Amin Ahsan Islahi's Problematic Interpretation of 4:159

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

والصلاة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء والمرسلين

Ayah 4:159 of the Quran states that there is none from among the people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] except that they will believe in him [Jesus] before their own death. However, Amin Ahsan Islahi dissented from this mainstream understanding of the Ayah, and instead posited:

لَيُؤمِنَنَّ بِهِ اور قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ میں پہلی ضمیر کا مرجع ہمارے نزدیک قرآن مجید ہے اور دوسری کا مرجع آنحضرت صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ہیں۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ آج یہ اہل کتاب قرآن اور نبی کی صداقت تسلیم کرنے کے لیے یہ شرط ٹھہراتے ہیں کہ وہ آسمان سے کتاب اترتی ہوئی دکھائیں تب وہ یقین کریں گےکہ قرآن فی الواقع اللہ کی کتاب ہے اور محمد (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) واقعی اللہ کے رسول ہیں اور اس حیلے سے وہ ان تمام عقلی، نقلی، فطری اور تاریخی دلائل کو نظر انداز کررہے ہیں جو قرآن اور پیغمبر ^ص کی صداقت کے ثبوت میں موجود ہیں لیکن وہ وقت بھی دور نہیں ہے جب یہ یہود اور نصاری قرآن اور پیغمبر کی کہی ہوئی ایک ایک بات کو واقعات کی شکل میں اپنی آنکھوں سے دیکھ لیں گے اور قرآن ان کے لیے جس رسوائی ونامرادی اور جس ذلت وشکست کی خبر دے رہا ہے وہ پیغمبر کے دنیا سے اٹھنے سے پہلے پہلے اس طرح ان کی آنکھوں کے سامنے آجائے گی کہ اس کو جھٹلانا ان کے لیے ممکن نہیں رہے گا اگرچہ ایمان کی سعادت ان کو یہ سب کچھ دیکھنے کے بعد بھی حاصل نہیں ہوگی۔

"They will believe in it" refers to the Quran and "before his death" to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in our opinion. It means today these People of the Scripture make their believing in the Quran and the Prophet peace be upon him conditional to him bringing down a Scripture from Heaven manifestly, then they will have certainty that the Quran is in reality the Book of God and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is really the Messenger of God. With this excuse they ignore all the rational, textual, natural and historical proofs that are there to verify the veracity of the Quran and the Apostle [Muhammad]. However, that time isn’t far when these Jews and Christians will witness with their own eyes every word of the Quran and the Apostle materialize in actuality. The Quran’s prophecy of their disgraceful defeat and humiliation will be realized prior to the Apostle is raised up from this world [dies], before their very eyes, such that it will be impossible for them to reject it, although they will not be blessed with Faith despite witnessing all of this. (Tadabbur-i-Quran; v.2, p.423):

There are several difficulties with Amin Ahsan Islahi’s interpretation of the Ayah 4:159: Nowhere in the context of the verse, that is the verses immediately preceding and proceeding it, is there mention of either the Quran or the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Rather, the context of 4:159 is clearly regarding the person of the Messiah Jesus. Secondly, 4:159 states that none of the People of the Scripture, Jews and Christians, will believe in him (or it) before his death – clearly indicating that all of the People of the Scripture are intended and not merely a portion of them. Yet the majority of the People of the Scripture, even if we restrict ourselves to the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم weren’t even aware of him or the Quran. How can it be argued that all of the Jews and Christians attained certainty regarding the Quran being the Word of God prior to the death of the most holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم?

The correct interpretation is that every Jew and Christian, right before their death, shall experience a vision which will compel them to believe in the Messiah Jesus as a true servant of God and His Apostle. However, such faith will not profit them. This explanation was put forth by some of the senior Companions of the Prophet, like Ibn Abbas رضى الله عنهما and likewise major authorities among the early Muslims, like al-Hasan al-Basri, Mujahid bin Jabr, al-Dhahhak and Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Prohibition of Fasting on the Sabbath

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The most holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him & his family) forbade fasting on the Sabbath:

لاَ تَصُومُوا يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ إِلاَّ فِيمَا افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلاَّ لِحَاءَ عِنَبَةٍ أَوْ عُودَ شَجَرَةٍ فَلْيَمْضُغْهُ

Do not fast on the Day of the Sabbath [Saturday] except in what Allah has obligated upon you. So if one of you does not find but a grape peel or the twig of a tree then let him chew it.

(Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, #744)

Commenting on this Hadith, Imam at-Tirmidhi says:

وَمَعْنَى كَرَاهَتِهِ فِي هَذَا أَنْ يَخُصَّ الرَّجُلُ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ بِصِيَامٍ لأَنَّ الْيَهُودَ تُعَظِّمُ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ

“The meaning of its dislike here is a man singling out the Day of the Sabbath for fasting because the Jews revere the Sabbath.”

In other words, Imam at-Tirmidhi imagined that the Prophet (peace be upon him & his family) forbade singling out the Sabbath for fasting because it is the day which the Jews revere, and the intention of disliking fasting on the Sabbath is to oppose the sentiments of the Jews. However, deeper analysis reveals that Imam at-Tirmidhi’s reasoning was flawed for a number of reasons. Firstly, although in our Shari’a the Sabbath is not considered a day of rest as it is in the Mosaic Law given to the nation of Israel nevertheless the Quran magnifies the Sabbath as the day in which Allah Most High settled upon the Throne:

اِنَّ رَبَّکُمُ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ فِیۡ سِتَّۃِ اَیَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰی عَلَی الۡعَرۡشِ

Surely, your Lord is Allah Who created the Heavens and the Earth in six days; then He settled Himself on the Throne

(Sura 7:54)

This mirrors the Biblical explanation for the holiness of the Sabbath: “Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Genesis 2:3)

As for the Hadith in Sahih Muslim which says:

خَلَقَ اللَّهُ التُّرْبَةَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ

“Allah created the clay on the Sabbath”

it is an error as Ibn Taymiya explained:

وَنَازَعَهُ فِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ ‌كَيَحْيَى ‌بْنِ ‌مَعِينٍ ‌وَالْبُخَارِيِّ ‌وَغَيْرِهِمَا ‌فَبَيَّنُوا ‌أَنَّ ‌هَذَا ‌غَلَطٌ لَيْسَ هَذَا مِنْ كَلَامِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

وَالْحُجَّةُ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ ثَبَتَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَأَنَّ آخِرَ مَا خَلَقَهُ هُوَ آدَمَ وَكَانَ خَلْقُهُ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ الْمُخْتَلَفُ فِيهِ يَقْتَضِي أَنَّهُ خَلَقَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْأَيَّامِ السَّبْعَةِ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ إسْنَادٌ أَصَحُّ مِنْ هَذَا أَنَّ أَوَّلَ الْخَلْقِ كَانَ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ

Yahya bin Ma’in, al-Bukhari and other than them explained that this is incorrect, this is not from the speech of the Prophet – sall Allahu alaihi wasallam. It is proven from the Book [Quran], the Sunna and the Ijma [consensus] that Allah Most High created the Heavens and the Earth in six days, in the last of which He created Adam, and his creation was on Friday. (Majmu al-Fatawa, v.1 pp.256-257)

According to a narration in the Sunan al-Kubra of Imam an-Nasa’i the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

يَا ‌أَبَا ‌هُرَيْرَةَ ‌إِنَّ ‌اللهَ ‌خَلَقَ ‌السَّمَوَاتِ ‌وَالْأَرَضِينَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَوْمَ السَّابِعِ

“O Abu Huraira! Verily, Allah created the Heavens and the Earths and what is in between them in six days, then He settled upon the Throne on the Seventh Day [Sabbath]”

Secondly, the Jews till this day also consider it prohibited to keep a fast on the Sabbath unless the Sabbath coincides with Yom Kippur.

