Az-Zanji: Muslim Ibn Khalid مسلم بن خالد الزنجي the Faqih of Mecca & Imam Ash-Shafi’i

Compiled by Abul Layth

Muslim ibn Khālid Al-Makhzūmī Al- Makkī is well known amongst the scholars as Imām Az-Zanjī.  There are several reasons reported as to why he was called “Az-Zanjī”. Az-Zanjī literally means black and is used in modern Arabic to refer to one who is negro¹. Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal asked Suwayd ibn Sa’id, “Why was he called ‘Az-Zanjī’?” He said, “Because he was extremely black!” Al-Hāfith Ibn Hajr also mentions that he was called Az-Zanjī because he intensely loved dates. A slave girl once said to him, ‘You are nothing but a Zanjī because of your love for dates!’ And so the nickname stuck with him.

Imam Az-Zanjī is famous amongst the Fuqahā’ (jurisconsults) for being the first teacher in fiqh of Imām Ash-Shafi’ī when he was at the age of 15 or 16. Imām Ibn Kathīr writes in his Tabaqat Ash-Shafi’iyyīn the following,

“As for Ash-Shāfi’ī’s studies in fiqh (Islamic law) then he first studied beneath  Muslim Ibn Khālid Az-Zanjī in Mecca, and Az-Zanjī took fiqh from Ibn Jurayj and he took fiqh from ‘Atā ibn Abī RabāH and he studied beneath Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn uz Zubayr and other than them from amongst the Sahābah…”²

Ibn Hibbān states in his Ath-Thiqāt,

“He was from the jurists of the Hijāz, and he taught Imām Ash-Shāfi’ī before Ash-Shāfi’ī studied beneath Mālik. Muslim ibn Khālid would make mistakes on occasion [in hadīth]. He died in either in the year 179 [and some said] or 180 (A.H).”

Ibn Sa’ad mentioned that he died during the Caliphate of Hārūn Ar-Rashīd.

His Status in Hadīth

In the science of fiqh he is considered of the Imams of Hijāz and thus Mecca. Yet, in the science of hadīth he has been criticized by many scholars of hadīth. Al-Hāfith ibn Hajr states declares in his Taqrīb, “A jurist! Sadūq (honest), many weaknesses [in reporting hadīth].”

In his Talkhīs Al-Habīr he states after reporting the following hadīth:

“‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan said: ‘Do not oblige a slave-girl to earn money unless she has a skill. If you oblige her to do that, she will earn money by prostitution. Do not oblige a child to earn money. If he does not find it, he will steal. Pardon since Allah will pardon you, and you must feed them good food.”This is reported by Mālik in his Muwatta’³ and Imām Ash-Shāfi’ī from him from Abī Suhayl from his father that he heard Uthmān say this. Al-Bayhaqi said, ‘Some of the scholars have raised this to be from the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) but it is not authentically declared from the Prophet (marfū’). Then he reported it from the way of Muslim ibn Khālid from Al-‘Alā’ from his father from Abu Hurayrah in Marfu’ form, and Muslim was declared da’īf according to some of them.” [Vol. 5 pgs. 2596-2597 pub. By Adwa' us-Salaf edited by Dr. Muhammad Ath-Thānī]

In their gloss of the Taqrīb of Ibn Hajr, Shaykh Shu’ayb Al-Arna’ut and B.A. Ma’ruf comment upon Al-Hāfith’s declaration saying,

“Rather he is da’īf (weak) and supporting narrations must be sought. He was declared weak by Abu Ja’far An-Nufaylī, Abu Dawud, ‘Alī ibn Al Madīnī, An Nasā’ī, Al-Bukhārī who said ‘Munkar Al-Hadīth’ Dhāhib Al-Hadīth, Abu Hātim Al-Razī, Abu Zur’ah Ar-Razī, Ibn Numayr, Al-Bazzār, and Adh-Dhahabī…And there are contradicting statements from Ibn Ma’īn and Ad-Dāraqutnī, declaring him thiqah in one place and weak in another. Ibn ‘Adī stated, ‘[He is] good in hadīth and I hope there is no harm with him.’ Ibn Sa’ad said, ‘He has many hadīth, and many aspersions and mistakes in his narrations.’”⁴

Imam Ad-Dāraqutnī says in his Sunan,

“Muslim ibn Khālid is thiqah (trustworthy), although he has mistakes in memorization, and in this hadīth he has mingled the narrators (idtirāb).”

