Islam [some questions]

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Islam [some questions]
Anonymous

12/30/01 at 01:34:50

Assalam 'alaikum to all: i have visited this chat room
several times and I must say that I have been very impressed with the level on knowledge and ideas that have been expressed here, so now that I need some help answering these questions for a friend who is interested in Islam I have decided to turn to your for help.
I would like to know if anyone can help me ansewrs these questions. It is from a freind who seems to be interested in Islam.

1. What is the difference between Sufism and Islam?

2. Can one consider himself a Muslim eventough he hasn't taken shahada yet?

3. what is a good way to study Islam without being turn in a hundred
different directions. Since so many people seem to interepet Islam based on their own political situation.

4. What is fiqh

5. What is the meaning when people sacrifice a sheep once a year? Does it take away sins?

6. Is it in the way of Islam that certain names of Allah have certain
effects when repeated, or is this just believed by sufis? also if
someone is sick and they ask Allah for help and repeat dhkir until hopefully something helps them, is this permissible in Islam?

7. i would like to know "am I not your Lord"?(I think this might be in one of the suras from the Qu'ran). Since this is one of the reasons why I think Isalm is true. I was looking for a spiritual way that addressed this after I decided that Christianity didn't feel true to me.

8. What about the Bible? is it still useful in some way, or is it
impossible to know what's been changed?

9. what is the role of Muhammad(PBUH) now? Is his spirit active in the world or is he in the grave or in paradise? What happens (for him) when people send blessings?
Re: Sufism and Islam
se7en

12/31/01 at 16:33:34

wa alaykum as salaam wa rahmatAllah,

Why don't you join the board? :) Then you can be cool like us ;)

[quote]1. What is the difference between Sufism and Islam?[/quote]

Man, could you start off with a harder question :)

Ok.. there's a science in Islam called tassawuf, that deals with the inner, spiritual aspect of things. It's discourse is focused on purification of the soul, the inner dimensions of the human being, worship, and asceticism. And just like fiqh [islamic jurisprudence] or seerah [study of the life of the prophet [saw]] there are certain scholars, terms, and concepts that are related to this science. Sufi is a very general term used to refer to someone who is focused on these things.

Like anything else, there are people that have taken certain concepts in this science to extremes, extremes that have sometimes gone outside the bounds of Islam. I want to clarify that this doesn't mean that *all* of the science, or even most of it, is bad. But there are definitely some who have given it a bad name by misusing it.

Sufism is like a pop culture term to refer to Islamic spirituality. It's the Barnes and Noble version of tassawuf :) There are also certain concepts often times associated with Sufism that have very little, if anything, to do with Islam. And there are those who call themselves "sufi" that have nothing to do with tassawuf. (I've heard these people referred to as "popcorn sufis":)) An example of this would be a lot of these "sufi living environments" that have sprung up across the United States, with "shaykhs" as their leaders. In them, a weird sort of combination of the teachings of Islam and other faiths is taught. (I'm not saying this out of speculation, btw. I know someone who's actually lived in one of these places, and honestly what he told me really freaked me out. It sounded almost cult-like, and their practices and beliefs are very distant from the Islam we know.)

Anyway, there's so much more depth to tassawuf, this study of purifying the soul, then what is often times associated with it. If your friend is interested in this subject, I'd suggest any book by Ghazali, a good book to start off with might be [url=http://store.yahoo.com/islamicbookstore-com/b2986.html]Purification of the Soul[/url].

(This is a *very* vague explanation, I know. It's a very large topic, so I tried to keep it short :))

[quote]2. Can one consider himself a Muslim even though he hasn't taken shahada yet?[/quote]

[edited by se7en (see posts below!)]

[quote]3. what is a good way to study Islam without being turn in a hundred different directions. Since so many people seem to interepet Islam based on their own political situation.[/quote]

I wish I knew :) That's unfortunately a challenge a lot of people face.

Hmm.. I'd say, find a couple people that are qualified - ie know their stuff when it comes to Islam - that you can turn to for *all* of your questions and concerns. They can really clarify a lot for you, especially when you hear different things from different people.

Finding people like this is the difficult part :) But if you have an active Muslim community in your area, it might be a good idea to go to the imam of your local mosque and ask him to direct you towards people who'd be willing to help you out.

Another thing I'd recommend is to r e a d. What people tell you is limited to their scope of knowledge, perspective and interpretation. You really need to go to the books yourself to get a true taste for what Islam is really about. Start with the Qur'an, read a couple different translations. Ask those few people you trust to recommend some books for you.

I think one of the biggest problem converts face is Muslims :) Something to keep in mind is that Muslims are *not* Islam. Muslims are just people trying to live by Islam, and they have their own personal understanding of things, perspectives, weaknessses, etc. You really need to turn to the *sources* to find out what Islam is really about. And the sources are the Qur'an, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, what the scholars of our faith have taught over the centuries.

Maybe some of the convert brothers and sisters out there can respond to this one a little more :)

[quote]4. What is fiqh[/quote]

Fiqh comes from an Arabic word that means deep understanding, knowledge, or comprehension of something. It is commonly translated as the science of jurisprudence. It's an understanding of the sharia - the Islamic law - and the science of making rulings based upon it.

Hope that makes sense :)

[quote]5. What is the meaning when people sacrifice a sheep once a year? Does it take away sins? [/quote]

We talked about this a little before [url=http://www.jannah.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl/YaBB.pl?board=madrasa&action=display&num=6197]here[/url].

I'ma just copy/paste something I wrote there:

Another celebration is called Eid al Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. It's in commemoration of the prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for the sake of God. I think there is a similar story in the Christian tradition. On that day we sacrifice an animal as well. One thing I want to emphasize though is that, it's not.. like an offering to God, or anything like that. The Qur'an says:

[color=black]It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah, it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them [the animals] subject to you, that you may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do good. --22:37 [/color]

It's also a day for us to think about what it is *we'd* be willing to sacrifice for God. (ie, time, energy, money, sleep)

[quote]6. Is it in the way of Islam that certain names of Allah have certain effects when repeated, or is this just believed by sufis? also if someone is sick and they ask Allah for help and repeat dhkir until hopefully something helps them, is this permissible in Islam?[/quote]

As to the first question, I do not know. Allahu a'lam. I've heard some different things on this.

Dhikr is the general term used to refer to remembrance of God. In his teachings, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught us to glorify and praise Allah by saying things like "subhanAllah" [glory be to Allah] and "alhamdulillah" [all praise is due to Allah], and so forth. It's about calling upon Allah, asking Him for His aid, keeping Him in mind. Performing dhikr is something highly recommended, praised and honored in Islam.

So of course if someone is ill, it is permissible for them to call upon Allah and seek His aid, and repeat dhikr. At the same time, that person should not refuse medical attention.

There's actually a very beautiful story related to this, I'll see if I can dig it up inshaAllah.

Ok, enough out of me :) I'm hoping someone else can take the next three questions. If not, I'll answer them inshaAllah in a few days time.

And of course, if anything I've said here sounds shady or questionable, please do bring it to my attention.

wAllahu a'lam.

wasalaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllah.