Spiritual Ascension (Rafa) of Jesus Christ

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على خاتم النبيين

In explanation of the two Ayats in the holy Quran:

اِذۡ قَالَ اللّٰہُ یٰعِیۡسٰۤی اِنِّیۡ مُتَوَفِّیۡکَ وَرَافِعُکَ اِلَیَّ

When Allah said: “O Jesus, indeed I will cause you to die and raise you to Myself”

(Sura 3:55)

بَلۡ رَّفَعَہُ اللّٰہُ اِلَیۡہِ

Rather, Allah raised him [Jesus] to Himself

(Sura 4:158)

we can determine the correct interpretation of the ascension or raising up of Jesus Christ to God from the Hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم

‌وَمَا ‌تَوَاضَعَ ‌أَحَدٌ ‌لِلَّهِ ‌إِلَّا ‌رَفَعَهُ ‌اللهُ

No one humbles himself for Allah except that Allah raises him

(Sahih Muslim)

In another version it is mentioned:

‌فَإِذَا ‌تَوَاضَعَ ‌رَفَعَهُ ‌اللَّهُ ‌إِلَى ‌السَّمَاءِ ‌السَّابِعَةِ

So if he humbles himself, Allah raises him to the Seventh Heaven

(Masawi al-Akhlaq lil-Khara’iti, p.259 #588)

In this version it is obvious that ascension to the Seventh Heaven means a spiritual ascension and not a corporal one. However, the Hadith with this wording is weak due to the narrator Zam’a bin Salih. Nevertheless, these narrations clearly indicate that the ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven or to the presence of God was not a bodily, corporal elevation.

Manat and Uzza: False Black Goddesses of the Pagan Arabs

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الامين

The idols Uzza and Manat worshipped by the pagan Arabs were not merely lifeless images but personified as naked black women. It is mentioned that the most holy Prophet Muhammad sent his general Khalid bin Walid, the Sword of Allah, may Allah be pleased with him, to demolish Uzza:

بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ فَتَحَ مَكَّةَ خَالِدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ إِلَى الْعُزَّى لِيَهْدِمَهَا فَخَرَجَ فِي ثَلَاثِينَ فَارِسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَيْهَا فَهَدَمَهَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ شَيْئًا قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تَهْدِمْهَا ‌فَارْجِعْ ‌إِلَيْهَا ‌فَاهْدِمْهَا فَرَجَعَ خَالِدٌ وَهُوَ مُتَغَيِّظٌ فَجَرَّدَ سَيْفَهُ فَخَرَجَتْ إِلَيْهِ امْرَأَةٌ عُرْيَانَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ نَاشِرَةُ الرَّأْسِ فَجَعَلَ السَّادِنَ يَصِيحُ بِهَا فَضَرَبَهَا خَالِدٌ فَجَزَلَهَا بِاثْنَتَيْنِ وَرَجَعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ تِلْكَ الْعُزَّى وَقَدْ يَئِسَتْ أَنْ تُعْبَدَ بِبِلَادِكُمْ أَبَدًا وَكَانَتْ بِنَخْلَةَ وَكَانَتْ لِقُرَيْشٍ وَجَمِيعِ بَنِي كِنَانَةَ وَكَانَتْ أَعْظَمَ أَصْنَامِهِمْ وَكَانَ سَدَنَتَهَا بَنُو شَيْبَانَ مِنْ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ

The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) sent Khalid bin Walid at the time of the liberation of Mecca to Uzza to demolish it. So he went with thirty cavalrymen from among his companions until they reached it and destroyed it, then returned to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) and informed him. He [Messenger of God] asked: “Did you see anything?” He [Khalid] answered: “No”. He [Messenger of God] said: “Indeed you have not destroyed it, so return to it and destroy it”. So Khalid returned, and he was angry, drawing his sword, and behold a naked, black woman came out with dishevelled hair, whom Khalid struck and cut into two, then returned to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) and informed him, who said: “Yes, that was Uzza, despaired of ever being worshipped again in your country” (Tabaqat al-Kubra, v.2 p.111)

Likewise, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) sent Sa’d bin Zaid al-Ashhali (may Allah be pleased with him) to demolish Manat on the occasion of the liberation of Mecca:

بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ فَتَحَ مَكَّةَ سَعْدَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ الْأَشْهَلَيَّ إِلَى مَنَاةَ وَكَانَتْ بِالْمُشَلَّلِ لِلْأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ وَغَسَّانَ فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلم سَعْدَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ الْأَشْهَلِيَّ يَهْدِمُهَا فَخَرَجَ فِي عِشْرِينَ فَارِسًا حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَيْهَا وَعَلَيْهَا سَادِنٌ فَقَالَ السَّادِنُ مَا تُرِيدُ قَالَ هَدْمَ مَنَاةَ قَالَ أَنْتَ وَذَاكَ فَأَقْبَلَ سَعْدٌ يَمْشِي إِلَيْهَا وَتَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ امْرَأَةٌ عُرْيَانَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ ثَائِرَةُ الرَّأْسِ تَدْعُو بِالْوَيْلِ وَتَضْرِبُ صَدْرَهَا فَقَالَ السَّادِنُ مَنَاةُ دُونَكَ بَعْضَ غَضَبَاتِكِ وَيَضْرِبُهَا سَعْدُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ الْأَشْهَلَيُّ وَقَتَلَهَا وَيُقْبِلُ إِلَى الصَّنَمِ مَعَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فَهَدَمُوهُ وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا فِي خَزَانَتِهَا شَيْئًا وَانْصَرَفَ رَاجِعًا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلّى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ لِسِتٍّ بَقِينَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

When Sa’d bin Zaid al-Ashhali reached the temple of Manat at al-Mushallal with twenty cavalrymen to demolish it he encountered a temple guard asking him what he intended to do. When he expressed his intention to demolish the shrine a naked, black woman with dishevelled hair came out wailing and beating her chest. Sa’d bin Zaid struck and killed her. He then destroyed the idol of Manat but did not find anything in its treasury (ibid, p.112)

Prophet (AS) didn't Raise Hands Before and After Ruku

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

اللهم صلى على محمد وعلى آل محمد

Another proof for our Hanafi practice of not making Raf’ ul-Yadain (raising the hands) except at the beginning of the Salah is the narration of sayyidina Ibn Umar رضى الله عنهما

رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلَاةَ رَفَعَ ‌يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ وَبَعْدَ مَا يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَلَا يَرْفَعُ وَلَا بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ

I saw the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم when he started the Salah he raised his hands level with his shoulders, and when he wanted to bow and after raising his head from bowing he did not raise them, nor between the two prostrations. (Musnad al-Humaidi, #614)

Nasibi Deny Aale Muhammad Includes Prophet's Progeny

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

Among the deviations of the Nasibis like Faiz Alam Siddiqi is the belief that the term آل محمد aale Muhammad encompasses only the Prophet’s wives (may Allah be pleased with them) and not his daughter sayyidatuna Fatima, his son-in-law sayyidina Ali, his grandsons sayyidina Hasan and sayyidina Husain and their progeny (peace be upon them). Faiz Alam Siddiqi said:

آل محمد ^ص سے مراد صرف نبی علیہم السلام کی ازواج مطہرات ^رض ہیں

“Aale Muhammad means only the pure wives of the Prophet peace be upon them” (Siddiqa-i-Kainat, p.98)

Terrorism and Radicalization Rooted in Pakistan

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

سبوحٌ قدوسٌ سبوحٌ قدوسٌ

The Pakistani Sunni Muslim community has increasingly become radicalized and this is evidenced by the fact that religiously motivated murders, where the victim is accused of blasphemy, are disproportionately carried out by Pakistanis. Particularly the murder or attempted murder of Prophethood-claimants and those accused of claiming Prophethood is a trend which can be said to have began with the extrajudicial murder of one Yusuf Ali. A self-styled Sufi mystic, he delivered certain vague statements which his opponents, those belonging to the Deobandi organization Alami Majlis Tahaffuz e Khatme Nubuwwat (International Council for the Protection of the Finality of Prophethood) interpreted as a claim to Prophethood. In 2000 he was found guilty of blasphemy under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code and sentenced to death by hanging. While in jail he was murdered by a fanatic named Tariq.

Photograph of Yusuf Ali

In 2010, a Pakistani man, Muhammad Asghar, holder of British nationality, was sentenced to death under Section 295-C on the basis of some letters in which he allegedly claimed to be a Prophet. A paranoid schizophrenic in his seventies, Asghar was imprisoned at Adiala Jail where in 2014 he was shot and injured by a prison guard, intending to murder him, who had been goaded into carrying out the act by convicted murderer Mumtaz Qadiri. The latter was notorious for the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Tasir because of his support for the Christian lady Asiya who was found guilty of blasphemy under Section 295-C. Happily, Muhammad Asghar survived the assassination attempt and the British government later secured his release and return to Scotland.