Regarding the differences of reports from Ibn Ma’in then Ibn Al-Junayd reports that a man asked Yahya (ibn Ma’in) regarding Az-Zanji being thiqah and he said, ‘ He is not truly strong in hadith’.⁵. Yet Ibn Al-Junayd said that he asked Ibn Ma’in regarding him and he said to him, ‘There is no harm in his narrations’. Ibn Ghllabi said, ‘I only saw that he was abandoned in hadith (matruk Al-Hadith)’ to which Ibn Ma’in said, ‘No!⁶ Ad-Dawri reports in his Tarikh that Ibn Ma’in declared Muslim ibn Khalid thiqah. Al-Bazzar actually did not declare him outright weak as claimed by Arna’ut and Ma’ruf. What he said was, “He was not a Hafith [in hadith].”⁷ 

From what can be adduced by the statements of the doctors in the science of Hadith, Az-Zanji had errors in his memorization. He is a fine example of a master of the law not being highly proficient in the science of memorization. May Allah bless him and grant him light in his grave Amin!

And peace and blessings upon the beloved Prophet Muhammad , his family, and followers.

1. See Hans Wehr’s Dictionary
2. Vol 1. Page 27 Dār Al-Wafa’
3. Under the chapter 54.16 The Command to be Kind to Slaves see ‘A’ishah Bewley’s translation here: http://bewley.virtualave.net/muw19.html
4. Entry 6625 Mu’assasah Ar-Risalah 1997
5. Su’alaat ibn Al-Junayd li-Ibn Ma’in pg 472
6. ibid page 479
7. Kashf Al-Astaar

A neo-Muqatili Hanbali claimant recently wrote:

However, if a person says, ‘I don’t like the madhab of Ahmad and I am free of it’ as many of Jahmis like Abul-Layth do in terms of theology, then surely this would be heresy, sin and lack of respect, etc, but I don’t know if it would amount to apostasy…

This individual wrote these words in response to the recent article posted here that quotes Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Kamal as stating,

ولو قال إني بريء من ومذهب أبي حنيفة رحمه الله عنه أو قال: أنا بريء من مذهب الشافعي يكفر  . ومن استحل حراما علم حرمته في دين الإسلام كشرب الخمر فهو كافر    

And if someone were to say, ‘Verily I declare myself free from (بريء - disavowal) the madh-hab of Abu Hanifah or the Madh-hab of Imam Ash-Shafi’i then he has disbelieved…

So this neo-Muqatili self-professed-Hanbali claims that Imam Ahmad’s school is the school that he is upon; the belief that the attributes are to be taken literally, that tafwid is heresy, that any ta’wil is heresy, and that the asha’ris are deviant “Jahmis“. Unfortunately for this individual, the scholars have squelched his creed throughout the ages, branded it heresy, and filled the libraries of the Muslims with thousands of pages of refutations. Some have been translated into English, for the benefit of the western Muslims who may have been bamboozled by the pseudo-salafi propoganda machine. Some of those works include:

1. A wonderful refutation written by Ibn Al-Jawzi the Hanbali and translated as the “Attributes of God” by Sidi Abdullah ibn Hamid. It can be purchased here. This works represents the creed of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and exposes the tajsim and heresy of some of the Hanbalis.
2. Another great work was recently translated by Sidi Abdullah ibn Hamid called “A Return to Purity in Creed”, a work by Imam Al-Ghazzali. It can be purchased here.
3. Ibn Jahbal’s refutation of Ibn Taymiyyah translated as: “A Refutation of Him Who Attributes Direction to Allah ” trans. by Sidi G.f. Haddad.
4. Sidi G.f. Haddad has written and translated smaller works pertaining to creed that are of immense benefit: The Belief of the People of Truth by Ibn Abdus-Salam, Allah ’s Names and Attributes by Imam Al-Bayhaqi, Correct Islamic Doctrine of Ibn Khafif.
5. The Creed of Imam At-Tahawi Trans. by Hamza Yusuf
6. Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar of Abu Hanifah explained & trans by Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf.
7. The appendix of the Reliance of the Traveller is also a wonderful resource for Sunni Muslims.