Re: Islam [some questions]
akbalkhan

12/30/01 at 18:47:06

1) Sufi'ism has nothing to do with al-Islam. There are respectful scholars and people who have emphasised their spiritual journey over their participation in the community life, but the Prophet Muhammed, SAWS, nor the Companions of the Prophet, RA, nor the Tabi'een (Followers) ever referred to themselves nor encouraged others to take anything other than al-Islam as their religion, nor did they refer to themselves nor encourage anyone to call themselves other than Muslims in religion. To keep it simple and to keep yourself on the right path I would recommend only scholars and sheikhs who call themselves Muslim and follow al-Islam as a start, I would personally recommend one of the four Imams, RA, Imam Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shaf'ee, or Imam Hanbali-these 4 Imams and their schools are the only acceptable scholarships and conveyors of fiqh to those of knowledge.

2)I disagree with Se7en on this point and so would many people. In order to consider yourself a Muslim, you must follow the rules set down in becoming Muslim, and then is pronouncing your faith before at least one other person by saying 'la ilaha ilallah wa Muhammedar Rasulullah.' There is no way around this. You do not have to tell everyone you are Muslim, or even anyone other than the one who bares witness to your shahada, but it must be done.

3)You can refer to #1 for this, as far as the 4 accepted Imams of Muslim scholarship. Any other school of thought will definitely lead you astray.

4) Fiqh is the laws of al-Islam and their study.

5) The sacrifice each year can be of a sheep, goat or cow. It is done to mark an occasion of sacrifice in the Muslim tradition. Practically it is done to provide the poor and others with food. It is only a religious occasion in the sense of the day, and the protocol, but we do not believe that the meat, smoke from cooking it, or any of the blood reaches Allah SWT, nor does Allah SWT ask for it. It is a by product of butchering, thats all.

6) We are directed in the Quran to ask help only from Allah SWT, and that the cure for disease comes from Allah SWT. I am not familiar with any traditions from the Prophet, SAWS, nor the Companions, RA of chanting or repeating particular words over and over again, like Budhists or Monks. I have read hadiths of someone saying over and over again particular surahs of the Quran. Also, you can praise Allah SWT over and over again by saying Allahu Akbar ( Allah is Greatest), Al Hamdulillah (All praise is due to Allah) or Subhanah Allah (Glory be to Allah), among some other phrases. But doing such in a singing voice or too loud or to soft is not sunnah. Instead try to say in a pleasant, rhythmic voice, as Arabic has that quality inherently when said correctly.

7) It can be dangerous to take sections or single ayat of the Quran and to take meaning away from them, as generally the ayah preceding it or after it has relevance as well, and may complete the meaning. It may be apart of ayat in the Quran where Allah SWT tells us that all of the spirits to ever come into existence were all brought before Allah SWT and Allah SWT asked "am I not your Rabb?" And after this we all bore witness to that fact, and are accountable for retrieving this belief and state of acceptance.

8) It takes quite a scholar to know what has been changed or corrupted in the bible. Since only what we know for sure is true in the bible is confirmed in the Quran, and the only book that will benefit us after this life is the Quran. There is much reward to gain from reading the Quran and memorizing it. There is no benefit in the afterlife for reading the bible that is left to us today. In my opinion there must still be some truth left in it, but again only a learned scholar can discern this.

9)When we send blessings on Muhammed , SAWS, the angels send us blessings back as long as we are sending it, and ask for our forgiveness. I am not sure about the whole active part of the question, or what happens when we send blessing on the Prophet Muhammed, SAWS. I will try to look into, insha'Allah.

I know you must have a lot of questions, but try to look at the basics first. There are many things that remain veiled from our understanding on account of our practices-eating, drinking, thinking, speaking, and prayer. We cannot begin to understand with our hearts many of the more complicated questions until we are under the favor of Allah SWT in our actions and beliefs. Its kind of like asking to see the results of the exam before taking it. First comes right conduct, then comes understanding and knowledge,insha'Allah.

Regards,

QAK

Re: Islam [some questions]
bhaloo

12/30/01 at 19:49:44

slm

Regarding question #2, one is NOT a Muslim until one declares the shahada. How can someone be considered a Muslim until they take the declaration of faith? ???

The following question was asked of Sheikh Munajjid:
I would like to become a musilim.
Is this possible? And if so, how can this happen. I do not know much.I know some things.

The sheikh answered:
Praise be to Allaah.

Any human being can embrace Islam. You do not need anyone’s permission. You simply say and believe that there is No God except Allah and that Mohammad is his Messenger. Once you say this sentence, you automatically become Muslim. From there, you start carrying on with the duties of Islam. You must do what Allah and His messenger tell you to, and stay away from what they tell you to. Islam does not tell you to do anything unless it is good for you. It also does not tell you to stay away from anything unless it is bad for you. You will notice the change in the way you look at things, the minute you become a Muslim. You will feel more relieved and secure only to think that you are fulfilling the orders of Allah. Doing this, you will clearly see the benefits of it for yourself and for mankind. You can embrace Islam in any Islamic center. This is only a formality. Once you say and believe in the Oneness of Allah and in the message of his Prophet Mohammad, then you are a Muslim.

To become a Muslim, simply say the following words:

Ash hadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ash hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu.

This means I testify and witness that there is no god worthy of being worshipped other than Allah and that Mohammad is his Messenger. You must say it and believe in it.

;===============================================================

From the author of Islam for Dummies, Yahiya Emerick, the brother says, "to be a Muslim a person must profess their belief, (i.e. be a believer) and learn what their way of life asks of them. They must gain knowledge of the teachings of Islam and know how to behave in their daily life. A person who never sincerely declared that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger has never even entered Islam!"

;=============================================

Regarding sufism, I would recommend Dr. Saleh's translation of Ibn Qayyim's book, a Chapter on the Dispraise of Desire, it has a very interesting case study. Any other questions on sufism you may contact me directly.

NS
Re: Islam [some questions]
assing

12/30/01 at 23:10:19

Bismillah, i did not intend to reply to the question, for usually the members of this board give a correct answer, to the questions posed to them, walhamdulillah. However, i am often reminded of the messenger's (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) advice to muadh ibn Jabal and abu musa Al ashari (may Allah be pleased with them) when he sent them both to Yemen to invite to and educate the people there about islam, he said to them "make sure that your statements are coherant and not in dispute.” (Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 3/142)., i.e. you both should try to "click" with each other and do not openly contradict each other even if you all may disagree. There are many times i see things on this board which may not be correct, but i try to advise that person in private or deal with the issue openly without mentioning names. And who is better to follow when dealing with issues such as these than our salaf us salaih. Take Ibn masood, that noble sahabah, while on hajj at Mina during the khilafah of Uthmaan he was telling everone that they should shorten their prayers (pray 2rakah instead of 4) for this is what the messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), Abu Bakr and Umar used to do, so Uthmaan lead them in salah and made 4 rakah, so the people were suprised: how is it you tell us we are supposed to make 2 rakah and he made 4? He replied "Al Khilaafu shar - disagreemen is an evil" (Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1/394). Subhaanallah! Eventhough the haqq was with him he still complied with the ameer al mumineen to avoid a greater fitnah which is open dissension. Now this does not mean if someone comes with a bidah or some baatil and tries to propagate it we sit back and chill. No way! outside with that, for the messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said " "He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected."
(Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim). So, we should try our best and be like our salaf us salaih when it comes to giving a fatwa; Ibn abi laylah said "i met 120 from the companions of the messenger(sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), and none of them would narrate a hadeeth except that he wished his brother could do it instead of him, and they
would not give a fatwa except that he hoped that his brother suffices on his behalf". So, if one person answers and its correct, alumdullilah. However if it is incorrect and we would like to show prove, we can do so by first of all bringing our proofs from the Quran, the authentic sunnah and the statements of the scholars of this ummah to show where this person is incorrect. Aside from that there are one billion muslims and if every was to pull out his own personal pocket version of the quran and sunnah as soon as something comes up i don't think we will even agree on the fact that Allah alone derserves to be worshipped because you have muslims who even differ about that. So we should try to be more coherant in what we say and if we have to differ; do so with the adab of differing. Nuff 'bout dat.

