-Jilani: "Allah Raised Jesus to Heaven"

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

My Master, Sayyidi Abd-il-Qadir al-Jilani رحمة الله عليه affirmed the Sunni Islamic belief that the Messiah Jesus عليه السلام was physically raised up to Heaven by Allah جل جلاله

He wrote:

وأخبر عيسى -عليه السلام- بذلك أتباعه فقال: {ومبشرًا برسول يأتي من بعدي اسمه أحمد} [الصف: 6] من صفته ونعته وفضله كيت وكيت، وأخذ ميثاقهم بالإيمان به، وجدد شأنه عندما رفعه الله تعالى ‌إلى ‌السماء لأصحابه

And Jesus, peace be upon him, informed his followers of that, saying: {And giving good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name will be Ahmad} [Al-Saff: 6] of his description, attributes, and virtues, such and such, and he took their covenant to believe in him, and his status was renewed when Allah Most High raised him to Heaven for his companions (al-Ghunyah; v.1, p.220)