Photograph of Muhammad Asghar

Speaking of Scotland, an Ahmadi Muslim shopkeeper in Glasgow named Asad Shah around this time began claiming to be a Prophet. He was brutally stabbed and murdered in his shop in 2016 by a fanatic of Pakistani background, Tanwir Ahmad.

Photograph of Asad Shah

Most recently, another Ahmadi Muslim claiming to be a Prophet, Tahir Nasim, an American citizen and immigrant from Pakistan, was under trial for blasphemy (295-C) and was shot and murdered by a young Pathan fanatic while attending a court hearing in 2020.

Photograph of Tahir Nasim

Presently, there is another man, of Ahmadi Muslim background, Nasir Sultani, who is accused of claiming Prophethood for himself, imprisoned at Adiala Jail having been sentenced to death by the Anti-Terrorism Court of Islamabad in January 2021. It is feared that he too may become the next victim of a religiously motivated extrajudicial murder.

Photograph of Nasir Sultani

As a Sunni Muslim I firmly believe that Prophethood in the formal sense has ended after the Seal of Prophets Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. However, it is totally wrong notion that if someone claims to be a Prophet merely the claim of Prophethood is blasphemy and disrespect of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. If that is the case then what greater disrespect is there than rejecting the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم altogether? Consider that most of the world rejects him, including the Christians (presently the largest confessional group on the planet). If a person is disrespecting the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on the basis of merely claiming to be a Prophet himself while still believing in Prophet Muhammad than logically one who rejects the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم altogether like a Christian is guilty of greater disrespect to him.

Each of the five aforementioned gentlemen who were either murdered or faced prosecution for their alleged claims to Prophethood were professing Muslims and ostensibly believers in the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. The forces of extremism and religious violence unleashed by the Pakistani Mulla will ultimately prove to be self-destructive and chaotic. The recent lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot, Pakistan by a fanatical mob and likewise the taking of hostages in a synagogue in Texas by a Pakistani terrorist are just the latest examples of this diabolical trend.

Maududi: Mujaddid is Close to a Prophet in Disposition

 باسمك اللهم

Abul Ala Maududi, founder of the political party Jama’ati Islami, said:

مجدّد نبی نہیں ہوتا مگر اپنے مزاج میں مزاج نبوت سے بہت قریب ہوتا

Though a mujaddid is not a Prophet, yet in spirit he comes very close to prophethood. (Tajdid o Ihya-i-Din, p.45; A Short History of the Revivalist Movement in Islam, p.37)

On this point I totally agree with Maududi, notwithstanding my deep differences with his astray ideology. A Mujaddid is technically not a Prophet but for all intents and purposes serves the function of a Prophet for this Umma in the sense that he speaks with a prophetic voice and is divinely appointed by Allah to renew the teachings of Islam.

By the Age of Your God

سبحان الله وبحمده سبحان الله العظيم

The orthodox creed of the Muslims—the Sunnis—is that Allah Holy and Exalted is He possesses multiple attributes, all of which are eternal, subsisting in His Person. These divine attributes, such as Life, Power, Knowledge, Will, Glory, Mercy, Speech, Vision, Hearing, etc., are not synonymous with His Person nor with each other, contrary to the heresy of the Mutazilites and other astray sects. They contend that Allah is knowing and powerful by His Person and not be separate attributes of Knowledge and Power. Their reasoning is that it is contrary to monotheism or the Oneness of God for there to be eternally existing things along with God’s Person. While on the surface it may seem like a mere hairsplitting, theoretical dispute rooted in semantics, in reality this fundamental difference in theology has very real consequences in the thinking and behavior of adherents of these two rival camps.

Among our proofs for the belief that Allah has multiple divine attributes which are not synonymous with His Person, but that He is, for example, alive with the attribute of Life, is that it is established from the most holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم that he would utter oaths or swear by some of Allah’s attributes, just as at times he would swear by Allah Himself. Laqit bin Amir narrates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لَعَمْرُ إِلَهِكَ

By the Age of your God

(Sunan Abi Dawud #3266)

The scholar of Hadith Zubair Ali Zai graded the chain of transmission sound (isnaduhu hasan):

In this instance swearing by an attribute of Allah rather than by Allah’s Person is proof that Allah’s attributes are divine and eternal. For it is strictly forbidden to swear by other than Allah. When a man swore by the sacred Kaba in the presence of Ibn Umar the latter rebuked him and narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ

One who makes an oath by other than Allah commits shirk

(Sunan Abi Dawud #3251)

The word عمر means life or age, usually with the sense of longevity. Some may object that attributing ‘age’ to God is blasphemy since He is eternal without beginning or end. But the truth is that being aged does not logically necessitate that a being is not eternal without beginning. The application of age to Allah would simply mean that Allah is alive for a long time but without origin or limitation. Infinite duration is still duration. The purpose of ascribing age and oldness to Allah despite Him being eternal is to convey a sense of His grandeur and greatness to the human mind which naturally reveres seniority in age or oldness. And the Being Who is infinite in age alone has the right to boast of supremacy over all others.

Ali is Seal of Legatees. Abbas is Seal of Emigrants

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

والصلاة والسلام على خاتم النبيين

اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

An indication as to the accurate meaning of the term خاتم النبيين Seal of the Prophets can be found in certain statements attributed to the most holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in which he applies the word خاتم seal to some of his own relatives, namely, his son-in-law Ali and his youngest paternal uncle Abbas رضى الله عنهما

Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani brings forth a marfu report in which Abu Dharr al-Ghifari رضى الله عنه narrates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

أَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَعَلِيٌّ ‌خَاتَمُ ‌الْأَوْصِيَاءِ

I am Seal of the Prophets and Ali is Seal of the Legatees

(Fath al-Bari; v.8, p.150)

Although the authenticity of this narration is not established as per my research, there is a sound narration in which the Prophet’s grandson Hasan رضى الله عنه reportedly declared his martyred father Ali خاتم الاوصياء Seal of the Legatees:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ زُهَيْرٍ قَالَ نا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الصُّوفِيُّ قَالَ نا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبَانَ الْوَرَّاقُ قَالَ نا سَلَّامُ بْنُ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ عَنْ مَعْرُوفِ بْنِ خَرَّبُوذَ عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ قَالَ خَطَبَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَذَكَرَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيًّا رَضِي اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ‌خَاتَمَ ‌الْأَوْصِيَاءِ وَوَصِيَّ خَاتَمِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَأَمِينَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ

Abu Tufail [Amir bin Wathila al-Laythi] رضى الله عنه said: Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib gave a sermon, praising Allah, and mentioned amir al-Mu’minin Ali رضى الله عنه Seal of the Legatees, and legatee of the Seal of the Prophets, and the trustworthy of the Truthful and the Martyrs (Mu’jam al-Awsat lil-Tabarani; v.2, p.336, #2155)

Now if Seal of the Prophets is interpreted to mean that he is literally the last of the Prophets then logically Seal of the Legatees must mean that sayyidina Ali كرم الله وجهه is literally the last of the legatees, an absurd notion.

Regarding his beloved paternal uncle Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib رضى الله عنه the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم reportedly said:

يَا عَمِّ اطْمَئِنَّ فَإِنَّكَ ‌خَاتَمُ ‌الْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي الْهِجْرَةِ كَمَا أَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ فِي النُّبُوَّةِ

O uncle, rest assured, for you are the Seal of Emigrants in emigration as I am the Seal of Prophets in prophesy

اجْلِسْ يَا عَمِّ، فَأَنْتَ ‌خَاتَمُ ‌الْمُهَاجِرِينَ كَمَا أَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ

Sit, O uncle, for you are the Seal of Emigrants as I am the Seal of Prophets

(Fada’il us-Sahabah li-Ahmad bin Hanbal; v.2, pp.941-942, #1812, 1813)

Here some have argued that the Prophet’s uncle Abbas رضى الله عنه was literally the last of the Believers to make the hijra or emigration from Mecca to Medina, and this strengthens the interpretation of خاتم النبيين to mean last of the Prophets literally. However, they miss the fact that sayyidina Abbas رضى الله عنه is not the last emigrant in absolute or unqualified terms, as the phenomenon of hijra/emigration, even as a religious expression, continues till this day. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم even said:

سَتَكُونُ هِجْرَةٌ بَعْدَ هِجْرَةٍ فَخِيَارُ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ أَلْزَمُهُمْ مُهَاجَرَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