[quote]"am I not your Lord"?[quote] The scholars have said that this oath that Allah took from us before we came to this life is something that will be held against everyone on the day of judgement as to whether or not they fulfilled this oath. Now someone may quickly say "i can't remember this taking place" (including myself). But do you remember when you were a baby? No obviously, but does that negate the fact that you were once an infant. Likewise is this oath that we made to Allah.

[quote]What about the Bible? is it still useful in some way, or is it
impossible to know what's been changed?[quote] As Umar ibn Al Khattab once said "If there is any good in it Allah has surely informed of of this good in the quran, and if there is any bad in it then this is something we are not in need of anyway". And thefollowing hadeeth should suffice as answer inshallah: The Prophet (sallalahu 'alaihi wa sallam) got angry when he saw 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab holding a sheet containing some verses from the Torah (old Testament) and he said to him, "O 'Umar! Are you in doubt? Have I not brought (the Message) as clear as white? If my brother Musa ('alaihi salam) had been alive, he would have followed me." Narrated by Ahmed, Ad-Daarimi and others.

And as for question 9, Allah, the Exalted, says:"Allah exalts the mention of His Messenger (PBUH) and His angels supplicate Him to do so. O you who believe! supplicate Allah to exalt his mention and to grant him safety and security

Aus bin Aus (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Among the best of your days is Friday; so supplicate Allah more often for me in it , for your supplications will be displayed to me.'' He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah! How will our blessings be displayed to you when your decayed body will have mixed with the earth?'' He (PBUH) replied, "Allah has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophets.''
[Abu Dawud].

Commentary: That "Allah has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophets'' means that the earth does not consume them. That "their Salat (salutations) will be presented to him'' indicates that angels present the salutation performed to him, as is elucidated in other Ahadith. Moreover, his soul is then returned to him and he answers the salutations also.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whenever someone greets me, Allah returns the soul to my body (in the grave) and I return his greeting.''
[Abu Dawud].

Commentary: We learn from this Hadith that the Prophet (PBUH) is alive in his grave and he answers the salutation offered by a Muslim. But this life of his is the life of Barzakh (an intervening state between death and the Day of Resurrection, and whoever dies, enters it) the reality of which is not known to us. Thus, it is wrong to say that the life of the Prophet (PBUH) is like worldly life or more vigorous than it. Such a claim is baseless because it is not confirmed by the Qur'an and Hadith. Were he to be alive the way he was in his lifetime, there would have been no need for "the returning of the soul to his body'' and he would be able to answer the salutations without it. As far this ambiguity is concerned, when countless Muslims are always offering salutations to the Prophet (PBUH) how does the return of the soul takes place after such short intervals? Such questions arise due to the lack of certitude in the Omnipotence of Allah. When the Prophet (PBUH) stated that his soul is returned to him then we should have absolute faith in his statement because Allah is Capable of doing every thing. What is its nature and form, it is not known to us, nor can we know it. Thus, the question of the return of soul in the grave should be considered similar to the ambiguous Ayat of the Qur'an in which every Muslim is required to have blind faith but their secret is known to Allah Alone.

This Hadith has an inducement for offering more and more supplications for the Prophet (PBUH) so that the devotee is blessed with the maximum reward in the form of the Prophet's response to his salutations. It is certainly a great blessing which a Muslim should try every nerve to achieve.

NS
Re: Islam [some questions]
se7en

01/01/02 at 22:04:23

bismillah

as salaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllah,

I'm sorry for doing this Brother Assing :) I just really want to respond to some things said in this thread, and clarify some things.

Brother QAK, I think your advice in response to question #1 is excellent, jazak Allahu khayran, but I just take issue with one statement you made:

[quote]Sufi'ism has nothing to do with al-Islam. [/quote]

Let me quote to you something I've read recently about Ibn Rajab al Hanbali:

[color=black]
His expositions on individual hadith...illustrate the breath of his erudition, the depth of his reflection, and his mastery of all Islamic sciences, especially the science of hadith, an area where he was described by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani as the "Master of his age in ascertaining hidden defects in hadith and investigating divergent chains of transmission."

Another of Ibn Rajab's salient qualities, which emerges in his commentary on Abu Darda's hadith and other writings, such as [i]Lata'if al Ma'arif[/i] (The Subtleties of Knowledge), is his deep 'spiritual' inclination. Like all the scholars of his era, Ibn Rajab was well-versed in the science of [i]Tassawuf[/i], that is Sufism. Although his writings in this regard would be categorized as [i]'amali[/i], or nonphilosophical, he is exacting in his usage of the nomenclature of the science. His confident usage of terms, such as [i]ma'rifa[/i] (experiential knowledge), [i]zuhd[/i] (complete indifference towards the world), [i]ilm al-zahir wa'l batin[/i] (outer and inner knowledge), and similar expressions, is done with the mastery of a person deeply convinced as to the validity of the ideas he is expounding.

[...]

The dominant sunni paradigm also was informed by an acceptance of [i]Tassawuf[/i] as a valid Islamic science. This doesn't mean that anything bearing the label [i]Tassawuf[/i] is beyond reproach. Ibn Khaldun has shown in his [i]Muqaddima[/i] how elements from [i]Ismaili[/i] doctrine and aspects of alien philosophies were introduced into the compilations of teachings contemporarily known as [i]Tassawuf[/i]. However, there has always been a basic corpus of doctrines and ideas that provided the foundations for a science of spiritual purification and character reformation which was accepted by all four of the juridicial schools.

-- [url=http://store.yahoo.com/islamicbookstore-com/b6628.html]The Heirs of the Prophets[/url]
[/color]

My point here is that the science of tassawuf *is* something legitimate, and I don't think dismissing it completely is a good idea. It is a part of Islam, and it is a part of knowledge, just like the study of fiqh, hadeeth, akhlaaq, or anything else. I really feel like we're doing an injustice to it, and to ourselves and our study of Islam, if we dismiss it completely.

And again, I'd like to point out that there are definitely certain concepts and teachings in the science that I have issue with. That's why I feel like your advice is good. It's definitely a good idea for someone just learning about Islam to stick to the classical texts so as not to get turned off course by some things that may be questionable or shady.

Someone just yesterday mentioned to me that it seems like every person interested in Islam inevitably asks about Sufism. Why is that? I think it's because it's the only part of Islam that's open to the mainstream. (Go to the Islam section in Barnes & Noble, what do you see?) And it's a great opportunity to teach people about Islam, it's emphasis on purification of the soul, on spirituality. I don't think the best thing to do is to dismiss the entire field as incorrect, especially when that is not the case.

wAllahu a'lam. This is not something I want to get into in detail, and it's not something I want to fight about. InshaAllah I hope I don't come across that way.