For now, we shall quote the scholars and leave it up to the reader to decide what is and what is not deviance!

Imam Ibn ‘Asakir narrated in his Tabyin from Imam ibn Shahin Al-Hanbali (d. 385) said:

“Two righteous men have been afflicted due to evil people: Ja‘far ibn Muhammad and Ahmad ibn Hanbal.”¹

Ibn al-Salah (d. 643) said:

“Two imams have been afflicted because of their followers although they are innocent of them: Ahmad ibn Hanbal was tried with the anthropomorphists (al-mujassima), and Ja‘far al-Sadiq with the [Shi‘i] Rejectionists (al-Râfida).” ((Quoted by Shaykh Tajud-Din al-Subki in his Qa‘ida (p. 43), and in his Tabaqat al-Shafi‘iyya al-Kubra (2:17). These quotes were posted by Sidi Abul Hasan elsewhere ))

Ibn Hajr Al-Haythami was asked:

Was the belief of Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal  the same as [certain] present-day Hanbalîs claim?

211 ــــ وسئل رضي الله عنه ونفعنا به: في عقائد الحنابلة ما لا يخفى على شريف علمكم، فهل عقيدة الإمام أحمد بن حنبل رضي الله عنه كعقائدهم؟
فأجاب بقوله: عقيدة إمام السنة أحمد بن حنبل رضي الله عنه وأرضاه وجعل جنان المعارف متقلَّبه ومأواه وأفاض علينا وعليه من سوابغ إمتنانه وبوأه الفردوس الأعلى من جنانه، موافقة لعقيدة أهل السنة والجماعة من المبالغة التامة في تنزيه الله تعالى عما يقول الظالمون والجاحدون علواً كبيراً من الجهة والجسمية وغيرهما من سائر سمات النقص، بل وعن كل وَصْف ليس فيه كمال مطلق، وما اشتهر بين جهلة المنسوبين إلى هذا الإمام الأعظم المجتهد من أنه قائل بشيء من الجهة أو نحوها فكذب وبُهتان وافتراء عليه، فلعن الله من نسب ذلك إليه، أو رماه بشيء من هذه المثالب التي برَّأه الله منها، وقد بين الحافظ الحجة القدوة الإمام أبو الفرج بن الجوزي من أئمة مذهبه المبرئِّين من هذه الوصمة القبيحة الشنيعة، أنَّ كل ما نسب إليه من ذلك كذب عليه وافتراء وبهتان وأن نصوصه صريحة في بطلان ذلك وتنزيه الله تعالى عنه فاعلم ذلك فإنه مهم.
وإياك أنْ تصغى إلى ما في كتب ابن تيمية وتلميذه ابن قيم الجوزية وغيرهما ممن اتخذ إلهه هواه وأضله الله على علم وختم على سمعه وقلبه وجعل على بصره غشاوة فمن يهديه من بعد الله، وكيف تجاوز هؤلاء الملحدون الحدود، وتعدوا الرسوم وخرقوا سياج الشريعة والحقيقة، فظنوا بذلك أنهم على هدى من ربهم وليسوا كذلك، بل هم على أسوأ الضلال وأقبح الخصال وأبلغ المَقَّتْ والخسران وأنهى الكذب والبهتان فخذل الله متَّبِعهم وطهر الأرض من أمثالهم.

“Concerning the doctrine of the Imâm of Ahl al-Sunna, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Raheemahullah) - may Allâh (Subhana Wa`Ta Ala) grant him the loftiest of gardens as his resting-place and destination, bestow upon us and him His bounties, and grant him a dwelling in the loftiest firdaws: his doctrine was in absolute conformity with the belief of Ahl al-Sunna, and completely concordant. It included the belief that Allâh (Subhana Wa`Ta Ala) is exalted beyond those matters that the oppressors and dissenters attribute to Him. That is, Allâh (Subhana Wa`Ta Ala) is exalted from possessing direction, parts, corporeality, and so forth among the various Attributes of imperfection.

The truth of the matter is that Allâh is free from all the Attributes that are not characterized by absolute perfection; and all those things that are being circulated and publicized among the ignoramuses as being said by this great mujtahid Imâm are a slander. It is an outright lie that this Imâm ever claimed direction or the like in describing the Attributes of Allâh (Subhana Wa`Ta Ala). May Allâh lead to perdition those who attribute such positions to the Imâm who is entirely exonerated of having said such things.

