Archive for February, 2007

When studying the sciences of hadīth the seeker will stumble upon words or jargon that may be used in spoken Arabic differently than in ‘Ulūm Al-Hadīth. One of the branches of the broad umbrella science of hadīth studies is the study of the isnād, or the chain of transmission. Generally speaking, there are two parts to a hadīth (prophetic tradition). The matn, or the actual wording of the hadīth, and the isnād. Indeed, it is the chain of narrations that allows the later generations of Muslims to know if the hadīth is authentic. Questions such as: Were the narrators righteous? Was the narrators’ memory accurate? Etc. These questions, however, are related to another sub-science of Hadīth studies, the science of Asmā’ Ar-Rijāl (the names of the men) and Jarh wa Ta’dīl (criticism and praise). Unfortunately, these issues are not the topic of this article. The concern of this article is phrases or terms used regarding the isnād of a hadīth.
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There has, unfortunately, risen a group in our times that declare Muslims as Kuffār (declaring someone a kāfir is called ‘takfīr’), damning them to hell eternally. This is, as every Muslim knows, a dangerous path to tread. It is a path that can in fact take one from the yolk of Islām as our the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said,

“If a man calls his Muslim brother kāfir, it applies to one of the two.” (Reported by Imām Al-Bukhārī in his Sahīh)

Imām Abū Hāmid Al-Ghazālī (1058-1111 CE) wrote a renowned treatise on this issue titled, “Faysal At-Tafriqah bayn Al-Islām wal Zandaqa”. This excerpt briefly talks about some of the finer details of taxing someone with kufr (takfir). Here is a brief translation of what Imām Al-Ghazālī states,

“Know that the explanation of what gives grounds for declaring someone a disbeliever (kāfir), and what does not, calls for a wealth of details which would necessitate citing all the views and doctrines, and mentioning the specious argument and proof of each individual, and the wat he is remote from the literal meaning and the mode of his interpretation (ta’wīl). Many tomes would not contain that, nor would my time be ample enough to explain it. So I am content now with one directive [wasiyya: counsel, recommendation, injunction] and one rule [qānūn].

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His full name is Abū Bakr ibn Abī Is-hāq Muhammad ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Ya’qūb Al-Bukhārī Al-Kalābādhī. He is called Al-Kalābādhī because of the quarter of Kalābādh in the region of Bukhārā (see Mu’jam Al-Buldān). This is the same region as the great master of hadīth, Imām Muhammad ibn Ismā’īl Al-Bukhārī, author of the Sahīh said to be the second most authentic book after the Qur’ān. He studied Hanafī fiqh beneath the erudite jurist Muhammad ibn Fadhl as stated by Imām Abdul-Hayy Al-Lakhnawī. He is the author of the great Sūfī treatise on the beliefs of the Sūfīs, Kitāb At-Ta’arruf li-madh-hab Ahlut-Tasawwuf. Generations to follow would use this book as their manual in creed. Imām Suhrawardī Maqtūl once said, “If not for the ‘Ta’arruf’ we would not have known Tasawwuf!” He also wrote a commentary of 222 ahadīth (narrations) of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) titled, “Bahr Al-Fawā’id fī ma’ānī Al-Akhbār”. He passed in the year 380 A.H. (990 CE). May Allāh illuminate his grave and send his mercy upon his soul. Amīn

Al-Junayd said: “Sincerity is that whereby Allah is desired, whatever the act may be.” Ruwaym said: “Sincerity is lifting one’s regard from the deed.” I heard Fāris relate that a number of Fuqarā’ from Khurasān came to Abū Bakr Al-Qahtabī, who addressed them thus: “How commandeth you your Shaykh?” - meaning Abū ‘Uthmān. They answered, “He commands us to be obedient much, but always to keep in sight our shortcomings therein.” Abū Bakr replied: “Fie on him! Does he not command you to be unconscious of your obedience, in the vision of Him who is the originator of your obedience?” A man said to Abul-‘Abbās ibn ‘Atā’: “What act is sincere?” He replied, “That which is free from faults.” Abū Ya’qūb As-Sūsī said: “The act which is truly sincere is that which is known neither by any angel, to record it, nor by any devil, to corrupt it, nor by the soul, to take pride in it.” He means that a man must detach himself entirely for Allāh’s sake, and turn from the act to Him.

[Taken from Kitāb At-Ta’arruf li madh-hab ahlul-tasawwuf of Imām Al-Kalābādhī]

By Abul Layth ibn ‘Ata

The community of Muslims, from the earliest scholars to the later ones, have forbidden men to lower their garments below their ankles out of haughtiness or pride. In the Shafi’i school of legal thought lowering the garment, for men, below the ankles is considered forbidden if done out of khuyalā’ (arrogance or pride).

The Master of the Shafi’i guild in his time, Imaam An-Nawawi (rahimahullah - Allah ’s Mercy be upon him) states in Rawdh. At.-T.aalibin,

“It is Harām to lengthen the thobe (garment) below the ankles if done out of khuyalā’ (arrogance, pride, haughtiness). It is Makrūh (disliked) if done out of other than Khuyalā’. There is no difference regarding that (i.e. isbāl and its ruling) in the case of Salāh or any other situation. The Sirāwīl and the Izār (waist garment) take the hukm (ruling) of the thobe.”

The Imām of the Sunnah, the authority of the Shāfi’īyya, Al-Khatīb Ash-Shirbīnī (rahimahullāh) states in his Al-Mughnī Al-Muhtāj ilā Ma’rifat Mā’ānī Alfāth. Minhāj (the sharh. of Imām An-Nawawī’s Minhāj At-Tālibīn),

“It is harām to let the tassels down, as letting it down is fāhish (an evil), and letting the thobe (garment) down as well past the ka’bayn (ankles) out of khuyalā’ (is harām). And that is makrūh (disliked) out of other than that (i.e. if not done out of khuyālā’).”

The Hanbali Imam, Ibn Qudaamah Al-Maqdisi said in his Al-Kafi fi fiqh al-Imam Ahmad,

“And it is Makrūh (disliked) to let one’s Qamis (shirt), Izaar (rap around waist garment), and Siraaweel (trousers) out of ikhtiyaalan (pride or arrogance). That is because the Nabi (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) said, “Whoever lets his garment (thobe) hang down (i.e. past the ankles) Allah will not look to him.” [Agreed Upon (meaning reported by Bukhari and Muslim)]

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