[quote]Regarding question #2, one is NOT a Muslim until one declares the shahada. How can someone be considered a Muslim until they take the declaration of faith? [/quote]

I have gotten some emails on this, and inshaAllah I want to do some more research before drawing any conclusions. I have edited my post above so as not to cause any confusion. Jazakam Allahu khayran to the brothers and sister who wrote me and let me know their thoughts on this issue (though they were conflicting :)) It's very easy, though, to admit that you're wrong, or to question yourself, when you're dealt with with such adab. MashaAllah, I have a lot to learn from such people.

And again, of course, if anything I've said, in this post or anywhere else, sounds incorrect to you, please do bring it to my attention. I do not want to be reponsible for disseminating incorrect information, especially when it comes to issues of this gravity.

My email address is se7en@jannah.org, and I will respond to you inshaAllah, and take into consideration what it is you have to say.

Ok, jazakam Allahu khayran, take care everyone :)

wAllahu a'lam.

wasalaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllah

Re: Islam [some questions]
akhan

12/31/01 at 19:15:22

Asalaamalaikum wr wb,

Dear Anon,

Sufism is a very detailed science which is the spiritual backbone of Islam. As mentioned in some of the previous threads, there have been serious tendencies to deviate in the area of tasawwuf.

"To keep it simple and to keep yourself on the right path I would recommend only scholars and sheikhs who call themselves Muslim and follow al-Islam as a start, I would personally recommend one of the four Imams, RA, Imam Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shaf'ee, or Imam Hanbali-these 4 Imams and their schools are the only acceptable scholarships and conveyors of fiqh to those of knowledge."

This is good advice by Brother Akbal. It is important to understand the ahkam (laws) of matters before proceeding into this area. Therefore, it is essential to study the fiqh of one of the four madhahibs (schools of thought) before anyone dwells into the immense ocean of sufism, to know the boundaries. It will also help to get a strong understanding of the Islamic Aqeeda (Principles of Islamic beliefs) of the likes of "Aqeedah Al Tahawiyyah".
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/introduction/alaqidah.html
If you have any questions, please do contact me. Jazaakallah Khair.

"1) Sufi'ism has nothing to do with al-Islam."

Brother Akbal,
I would like to quote a few authorities of the past who didn't think sufism was out of the bounds of the shariah:
_______________________________________________________________
Ibn Taymiyah (RA)
"Ibn Taymiyah's views on Tasawwuf have been discussed in greater detail in the book titled "Sufism and Shariah : A Study of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi's Effort to Reform Sufism" by Dr. Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari, The Islamic Foundation, U. K., 1986. Dr. Ansari quoted from three well-known works of Ibn Taymiyah, Majmu Fatawa Shaykh al-Islam, compiled by Abd al-Rahman b. Qasim and his son Muhammad, Riyadh, 1398 A. H, 39 vols., Majmu'at al-Rasa'il wa ël-Masa'il, compiled by Rashid Rida, Cairo, 4 parts in 2 vols., and Al-Furqan bayn Awliya Allah wa Awliya' al-Shaytan, edited by M. Abd al-Wahhab Fa'ir, Beirut, Dar ël-Fikr. Dr. Ansari writes "The popular image of Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah, which early Western writers on Islam in modern times have considerably helped to build up, is that he criticizes sufism indiscriminately, is totally against the sufis, and sees no place for sufism in Islam. Nothing of this, however, is correct. Ibn Taymiyah, to be sure, is a most thorough and most incisive critic of sufism; and his criticism is not limited to a few philosophical doctrines or some popular practices, as some writers have held, but covers the entire field of sufi thought and life. But he is certainly not indiscriminate; at times, he is bitter, but on the whole sympathetic. And far from saying that sufism has no place in Islam, he moves to define the perimeters of an Islamic sufism. Ibn Taymiyah's general attitude to sufism is disclosed in this passage: 'Some people accept everything of sufism, what is right as well as what is wrong; others reject it totally, both what is wrong and what is right, as some scholars of kalam and fiqh do. The right attitude towards sufism, or any other thing, is to accept what is in agreement with the Quran and the Sunnah, and reject what does not agree'" [Majmu Fatawa Shaykh al-Islam, vol. 10, p. 82]."

Ibn Taymiyah does not oppose the tariqah of the sufis as such, neither their concentration on some approved ways, nor adoption of new ones, provided they do not fall into the category of unauthorized innovation (bid'at). He does not object, for instance, to the experience of fana and union; what he requires is that one should not make it the goal of sufism, or entertain mistaken ideas about it. He would not object to intensification of some approved forms of dhikr, or reliance on some methods for purifying the soul, with the neglect of others, provided it is within the limits of the Shariah [Majmu'at ël-Rasa'il wa ël-Masa'il, vol. 4, pp. 86-87]. A sufi may, for instance, withdrew temporarily to a cloister (khalwah) [Majmu'at ël-Rasa'il wa ël-Masa'il, vol. 4, pp. 84-6, 92-3], provided he observes the salat in assembly and the Friday prayer, and renders his essential obligations. Ibn Taymiyah would insist that these practices should not change or alter the values of things which the Shariah normally attaches to them [Majmu Fatawa Shaykh ël-Islam, vol. 11, pp. 398-400]. "There is no way to God", he says, "except following the Prophet externally and internally" [Al-Furqan bayn Awliya Allah wa Awliya' ël-Shaytan, p. 145]."
_____________________________________________________________________
Imam Ghazali (RA)
"In his work, The Cultural Atlas of Islam, Professor Ismail R. al Faruqi writes, "Reaffirming his view that Tasawwuf is both knowledge and action, al-Ghazali chastised those who sought to reach the mystical experience in a hurry. He also rejected the sufi claim that in the mystical experience one reaches God through fusion into or unity with the divine Being. Such a claim he regarded as blasphemous. The true perception of God is always perception of the presence of the transcendent as a commanding being; knowledge of Him is never a knowledge of His self but of His will. Al-Ghazali therefore could not countenance the preaching of Mansur al Hallaj who went about Baghdad claiming that through the mystical experience he and God had become one. By reaffirming that Islam implies action, al-Ghazali meant to repudiate those sufis who preached monkery and withdrawal from society, any form of asceticism or mortification, or nonobligation to observe the rituals and all other laws of the shariah. Al-Ghazali thus made Tasawwuf respectable and conformant with the shariah and spirit of Islam.
Imam Ghazali says: When anyone claims there is a state between him and Allah relieving him of the need to obey the Sacred Law or Shariah such that the prayer, fasting, and so forth are not obligatory for him, or that drinking wine and taking other people's money are permissible for him - as some pretenders to sufism, namely those ìabove the Sacred Law or Shariah' (ibahiyyun) have claimed - there is no doubt that the imam of the Muslims or his representative is obliged to kill him. Some hold that executing such a person is better in Allah's sight than killing a hundred unbelievers in the path of Allah Most High.' (Hashiya al-Shaykh Ibrahim al-Bajuri, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1925, Abu Shuja' al-Asfahani, Ahmad ibn al-Husayn, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Bajuri, and Muhammad ibn Qasim al-Ghazzi, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1925, vol. 2, p. 267)."
_____________________________________________________________________
Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (RA)
"Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, the great seventeenth century Indian sufi and religious reformer, states the common view in the clearest terms: It is commonly agreed that in determining the rules (ahkam) of the Shariah, what counts is the Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophet, the qiyas of a qualified jurist (mujtahid) and the consensus of the Ummah. No other principle apart from these four is to be taken into consideration to determine the legality of rules. Inspiration (ilham) does not determine whether something is right or wrong, and the kashf of a sufi does not establish the degree of a rule, whether it is obligatory or desirable. The saints (awliya) have to follow, like an ordinary Muslim, the opinions of the mujtahids. Their revelations (kushuf) and inspirations (ilhamat) do not elevate their status and relieve them from following the judgments of the jurists (fuqaha). . . . They have to follow the judgments of the jurists (mujtahidin) in matters of ijtihad.' [Maktubat Iman Rabbani, vol. II, p. 1041]. In the above statement, Sirhindi uses the term waliyat in the sense of nearness and intimacy with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala."
_____________________________________________________________________
Imam Nawawi (RA)
In his Al-Maqasid, Imam Nawawi, the great Shafi'i scholar, discusses sufism at great length. His conclusions may be summarized as follows: "The basic rules of the way of sufism are five:

1. having godfearingness privately and publicly,
2. living according to the sunna in word and deed,
3. indifference to whether others accept or reject one,
4. satisfaction with Allah Most High in scarcity and plenty, and
5. turning to Allah in happiness or affliction.
The foundations of all of these consist of five things:
1.high aspiration,

2. keeping Allah's reverence,
3. giving the best of service,
4. keeping one's spiritual resolves, and
5. esteeming Allah's blessings.
The principles of sufism's signs on a person are also five:
1. seeking Sacred Knowledge in order to perform Allah's command;
2. keeping the company of sheikhs and fellow disciples in order to see with insight;
3. forgoing both dispensations from religious obligations and
4. figurative interpretations of scripture, for the sake of cautiousness;
5. organizing one's time with spiritual works to maintain presence of heart; and suspecting the self in all matters, in order to free oneself from caprice and be safe from destruction.

One reaches Allah Most High by
repenting from all things unlawful or offensive;
seeking Sacred Knowledge in the amount needed;
continuously keeping on ritual purity;
performing the prescribed prayers [fard] at the first of their times in a group prayer (and praying the confirmed sunnas [sunna mu'akkada] associated with them);
always performing eight rak'as of the nonobligatory midmorning prayer (al-duha), the six rak'as between the sunset (maghrib) and nightfall ('isha) prayers, the night vigil prayer (tahajjud) after having risen from sleeping, and the witr prayer;
fasting Mondays and Thursdays;
reciting the Koran with presence of heart and reflecting on its meanings;
asking much for Allah's forgiveness (istaghfar);
always invoking the Blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace); and
persevering in the dhikrs that are sunna in the morning and evening.
These include, among others, the following verses of the Koran:
Al-Bakarah: 285-6,
At-Tauba: 129,
ar-Rum: 17-19,
Surah Ya-Sin,
Al-Hashr: 21-24,
Sura Al-Ikhlas,
Sura al-Falaq, and
Sura al-Nas.í [pp. 85-92

_____________________________________________________________________
Ahmad Zarruq (RA)

Ahmad Zarruq, the fifteenth century Maliki scholar and hadith specialist, states: "So there is no sufism except through comprehension of Sacred Law or Shariah, for the outward rules of Allah Most High are not known save through it, and there is no comprehension of Sacred Law or Shariah without sufism, for works are nothing without the sincerity of approach, as expressed by the words of Imam Malik (Allah have mercy on him): 'He who practices sufism without learning Sacred Law or Shariah corrupts his faith, while he who learns Sacred Law or Shariah without practicing sufism corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true.'" (Iqaz al-himam fi sharh al-Hikam, Ibn Ajiba, Ahmad ibn Muhammad, and Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ibn Ata Illah, Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi wa Awladuhu, Cairo, 1972, pp. 5-6).
_____________________________________________________________________
Izz ibn Abd al-Salam (RA)
Izz ibn Abd al-Salam, a Shafi'i scholar and mujtahid Imam, writes: If one sees someone who can fly through the air, walk on water, or inform one of the unseen, but who contravenes the Sacred Law or Shariah by committing an unlawful act without an extenuating circumstance that legally excuses it, or who neglects an obligatory act without lawful reason, one may know that such a person is a devil Allah has placed there as a temptation to the ignorant. Nor is it far-fetched that such a person should be one of the means by which Allah chooses to lead men astray, for the Antichrist (al-Dajjal) will bring the dead to life and make the living die, all as a temptation and affliction to those who would be misled (al-Iman al-'Izz ibn Abd al-Salam wa atharuhu fi al-fiqh al-Islami, Ali Mustafa al-Faqir, Mudiriyya al-Ifta' li al-Quwat al-Musallaha al-Uduniyya, Amman, 1979, vol. 1, p. 137). Al-Junayd, the master of all the sufis' (Shaykh al-ta'ifah) was once told, There is a group who claim they arrive to a state in which legal responsibility (such as salaat, siyam) no longer applies to them.' They have arrived,' he replied, but to hell' (Iqaz al-himam fi sharh al-Hikam, Ibn Ajiba, Ahmad ibn Muhammad, and Ahmad ibn Muhammad Ibn Ata Illah, Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi wa Awladuhu, Cairo, 1972, p. 210).

_____________________________________________________________________
Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi
Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi reiterates the same view : It is the misfortune of the Muslims that as they sank in knowledge and character with the passage of time, they also succumbed to the misguided philosophies of nations which were then dominant. They partook of these philosophies and patched Islam with their perverted ideas. They polluted the pure spirit of Islamic Tasawwuf with absurdities that could not be justified by any stretch of imagination on the basis of the Quran and the Hadith. Gradually, a group of Muslims appeared who thought and proclaimed themselves immune to and above the requirements of the Shariah. These people are totally ignorant of Islam, for Islam cannot admit of Tasawwuf that loosens itself out of the Shariah and takes liberties with it. No Sufi has the right to transgress the limits of the Shariah or treat lightly the primary obligations (Faraid) such as daily prayers, fasting, zakah and the hajj.' [Towards Understanding Islam, p. 97]

And there is a lot more but I would like not to abuse space on this board. If you are interested, please do contact me. Again, my goal is not to disagree. Just merely to bring to light the truth as it exists. And Allahu Alim.

Wasalaam.
Re: Islam [some questions]
amatullah

12/31/01 at 20:13:08

Bismillah and salam,

Is it not true that with the first drop of blood from slaughtering the sacrifice that the sins of the person doing it is forgiven?

Re: Islam [some questions]
akbalkhan

01/01/02 at 01:07:28

As Salamu Alaykum, As Salamu Alaykum,

I put that twice because I am not trying to step on anyones belief here, just trying to provide a non-rocky beginning to a very uneven path these days for someone interested in al-Islam.

If you believe that Sufism is the backbone of al-Islam, than that is the state of your iman. If you are not rock solid about Shahada being one of the five pillars of al-Islam, then that is the state of your iman. If you follow scholars of fiqh or deen who have identified themselves with Sufism than that is where you draw from the well. Excuse me for making my post sound so exclusive, as my intention was only to not send a mixed message about the meat of al-Islam coming from the 4 accepted madhabs.

Perhaps there should be another thread on this, perhaps it has been thoroughly covered. Judging by the lack of response from the questioner, perhaps s/he knows now that for many things in al-Islam it depends who you ask.