All these matters have been explained by the hadîth Master, Imâm Ab al-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzî, who belongs to his [Imâm Ahmad's] school. He has cleared the Imâm’s name of such foul slanders and has provided explicit proofs exposing the lies of the slanderers.

And beware of what Ibn Taymiyya, his student Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya and others wrote; he [Ibn Taymiyya] is a man who took his lusts for his Lord, for which Allâh led him astray despite his learning, sealed upon his hearing and heart, and put a veil upon his sight; and who can guide him after Allâh let him be misguided? Why should He not, when these heretics have gone past the boundaries set by the Sharî`a and trampled them? Yet they imagine that they are the guided ones, that they are guided by their Lord Almighty when the truth is that they are not. Rather, they are on the wrong path, the most heinous, misleading way and most abominable traits. They are afflicted by vices and have incurred a great loss. May Allâh humble their followers and wipe the earth clean from their likes!”

[Fatawa Hadithiyya, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami al-Makki #211] 

Ibn Al-Jawzi, the Hanbali, wrote in his Dafa’ Ash-Shubah:

I have seen among the followers of our school some who held unsound discourses on doctrine. Three in particular have applied themselves to write books in which they distort the Hanbali madhhab: Abu `Abd Allah ibn Hamid,1 his friend al-Qadi (Abu Ya`la),2 and Ibn al-Zaghuni.3 I have seen them descend to the level of popular belief, construing the divine attributes according to the requirements of what the human senses know. They have heard that Allah created Adam according to His/his likeness and form (`ala suratihi), so they affirm that Allah has a form and face in addition to His essence, as well as two eyes, a mouth, an uvula, molar teeth, a physiognomy, two hands, fingers, a palm, a little finger, a thumb, a chest, thighs, two legs, two feet!… Then they placate the common people by adding: `But not as we think.’… They have applied outward meanings with regard to the Divine Names and Attributes. Thus, they give the Divine Attributes a wholly innovative and contrived name for which they have no evidence either in the transmitted texts of Qur’an and Sunna or in rational proofs based on reason. They have paid attention neither to texts that steer one away from the apparent sense towards the meanings required for Allah , nor to the necessary cancellation of the external meaning when it attributes to Allah the distinguishing marks of creatures. They are not content to say: “attribute of act” (sifatu fi`l) until they end up saying: “attribute of essence” (sifatu dhat). Then, once they affirmed them to be “attributes of essence,” they claimed: we do not construe the text according to the directives of the Arabic language. Thus they refuse to construe “hand” (yad) as meaning “favor” and “power”; or “coming forth” (maji’) and “coming” (ityan) as “mercy” and “favor”; or “shin” (saq) as “tribulation.” Instead they say: We construe them in their customary external senses, and the external sense is what is describable in terms of well-known human characteristics, and a text is only construed literally if the literal sense is feasible. Then they become offended when imputed with likening Allah to His creation (tashbih) and express scorn at such an attribution to themselves, clamoring: “We are Ahl al-Sunna!” Yet their discourse is clearly couched in terms of tashbih. And some of the masses follow them.

I have advised both the followers and the leaders saying: Colleagues! You are adherents and followers of our madhhab. Your greatest Imam is Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, who said while under the lash of the Inquisition: “How can I say what was never said?” Beware of innovating in his madhhab what is not from him! Then, you said regarding the hadiths (of the Attributes): “They must be taken in their external sense.” Yet the external sense of qadam (”foot”) is a bodily limb!4 And when it was said concerning `Isa: ruh Allah (”Allah ’s spirit”) the Christians thought that Allah possessed an attribute named His spirit which had entered Mary!