عنقریب ہجرت کے بعد ہجرت ہو گی تو زمین والوں میں بہتر وہ لوگ ہوں گے جو ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی ہجرت گاہ کو لازم پکڑیں گے

There shall be an emigration after emigration, and the best people of Earth are those most adherent to the emigration of Abraham

(Sunan Abi Dawud, #2482)

لاَ تَنْقَطِعُ الْهِجْرَةُ حَتَّى تَنْقَطِعَ التَّوْبَةُ وَلاَ تَنْقَطِعُ التَّوْبَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا

ہجرت ختم نہیں ہو گی یہاں تک کہ توبہ کا سلسلہ ختم ہو جائے ، اور توبہ ختم نہیں ہو گی یہاں تک کہ سورج پچھم سے نکل آئے

Emigration will not end until repentance ends, and repentance will not end until the sun rises from the west

(Sunan Abi Dawud, #2479)

In these narrations the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has declared as continuous both a general hijra and a particular hijra which is the emigration of Believers to the Holy Land.

Heresies of the Bakriyya

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

‌سُبْحَانَ ‌ذِي ‌الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ

The Bakriyya were a sect founded by Bakr, maternal nephew of the great saint Abd al-Wahid bin Zaid رحمة الله عليه

Among his heretical and noteworthy beliefs:

والذي كان يذهب إليه في الكبائر التي تكون من أهل القبلة أنها نفاق كلها

اگر کبائر کا ارتکاب اہل قبلہ کی طرف سے ہے تو وہ اس کے نزدیک تمام تر نفاق ہے۔

Commission of major sins by one from the people of the Qibla is entirely nifaq (hypocrisy)

وأن مرتكب الكبيرة من أهل الصلاة عابد للشيطان

اس کے نزدیک کبیرہ کا مرتکب مسلمان شیطان کا پجاری ہے۔

and committing a major sin by one from the people of Salah means he is a worshipper of Satan

مكذب لله سبحانه جاحد له منافق

اللہ کی تکذیب اور انکار کرنے والا منافق ہے۔

and is denial of Allah, making him a hypocrite

في الدرك الأسفل من النار مخلد فيها أبداً

اس کا ٹھکانا جہنم کا اسفل ترین مقام ہے جس میں اس کو ہمیشہ رہنا ہے۔

he will be in the lowest place of Hell forever

إن مات مصراً

بشرطیکہ یہ ان گناہوں پر اصرار کرنے والا ہو۔

وأنه ليس في قلبه لله -عز وجل- إجلال ولا تعظيم

در حقیقت اس کے دل میں اللہ تعالی کی عظمت وجلال کا کوئی تصور موجود نہیں۔

because in his heart there is no veneration for or sense of glory of Allah

وهو مع ذلك مؤمن مسلم

اگرچہ بظاہر یہ اسلام وایمان کا مدعی ہے۔

although apparently he is a believing Muslim

وكان يزعم أن القاتل لا توبة له

قاتل کے بارہ میں اس کی یہ رائے تھی کہ اس کی توبہ قبول نہیں ہوتی

he claimed there is no acceptance of repentance from a murderer

وكان يزعم أن الأطفال الذين في المهد لا يألمون ولو قطعوا وفصلوا ويجوز أن يكون الله سبحانه لذذهم عندما يضربون ويقطعون

چھوٹے بچوں کے بارہ میں اس کا یہ نظریہ تھا کہ یہ تکلیف والم کی اذیتوں کو محسوس نہیں کرتے، چاہے انھیں مارا پیٹا جائے اور چاہے ان کے اعضاء کی قطع وبرید کی جائے۔ اس کے خیال میں یہ ممکن ہے کہ اللہ تعالی ان کی ان اذیتوں کو ان کے لیے لذت ولطف سے بدل دے۔

and he claimed that little children in the cradle don’t feel pain even if they are cut up, and it may be that Allah makes them feel pleasure through being beaten and cut up

وكان يقول في علي والطلحة والزبير أنهم مغفور لهم قتالهم وأنه كفر وشرك

علی، طلحہ، اور زبیر سے متعلق اس کی یہ رائے تھی کہ ان میں جو جنگ وپیکار ہوئی اللہ نے ان کو معاف کردیا ہے۔ اگرچہ یہ جنگ وپیکار کفر وشرک ہی کے مترادف تھی۔

and he said concerning Ali, Talha and Zubair that they were forgiven for their fighting, although it was kufr and shirk