The original question was "What is the DIFFERENCE between Sufism and Islam. Not how are they similar, or what are the controversies surrounding Sufism. Islam and Sufism are not the same thing, nor are they interdependent. The difference between them is that all of the Prophets and Messengers, AS, told us to follow al-Islam, and to be Muslims, not Sufi's. Sufism is not a science equated to the study of fiqh, or hadiths. Al-Islam, indeed sunnah, Shariat, and knowledge of the Quran would not exist without fiqh, hadiths and sciences related to them, however, al-Islam would be fine without Sufism. Tasawuf on the other hand (assuming that you do not equate it with Sufism) is indispensible when it refers to the purification of the nafs and the diseases of the heart. In this case there are no better examples for how to do this then those provided by the Prophet Muhammed, SAWS, and the Companions, RA, again, none of whom ever espoused a deen or knowledge called Sufism. That is the main difference between al-Islam and Sufism.

I did not look at the question as an opportunity to lead someone into the study of Sufism, or to provocate more curiousity about the matter, rather to dispell any notions that Sufism can even touch al-Islam or be an alternative term for it.

When I first began to be really interested in literature of al-Islam, I did go to the Barnes and Noble section, and found the books by Jalaludin Rumi, et alia. I absorbed them and found them in accordance of what I had found spiritually in my own personal searches through the world religions. Poems about drinking alcohol, ecstatic rapture, retreats from the physical world and human community, ascetism, intermixed with Quranic passages and philosophical perspectives of such. I found nothing wrong with such texts until I really became a Mu'min, and found no satisfaction in philosophy unless it aided me in making my salaat on time, showing compassion in times when I felt least like it, going to masjid, helping others become Mu'min, or examining my own life and the changes I could make to come closer to that of the Sahaba, RA.

I cannot even hang with any of the scholars mentioned above, so I am not going to drag some other quotes up here dissing them or refuting them, because you know as well as I do that they are available. However, what I will mention is that no deen or religion will be accepted of anyone except al-Islam. No scholar, or philosopher, book or treatise will reward or benefit you except the Quran. If people should indulge themselves in a alternate study like Sufism, or any other -ism, should we be proud to have encouraged them to spend time reading other then the Quran or sunnah? Should we feel happy or sad when we learn of someone we influenced call themselves something other than a Mu'min or Muslim, on account of our nudging?

Regards,

QAK

Re: Islam [some questions]
Arsalan

01/01/02 at 04:24:03

[slm]

[quote]If you believe that Sufism is the backbone of al-Islam, than that is the state of your iman.[/quote]Where was this mentioned? What the brother mentioned was that "Sufism ... is the spiritual backbone of Islam." The backbone of Islam, of course, is the Articles of Faith and the Pillars of Islam.

I see nothing wrong with that statement of akhan if he really means "tasawwuf" when he says "sufism" (which I think he does). Tasawwuf being *the* inward science which deals with purification of the heart and emphasizes on concepts such as remembrance of Allah at all times, love of Allah, fear of Allah's punishment, hope in Allah's Mercy and reward, etc.

Often times the words sufism and tasawwuf are used interchangeably. I personally agree with Akbalkhan's approach. I think it's wise to make a distinction between the correct form of tasawwuf (as I described above) and the deviated form of it (which includes a lot of shirk and bid'ee practices, and is unfortunately the more predominant form that is practiced in the modern Muslim world). Referring to the first form as "tasawwuf" - as it deserves to be called - and calling the latter "sufism" (as an "ism" that has no basis in Islam) will probably help people realize the difference between the two forms.

[quote]If you are not rock solid about Shahada being one of the five pillars of al-Islam, then that is the state of your iman[/quote]Where was this mentioned? I *think* that se7en was trying to make a distinction between proclaiming the kalimah in front of a gathering of Muslims (at the Masjid, for example) and the belief in one's heart about the truth of the kalimah. I think what she is saying in her last post is that a person who has come to believe firmly upon the six articles of faith (belief in Allah as the sole deity worthy of worship, His angels, His books, His Prophets, the Day of Judgment, and predestination) in his/her heart, but has yet to profess it verbally in front of a group of Muslims has already become a Muslim. That is, he/she has accepted Islam. Because what really counts in the sight of Allah is that you *believe*, not *express* your belief in front of people. (Note: it does have to be declared by the tongue, because both the tongue and the heart must witness to the kalimah as the tongue is the emissary of the heart; but that is done at least 9 times a day every day during the prayers!)

What I would add to that though is that one should not hide his Islam (unless in extraordinary circumstances) from people. Once a person accepts Islam, he/she should make it known. There are many reasons for this. One, so that the people would *know* that this person is now a Muslim and deal with him accordingly. Second, for house-keeping purposes in an Islamic state. Since a Muslim's rights and duties under the state are different from those of a non-Muslim, the State needs to know who is a Muslim and who is not. Finally, it's always comforting for Muslims to witness people entering their Deen. It gives them a boost, strengthens their faith, and gives them a reason to be joyous.

Sometimes there are people out there accept Islam because of what they come to read about it on the internet or through books. Maybe they will even know some people through the internet who would have helped them see the Light. However, they might live in a place where there is no Islamic community, and they may not have any access to Muslims. If such people accept Islam, start praying 5 times a day, and start to carry out all the Islamic injunctions in their life, but have yet to meet a Muslim in real life and pronounce the shahadah in front of them, would you say he/she is a kafir?

And then when this person, 2 years down the road, moves to a place with a vibrant Islamic community, does he need to go in front of 2 witnesses and formally declare his shahadah? In a country like the US, I seriously do not see a need for it. In a Muslim country, he would most likely need to do this though, in order to prove his Islam to the authorities.

And Allah knows best.
[quote]I cannot even hang with any of the scholars mentioned above, so I am not going to drag some other quotes up here dissing them or refuting them, because you know as well as I do that they are available. [/quote]Do you mean to say that all of the above-mentioned scholars are problematic? And that none of them can be trusted to take Islamic knowledge from?

?
shadow493

01/01/02 at 02:09:41

i would think the brother/sister who asked these questions are a bit confused by now? i know i am... back and forth... its confusing guys

Re: Islam [some questions]
akbalkhan

01/01/02 at 04:02:28

As Salamu Alayka,

Arsalan, you wrote: I *think* that se7en was trying to make a distinction between proclaiming the kalimah in front of a gathering of Muslims (at the Masjid, for example) and the belief in one's heart about the truth of the kalimah

Perhaps your ability to detect this from the statements have something to do with your familiarity with her veiws. I do not claim the same familiarity, and therefore do not try and guess what is implied. I was only responding out of trying to clarify for the Anonymous Poster. I totally agree if indeed that was the intention behind the remarks.

Arsalan, you also wrote in response to my reference to the mentioned scholars in A. Khan's post: Do you mean to say that all of the above-mentioned scholars are problematic? And that none of them can be trusted to take Islamic knowledge from?

No, not problematic in general. But in reference to the whole Sufism thing, I believe that there is information available that speaks to the attempt to reconcile al-Islam with Sufism and conflict that arises from some of the above scholars statements. Whether they called themselves Sufi's, professed to follow that way of life, or what other scholars may say about their choices are not a part of a productive introduction to al-Islam for someone new. It is just as readily available to find valid criticisms and supporting statements by scholars about Sufism then it is to find information about al-Islam in stores available to Anon, hence my warning about information defaming scholars invaluable to an indepth study of al-Islam. I view the mentioned scholars involvement with Sufism secondary in regards to any contributions they made to the study of al-Islam.