Whoever says: “He is established on His throne in His Essence (bi al-dhat),” has made Allah an object of sensory perception. It behooves one not to neglect the means by which the principle of Religion is established and that is reason. For it is by virtue of reason that we have known Allah and judged Him to be Eternal without beginning. If you were to say: “We read hadiths but we are silent,” no one would have any objection against you. However, your interpretation of the outward sense is morally repugnant and disgusting. Do not introduce into the madhhab of this man of the Salaf, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, what his thought does not contain.²

1. (Saqqa ed. p. 164-165
2. Source: http://www.sunnah.org/history/Scholars/ibn_aljawzi.htm 

By Abul Layth

I recently stumbled upon a short treatise called, “Risalah fi takfir ar-rawafid” or ‘Treatise (or letter) regarding the declaration of disbelief upon those who revile the Sahabah’ written by Shaykh ul Islam Ahmad ibn Sulayman Ibn Kamaal Basha (Pasha in Turkish), well known as Ibn Kamaal  (d. 940 A.H.). I am not certain, but I think that Ibn Kamaal Basha was the teacher of the famous grand Shaykh of the Ottomans, Abu Su’ud (spelled Ebu Su’ud by some). It is interesting to note that the Ottomans referred to these rawafid as “Qizilbaash” - or those having a ‘red-head’, a term used to refer to the Safawid sect of raafidis who were prevalent in the times of the Turkish Ottomans. The following is a rough translation of an interesting excerpt from the treatise that I would like to share with the readers of Seekingilm. I would like to clearly state that this fatwa was revelant at the time of the Ottomans some 500 years ago, and may not be applicable in todays time for legal reasons one needn’t delve into within this medium. I have chosen to translate and upload this fatwa because I believe it holds historical, as well as academic relevance in the circles of the Sunnis or Muslim Traditionalists. Again, this fatwa must be taken in context and must be understood in the political sphere of 900 A.H. Now to the excerpt:

“It has been mentioned in Al-Bazazziyyah ((A Hanafi work of law )) that whoever rejects (Ankara) the caliphate of Abu Bakr is a Kafir according to the Sahih view. And whoever rejects the caliphate of Umar then he is also a kafir according to the most correct view (asahh). It is also necessary to establish disbelief of the Khawarij because they declared ‘Uthman a disbeliever. It was mentioned in At-Taataarkhaaniyyah: “Verily, whoever rejects the khilafah of Abi Bakr then the correct view is that he is a kaafir, and the same ruling applies to Umar, and this is the most correct view of the scholarly statements (aqwal). The same ruling applies to whoever reviles the two Shaykhs as well. 

ولو قال إني بريء من ومذهب أبي حنيفة رحمه الله عنه أو قال: أنا بريء من مذهب الشافعي يكفر  . ومن استحل حراما علم حرمته في دين الإسلام كشرب الخمر فهو كافر    

And if someone were to say, ‘Verily I declare myself free from (بريء - disavowal) the madh-hab of Abu Hanifah or the Madh-hab of Imam Ash-Shafi’i then he has disbelieved, and whomever declares Halal the well known haram in the religion of Islam, such as the drinking of alcohol (khamr) then he is a kaafir.” [End quote from the treatise]

The Shaykh goes on to state that these individuals take the hukm of apostasy in the law.

This is the official Hanafi view according to the Hanafis shaykhs of the Ottomans. Several important points are mentioned in this treatise:

1) The permissibility of fighting the rawafid - specifically the Qizilbaash was given in this fatwa. 

2) The kufr of those who revile the companions or reject the khilafah of the two Shaykhs.

3) The kufr of the one who rejects the schools of Ahlus Sunnah, or declares himself free from them, and the hukm of apostasy be applied to them.

4) The kufr of one who declares what is known as haram in the religion of Islam - such as drinking alcohol - Halal.

5) There is a dissent in this view of the guild as alluded to by the Shaykh when he had to declare this was the “correct view” and the “most correct of the scholarly statements”. 

6) It is also interesting to note that this Ottoman Shaykh states, “And it is obligatory for the Sultan to declare Jihad against these disbelievers as Allah says,

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

“O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell,- an evil refuge indeed.” [9:73]

The application of this Hanafi Ottomanic fatwa in our times would rid the Muslim community of several different neo-Islamic sects, the names of such we will leave to the readers to decide.