[*Note: the belief of the people of Sunna, the Saved Sect, is that sayyidina Ali رضى الله عنه was upon the truth in all his wars and armed conflicts with the other Muslims. As for Talha and Zubair رضى الله عنهما they were wrong to oppose the fourth Caliph Ali but their fighting against him was not tantamount to kufr or shirk as claimed by the deviant Bakriyya]

وزعم أن الله سبحانه اطلع إلى أهل بدر فقال اعملوا ما شئتم فقد غفرت لكم

اہل بدر کے بارہ میں اس کا موقف یہ تھا کہ اللہ تعالی کو معلوم تھا کہ یہ آئندہ کیا کرنے والے ہیں۔ یہی وجہ ہے اس نے کہہ دیا۔ تم جو چاہو کرو میں نے تمھاری لغزشوں پر خط عفو کھینچ دیا ہے۔

he claimed that Allah knew what deeds the veterans of Badr would commit and on that basis He said: “Do what you wish, I have forgiven it for you”

وكان يزعم أن الله يرى يوم القيامة في صورة يخلقها وأنه يكلم عباده منها

اس کا یہ بھی خیال تھا کہ اللہ تعالی کا دیدار قیامت کے روز ایسی صورت کے ذریعہ ممکن ہوگا جس کو اللہ تعالی خود پیدا کریں گے۔

اور اللہ اسی شکل وصورت کے ذریعہ اپنے بندوں سے ہم کلام ہوں گۓ۔

he claimed that Allah will be seen on the Day of Resurrection in a form He created, and shall speak to His slaves through it

[*Note: this belief of the Bakriyya is not necessarily heretical, in fact, there may be some support from the idea in the following Hadith:

فَيَأْتِيهِمُ اللَّهُ فَيَقُولُ أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ‏‏ فَيَقُولُونَ هَذَا مَكَانُنَا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَنَا رَبُّنَا فَإِذَا جَاءَنَا رَبُّنَا عَرَفْنَاهُ فَيَأْتِيهِمُ اللَّهُ فِي صُورَتِهِ الَّتِي يَعْرِفُونَ فَيَقُولُ أَنَا رَبُّكُمْ‏‏ فَيَقُولُونَ أَنْتَ رَبُّنَا‏ فَيَتْبَعُونَهُ

پھر اللہ ان کے پاس آئے گا اور فرمائے گا کہ میں تمہارا رب ہوں ۔ وہ جواب دیں گے کہ ہم یہیں رہیں گے ۔ یہاں تک کہ ہمارا رب آ جائے جب ہمارا رب آ جائے گا تو ہم اسے پہچان لیں گے ۔ چنانچہ اللہ تعالیٰ ان کے پاس اس صورت میں آئے گا جسے وہ پہچانتے ہوں گے اور فرمائے گا کہ میں تمہارا رب ہوں ‘ وہ اقرار کریں گے کہ تو ہمارا رب ہے ۔ چنانچہ وہ اس کے پیچھے ہو جائیں گے

Allah will come to them and say ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say ‘we will stay here till our Lord comes, for when our Lord comes, we will recognize Him.’ So Allah will come to them in His appearance which they know, and will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘You are our Lord,’ so they will follow Him. (Sahih al-Bukhari)]

وحكي عنه أن الله بكل مكان

اللہ سے متعلق اس کا یہ عقیدہ تھا کہ وہ ہر جگہ ہے۔

he said Allah is everywhere

وكان يحرم أكل الثوم والبصل لأنه حرام على الإنسان أن يقرب المسجد إذا أكلهما

پیاز اور لہسن کو یہ حرام خیال کرتا تھا، کیونکہ ان کو کھاکر انسان مسجد میں داخل نہیں ہوسکتا۔

he declared garlic and onion forbidden because a human can’t go near the mosque after eating it

وكان يرى الوضوء من قرقرة البطن

اس کے نزدیک قراقر سے بھی وضو ٹوٹ جاتا ہے۔

he said wudu is nullified if there is rumbling in the belly

(al-Maqalat al-Islamiyyin of Abul-Hasan al-Ashari)