I do not claim to be able to put my mind around some of the things that the scholars discuss, so even touching the refutations or dissents is out of the picture for me, but I am aware that they are out there, and I am better for knowing what to avoid(dissent) and what to take from them (the scholars).

But just like I was afraid of, Sufism has taken the main rail in this thread. And quotes from the scholars can easily be confused by a new person to al-Islam with being exclusively Sufi and not necessarily stemming from al-Islam.

Regards,

QAK
Re: Islam [some questions]
Arsalan

01/01/02 at 05:43:36

[slm]

Akbalkhan, jazak Allahu khairan for your post.

Anonymous, I'm sorry about the distractions in this thread! Sometimes the internet causes a lot of miscommunication and things are easily misunderstood. This thread is a clear example of this. It's unfortunate that it had to happen in your thread. I'm gonna try to break down your questions one more time, in case you are totally confused at this point ...

[quote]1. What is the difference between Sufism and Islam?[/quote]If you are talking about the two sections you see at Barnes & Noble (Islam and Sufism), then modern sufism is a set of beliefs and practices which are a messed up version of some Islamic principles and practices (namely "tasawwuf" -- self purification through carrying out the commandments of Allah as prescribed in the Qur'an, folowing the example of the Prophet, indulging in remembrance of Allah at all times, contemplation, introspection, self-evaluation, supplication, performing voluntary prayers, etc).

Modern sufism contains many practices which go against the basic tenets of Islam (belief in the Unity and Uniqueness of God and His Attributes, for example). Since modern sufism was started by people who were born in Muslim families and carried a Muslim name, it has come to be associated with Islam. Most modern day sufis (not all, but most) are considered deviants by Muslim scholars and are rejected as heretics.

[quote]2. Can one consider himself a Muslim eventough he hasn't taken shahada yet?[/quote]The simple answer to this is that if you believe in the 6 Articles of Faith, namely:

1. Belief in Allah - His being the one and only deity worthy of worship
2. Belief in His Angels - as being a type of creation that do not disobey Allah
3. Belief in His Books - those that were given to Abraham, David, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (pbuh), with the Qur'an being the only one which remains as our main source of guidance today
4. Belief in His Prophets - with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) being the final one in the chain of all of the Prophets
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment - a day whose appointed time is only known to Allah, and a day when all of us will be judged and sent to our final abode (either Hell or Heaven)
6. Predestination - that anything good or bad that happens to us happens with the Will of Allah

If you believe in the above six things, then you are a believer.

However, faith is not enough to attain salvation according to the teachings of Islam. Works are also necessary. In other words, we are to live by the commandments that have been prescribed for us in the Qur'an and the Sunnah (example of the Prophet). Our salvation depends on the firmness of our faith in the above six things, as well as our righteousness in carrying out the commandments of Allah. The pillars of these commandments are five. They are as follows:

1. Testify that the only deity worthy of worship is Allah, and that Muhammad is his final Messenger (pbuh)
2. Establish regular prayer (5 times every day)
3. Spend out from your wealth to those in need (there is a certain amount that you have to pay every year on a part of your wealth), if you yourself are well-off
4. Fast the month of Ramadan (9th month of the Muslim calendar), if you are able to do so
5. Perform Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque in Makkah) once in your lifetime, if you are able to do so

Abandoning any of the 5 pillars of Islam takes you out of Islam. However, being lazy and missing some of them sometimes, but later feeling remorse over it, does not take you out of Islam. It counts as a sin. And the way to overcome that is repentance. Ask forgiveness from Allah with a sincere heart. Make a firm resolution to be better in the future. And try your best to be good in the future. If you faulter again, do the same process again. And remember that Allah does not tire of forgiving His slaves. And He is the Most Gracious, Oft-returning and Most Merciful.

If you do all that, then you will be ok in the Hereafter, insha Allah.

[quote]3. what is a good way to study Islam without being turn in a hundred
different directions. Since so many people seem to interepet Islam based on their own political situation.[/quote]Study Islam from good, well-written books and people of knowledge.

The first and most important book is the Qur'an. A good translation is extremely important. I personally suggest Yusuf Ali's translation because it has good commentary to go along with the text. Be careful of some messed up translations out there that are written by non-Muslims or Muslims who are not scholars themselves.

For a more detailed study of the Qur'an, I would recommend "The Meaning of Quran" by Syed Abul A'laa Maududi. It has several volumes.

As far as other books go, there are many good books out there. But unfortunately many bad ones too. The best thing to do is to ask a person of knowledge before buying a certain book. You will get better at judging books without the help of other people once you read more about Islam, insha Allah.

To find people of knowledge you really have to start at the local Mosque. Go and talk to your imam. Or ask a Muslim friend in your area.

[quote]4. What is fiqh[/quote]Fiqh is the Islamic science of jurisprudence. It usually deals with the "how-to's" of Islamic practices. How to pray, how to fast, how to make hajj, how much to spend in charity, etc. It also, often, deals with the "what if's" of Islam. What do I do if this happens? What if this happens? Etc.

Both of these questions, the how-to's and the what-if's, are answered using a deep study of Qur'an and Sunnah. The whole process of doing that, however, is called fiqh.

[quote]5. What is the meaning when people sacrifice a sheep once a year? Does it take away sins? [/quote]The sheep (or goat, cow, camel) is sacrificed as a symbol of our obedience and sacrifice for the sake of Allah. According to the Qur'an, Prophet Abraham was ordered by Allah to slaughter his own son, without specifiying any reason for it. Abraham heeded to the order without any questioning or hesitation. Upon the brink of offering his sacrifice, Abraham's son (Ishmael) was replaced by Allah with a ram. Abraham was then given the glad tidings by Allah that he had passed a great test that Allah had put him through.

This act of Abraham is commemorated every year by Muslims. The sacrifice of animals does take away our sins, if done properly with the right intention, as does any good deed that we do to please Allah.

[quote]6. Is it in the way of Islam that certain names of Allah have certain
effects when repeated, or is this just believed by sufis?[/quote]Neither the Prophet (pbuh) nor his companions have been reported to have made any such chants of Allah's names to reap any such benefits. Thus doing such an act is considered an innovation in religion. And the Prophet (pbuh) told us to be extremely careful of indulging in innovations. He said every innovation in the religion is a heresy, and every heresy is in the Fire.

And Allah knows best.

[quote]also if
someone is sick and they ask Allah for help and repeat dhkir until hopefully something helps them, is this permissible in Islam?[/quote]Whenever one is in a tribulation, he/she should turn to Allah and ask Him to relieve him/her from the tribulation. But he/she should also exert all of his/her own effort to relieve him/herself from the tribulation also. So regarding sickness, for instance, a person should indeed pray to Allah to heal him/her. But he/she should also go to a doctor, take medication, and take care of his/her body, etc.

In the end, it is Allah who heals us, and not any doctor or medication. But Allah may use a doctor or a medication to heal us. It is required for us to seek those means, and put our trust in Allah.

[quote]7. i would like to know "am I not your Lord"?(I think this might be in one of the suras from the Qu'ran). Since this is one of the reasons why I think Isalm is true. I was looking for a spiritual way that addressed this after I decided that Christianity didn't feel true to me.[/quote]I'm really sorry, but I don't understand what you are asking in this question.

[quote]8. What about the Bible? is it still useful in some way, or is it
impossible to know what's been changed?[/quote]The Muslims do not use the Bible to extract any sort of guidance. We believe that the Bible does not contain the original teachings of Jesus (pbuh). His original teachings have been corrupted and lost, and thus the Qur'an was sent with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to be the final and the most comprehensive revelation from Allah. Using the Bible for guidance over the Qur'an is completely forbidden in Islam.