The scanned pages of this treatis are available for download from Seekingilm.com in pdf format, hence you will be obliged to have Adobe Acrobat reader or other .pdf reading software:

Click the following link to download: Takfir on the Rafida

In a discussion recently with a brother - May Allah bless him with good, my assertion that the pseudo-salafis do not understand the term “love - here we refer to Mahabbah” in reference to the Nabi Muhammad, was clearly manifested. He continued by mentioning “obedience” as well as all the other outward effects of love, yet never mentioned the love of the heart one should have for the Nabi (’alayhis salam). This, in my view, is the disease found amongst many pseudo-salafis, and why many end-up apostatizing from the religion, or simply having the horrible manners that they have. If one is not taught that internal love for the Prophet Muhammad is a foundation of the faith, and that “love” simply means to “obey”, then the connection with the person of the Nabi ‘alayhis salaam is not solidified within the heart and leads to spiritual diseases of both the internal and external.

This is clearly shown through several authentic statements of the Prophet Muhammad . The following hadith is reported in the Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari:

عبد الله بن هشام قَالَ : كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ آخِذٌ بِيَدِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لأَنْتَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِلاّ مِنْ نَفْسِي فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ فَإِنَّهُ الآنَ وَاللَّهِ لأَنْتَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ نَفْسِي فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الآنَ يَا عُمَرُ

Abdullah ibn Hisham narrates that he was with the Nabi Muhammad and He (’alayhis salam) was holding the hand of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab. ‘Umar said to the Prophet, ‘Oh Rasulullah ! I love you more than anything except for my own self!’ So Rasulullah (’alayhis salam) said, ‘No! By the whose soul is in His yad, [you must love me so much] until I become more loved to you than your ownself!’ So ‘Umar said to him, “As of now, by Allah , I love you more than myself!” And the Nabi said, “Now! Oh Umar!” 

The love mentioned here was not an “outward” form of love, for Umar - as displayed in this hadith - would have obeyed the Prophet Muhammad (’alayhis salam) no matter what the case would be. The real issue of “Love” is that this mahabbah is the love of the heart. So what our beloved was saying to Umar was that you must have more love for in your heart oh Umar, than for your own self!

In the Sahih of Imam Muslim it is recorded that the Prophet Muhammad (’alayhis salam) said:

لا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَوَالِدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

“None can attain [true] faith, until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father, and all of mankind!”¹

Love for one’s family or any other person is an internal type of love that has outward effects. So it is clear that what the Messenger (’alayhis salam) is alluding to here is a heartfelt love, an intense love that has no co-equal within one’s heart. The fact that the Nabi (’alayhis salam) mentioned one’s own children should be enough to express such meaning. Every sane parent knows that they would sacrifice their own pleasures, gains, and even life for their intense love of their children. It is only when such love is attained for the beloved Sayyid Muhammad that one can attain true faith!

What further attests to the fact that what was intended by these statements of the Nabi ‘alayhis salam as being ‘desirous internal love’ is the famous hadith found in the Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari from Umar ibn Al-Khattab (radhiya Allahu anhu) that reads:

“During the lifetime of the Prophet (’alayhis salam) there was a man called Abdullah who was nicknamed [by the people] Himar (donkey). This man used to make the Prophet Muhammad laugh. The Prophet Muhammad ordered that this man be lashed for drinking alcohol [often]. One day he was brought to the Prophet Muhammad (’alayhis salam) on the charge of drinking alcohol [again] and was lashed. On that, a man from the people said: “Oh Allah ! Curse him! How frequently this man is brought [to be punished for drunkenness]!” To which Rasulullah said:

لا تلعنوه فوالله ما علمت أنه يحب الله ورسوله

“Do not curse him! For I swear by Allah I only know [of him] that he loves Allah and His Messenger!” ((Bukhari 6780, in the chapter of Hudud ))

So even though this man did not obey Allah and His Messenger, and was a drunkard, the beloved Messenger of Allah (’alayhis salam) expressed that this man loved his masters! He even came to this man’s defense as they attacked his credibility and prayed against him!

The upshot of all of this is that one must build an internal, heartfelt, love-based relationship with the person of Rasulullah (’alayhis salam). It is only then that complete faith can be achieved. When such immense love overcomes the person, the attributes of the beloved begin to manifest themselves. When Al-Junayd was asked regarding “love” he said,

“It means that th elover takes on the Beloved’s attributes in place of his own.”²

Imam Al-Qushayri comments, “He points out here how the lover’s heart is seized with remembrance of the Beloved’s attributes, until the lover is heedless and unaware of his attributes.”³

Abu Abdullah Al-Qurashi said,

“The inner reality of love means that you give all of yourself to the One you love until nothing remains of you for you!”⁴

Al-Husayn ibn Mansur stated, “The inner reality of love is that you remain always with your Beloved and strip off your own qualities.”

Lastly, our beloved Master said, “One will be with those who he loves!”

And may Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad , his family, his companions, and his followers. Amin!

1. See hadith #44 of Sahih Muslim
2. Qushayri’s Risalah also translated as “Principles of Sufism”
3. ibid
4. ibid

Compiled by Abul Layth

The following hadith has been reported by Abu Dawud in his Sunan:

دَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الطَّالْقَانِيُّ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُهَاجِرِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَقِيلُ ابْنُ شَبِيبٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَهْبٍ الْجُشَمِيِّ وَكَانَتْ لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسَمَّوْا بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَأَحَبُّ الْأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَأَصْدَقُهَا حَارِثٌ وَهَمَّامٌ وَأَقْبَحُهَا حَرْبٌ وَمُرَّةُ

From Abi Wahb Al-Jushami that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Name yourselves with the names of the Prophets. The most beloved names to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman. The truest names are Harith (i.e. cultivator, plowman etc) and Hammam (energetic, spirited etc) and the worst names are Harb (war) and Murrah (gloomy or bitter).”

“Its chain is weak due to ‘Aqil ibn Shabib who is Majhul Al-Hal (unknown). The only one who reports from him is Muhammad ibn Muhajir Al-Ansari. [As for 'Aqil] no one declared him thiqah (trustworthy) except for Ibn Hibban.”

بَاب مَنْ سَمَّى بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ قَبَّلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَعْنِي ابْنَهُ

“Chapter on those who name with the names of the Prophets. And Anas [ibn Malik] reported that the Nabi (’alayhis salam) kissed his son Ibrahim, meaning his son.”

“Regarding this issue there are two direct (sarih) hadith: what is reported by Muslim from the hadith of Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah from the Nabi (‘alayhis salam), ‘Verily, they used to name themselves after the names of Prophets and the Righteous from them.’² The second being narrated by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i and the author in “Adab Al-Mufrad” from the hadith of Abi Wahb Al-Jushami [from the Prophet] ‘Name yourselves with the names of the Prophets. The most beloved names to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman. The truest names are Harith (i.e. cultivator, plowman etc) and Hammam (energetic, spirited etc) and the worst names are Harb (war) and Murrah (gloomy or bitter).’ [...]

“And Al-Bukhari reports as well in his ‘Al-Adab Al-Mufrad’ related to this issue the narration of Yusuf ibn Abdullah ibn Salam who said,

سَمَّانِي النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُوسُف

‘The Prophet named me Yusuf…’.

The hadith and its chain are Sahih and it is reported by At-Tirmidhi in his “Ash-Shama’il”. Ibn Abi Shaybah reported with a Sahih chain from Sa’id ibn Al-Musayyib who said,

أَحَبُّ الْأَسْمَاء إِلَيْهِ أَسْمَاء الْأَنْبِيَاء

“The most beloved names to him was the names of the Prophets!”

Then he narrates regarding this issue eleven hadith in mawsul and mu’allaq form, the first being the hadith of Anas that the Nabi named his son ‘Ibrahim’. This ‘suspended - mu’allaq’ narration is established in the report of Abu Dharr from Al-Kushmihani alone, and it is in the report of An-Nasafi also, and it is a part of a longer hadith that came previously in the chapter of Janaa’iz.” [end quote of Ibn Hajr from his Fath]

Mubarakfuri in his “‘Awn Al-Ma’bud” the commentary on Sunan Abu Dawud only mentions that ‘Aqil ibn Shabib was declared thiqah by Ibn Hibban. Imam Al-Mundhiri also remains silent saying, “It is also reported by An-Nasa’i.”