[quote]9. what is the role of Muhammad(PBUH) now? Is his spirit active in the world or is he in the grave or in paradise? What happens (for him) when people send blessings?[/quote]Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a human being just like the rest of us. After he died, the same thing happened to him that happens to any other righteous person when he dies. His soul resides both in the heavens (in the world of souls, called barzakh) as well as in the grave at the same time. The part of his soul which resides in the grave is in a constant state of joy for seeing its eventual place in Paradise. It is comfortable and pleased.

The only difference betwen the state of his soul and the soul of a righteous person is that since the Prophet (pbuh) will have a special status in Paradise, the pleasure that his soul experiences in his grave is unlike any other man's. And Allah knows best.

When we send blessings on the Prophet (pbuh), it reaches him directly. And the angels ask Allah to bless us in return for sending blessings on him.

[i]Allahumma salli alaa sayyidina Muhammad, wa alaa aalihi wasahbihi wasallam[/i]

I hope this has been of some help. Please do not hesitate to ask if something is ambiguous or confusing, or if you happen to have other questions.

Take care.
Re: Islam [some questions]
akhan

01/01/02 at 14:34:30

Asalaamalaikum wr wb,

[quote]Both of these questions, the how-to's and the what-if's, are answered using a deep study of Qur'an and Sunnah. The whole process of doing that, however, is called fiqh. [/quote]

The process is actually called Ijtihaad. The qualifications for which are immense.

Fiqh literally means to comprehend and understand. In early Islamic history, the term included legal, ethical and theological norms. Fiqh dealing with creed was termed al-fiqh al-akbar, (Imam Abu Hanifa’s book entitled al-Fiqh al-akbar and his definition of fiqh bear testimony to this), and the term faqih denoted equally a ‘jurist’ and ‘theologian.’

Later definitions, such as Imam al-Shafi`i’s, begin to portray a dichotomy between legal theory and theology: ‘Knowledge that is discerned from the detailed proofs (the Qur’an, sunna, ijma` (consensus) and qiyas (analogical deduction)) regarding norms for actions in the shari`a. (al-Fiqh al-islami wa adillatuh p.16)

[quote]Often times the words sufism and tasawwuf are used interchangeably. [/quote]

I do use these terms interchangeably.

[quote]But just like I was afraid of, Sufism has taken the main rail in this thread. And quotes from the scholars can easily be confused by a new person to al-Islam with being exclusively Sufi and not necessarily stemming from al-Islam.[/quote]

If one actually reads the quotes I mentioned, the scholars make clear that tawassuf stems from Islam and that was the point I was trying to make. Confusion only arises due to lack of research.

[quote]I cannot even hang with any of the scholars mentioned above, so I am not going to drag some other quotes up here dissing them or refuting them, because you know as well as I do that they are available. [/quote]

If we don't take our knowledge from luminaries such as Imam Ibn Taymiyah (RA), Hujjat Al Islam Imam Al-Ghazaali, Imam Nawawi (RA), etc., then who do we take our deen from. The above mentioned were reknowned jurists in their own madhahib (e.g Imam Nawawi was a Shafi' jurist). All the rulings they made usually adhered to one school or another except for Ibn Taymiyah (RA)who believed in going back to the earliest sources and re-performing Ijtihaad (for certain rulings).

[quote]i would think the brother/sister who asked these questions are a bit confused by now? i know i am... back and forth... its confusing guys [/quote]

Sorry, that was not the intention. I think several members on this board have addressed the issue quite well (se7en, arsalan, bhaloo, etc). Hopefully most items were answered with a few excpetions. For the greater interest I will stay away from further dwelling into tasawwuf.

Re: Islam [some questions]
se7en

01/01/02 at 22:43:55

as salaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllahi wa barakatuh,

w o a h...

The person these questions were initially asked for has contacted me directly. InshaAllah I'll be able to answer some of her more basic questions about Islam in private.

Jazakam Allahu khayran to all of you for your efforts :)

wasalaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllah.

Re: Islam [some questions]
akbalkhan

01/04/02 at 15:42:15

A. Khan you quoted:

Imam Nawawi (RA)
In his Al-Maqasid, Imam Nawawi, the great Shafi'i scholar, discusses sufism at great length. His conclusions may be summarized as follows: "The basic rules of the way of sufism are five:
1. having godfearingness privately and publicly,
2. living according to the sunna in word and deed,
3. indifference to whether others accept or reject one,
4. satisfaction with Allah Most High in scarcity and plenty, and
5. turning to Allah in happiness or affliction.

and then you wrote:

If one actually reads the quotes I mentioned, the scholars make clear that tawassuf stems from Islam and that was the point I was trying to make. Confusion only arises due to lack of research.

I did read the quotes, and I found the one above indicative of an attempt to classify distinct characteristics of a good Muslim, as a Sufi, which in my opinion is wrong and misleading. This particular quote does give the impression that being Sufi is 1), 2), 3) etc., when actually being Muslim are what is described.

A. Khan also wrote:
If we don't take our knowledge from luminaries such as Imam Ibn Taymiyah (RA), Hujjat Al Islam Imam Al-Ghazaali, Imam Nawawi (RA), etc., then who do we take our deen from.

Actually, I do refer to them as well for knowledge, particularly the following quotes:

Yet even at the early stage of Sufism, before their involvement in innovated rituals and structured orders, the scholars warned the masses of the extremity of Sufi practices. Imam Al-Shafi' had the opinion that "If a person exercised Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he doesn't come at Zuhur except an idiot". Imam Malik and Ahmad bin Hanbal also shared similar ideas on this new movement which emanated from Basrah, Iraq.(From an article in Nida'ul Magazine)

The Sahabah, RA, warned us of innovations and practices that began in Iraq!

For example, Ibn Taymiyyah is attributed to have been a member of the Qadiri order and had been initiated, and spoken great words on Bistami and his likes. Yet Ibn Taymiyyah spent the majority of his life fighting against the teachings of Sufism, was imprisoned because of them...

Concerning the famous Sufi leader, Al-Harith Al-Muhasbi, Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbaal (R) said:

"Warn (people) from Al-Harith (a Sufi leader) the strongest warning!... He is the shelter of the Ahl Kalaam (people of rhetoric)." [Talbees Iblis].

The famous Sheikh Abu Bakr Al-Jaza'iri stated:

"Sufism is a shameful deception which begins with Dhikr and ends with Kufr. Its outward manifestation appears to be piety, but its inward reality forsakes the Commandments of Allah." [Illat-Tasawwuf Yaa Ibadallah].

Insha'Allah, it is clear what a little research can do, and this coming from some of the same scholars you say espoused Sufism.

The quotes stress exactly my point in the avoidance of anything Sufi for any beginner in al-Islam, and your Sheikhs have pointed this out in their texts as well. No one without a solid base in knowledge and practice of Quran and sunnah should even read or think about Sufism, again a stance taken by the scholars you mentioned. So why would you indulge in it so much to someone asking simple questions?

Regards,

QAK
Re: Islam [some questions]
bhaloo

01/05/02 at 00:17:24

slm

I am going to close this thread before things start to get out of hand, as we shouldn't be getting into these prolonged types of discussions on this board. (Please see constitution rule #13).

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