Imam An-Nawawi states in his Sharh of Sahih Muslim beneath the hadith of Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah that was mentioned by Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr above,

قَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيل : ( إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَمُّونَ بِأَنْبِيَائِهِمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلهمْ ) اِسْتَدَلَّ بِهِ جَمَاعَة عَلَى جَوَاز التَّسْمِيَة بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاء عَلَيْهِمْ السَّلَام , وَأَجْمَع عَلَيْهِ الْعُلَمَاء , إِلَّا مَا قَدَّمْنَاهُ عَنْ عُمَر رَضِيَ اللَّه عَنْهُ , وَسَبَقَ تَأْوِيله , وَقَدْ سَمَّى النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اِبْنه إِبْرَاهِيم , وَكَانَ فِي أَصْحَابه خَلَائِق مُسَمُّونَ بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَنْبِيَاء . قَالَ الْقَاضِي : وَقَدْ كَرِهَ بَعْض الْعُلَمَاء التَّسَمِّي بِأَسْمَاءِ الْمَلَائِكَة , وَهُوَ قَوْل الْحَارِث بْن مِسْكِين . قَالَ : وَكَرِهَ مَالِك التَّسَمِّي بِجِبْرِيل وَيَاسِين .

“A group of scholars (jama’ah) utilized this hadith to prove the permissibility of naming with the names of the Prophets ‘alayhim salam, and the scholars have gathered in agreement upon [this verdict], except for what came prior to this from ‘Umar (radiya Allahu ‘anhu), and his interpretation was mentioned prior. The Nabi (‘alayhis salam) named his son Ibrahim (the Arabic for Abraham), and there was a large group of His companions that had the names of the Prophets. Al-Qadi said, ‘And some of the scholars disliked naming with the names of the angels, and that is the saying of Al-Harith ibn Miskin. And Malik disliked named with the name Jibril and Yasin.” [End quote]

And May Allah bless our beloved Sayyid Muhammad, His family, companions, and followers Amin!

1. English edition pub by UK Islamic Academy hadith # 814
2. this hadith can be found as hadith 2135 in the english edition

This is a brief video exposing the real intent of the Wahhabis in attempting to remove the love of the Muslims for their Prophet Muhammad (’alayhis salaam):

Some of the issues that he mentions:

- The Parents of the Nabi ‘alayhis salaam are in the hellfire says the wahhabi 

- The city of the Prophet is not “Munawwarah” but only a “Prophetic City” - Nabawiyyah.

- Decreasing the noble status of Ahlul Bayt

- Claiming the Sahabah “made mistakes and errors” in issues of faith such as “tabbaruk”.

- Seeking Tabarruk through His heritage (i.e. those things he left behind ex: minbar)

- Raising one’s voice when sending Salawat on the Nabi (’alayhis salaam) as claimed to be a “bida’ah”.

- Praising the Nabi (’alayhis salaam)!

- That the Prophet is “Dead” and can not benefit you when He (’alayhis salaam) is dead!

“Verily [the intent] behind this speech is to seperate the [hearts] of the Ummah from the Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)!”

Sunnis are bombarded with negative pseudo-salafi propoganda all over the internet. It should not surprise anyone then that such propoganda stretches its rejected rhetoric to Imam Ash-Shafi’i. Read any “salafi” site’s article on “Sufism” and you will assuredly find the following quote from Imam Ash-Shafi’i:

“If a person exercised Sufism (Tasawafa) at the beginning of the day, he does not come to Dhuhur except an idiot.” [Talbees Iblees]. -¹

 Shaykh Gibril Haddad states in response to this quote:

Abu Nu`aym narrated with his chain in Hilyat al-Awliya’ that al-Shafi`i said: “If a person did NOT exercise Sufism at the beginning of the day, he would not reach Zuhr except an idiot.” And this is true, as shown by the detractors of Sufism till our time.²

He also states in a later article:

A contrary version of the latter saying reads: “A rational man does not become a S.ûfî except he reaches noon a dolt!”[5] Al-Bayhaqî narrates this from al-H.âkim, from Abû Muh.ammad Ja`far ibn Muh.ammad ibn al-H.ârith,from al-H.asan ibn Muh.ammad ibn al-D.ah.h.âk (IbnBah.r), both of unknown reliability. For obvious reasons, this is the preferred version of the detractors of Sufis. {5 footnote: Narrated by al-Bayhaqî, Manâqib (2:207) cf. Ibn al-Jawzî, S.ifat al-S.afwa (1:25) and Talbîs Iblîs (1985 ed. p. 447) and Ibn Taymiyya in his Istiqâma (p. 414).}³

The athar alluded to by Shaykh Gibril Haddad is found in Hilyatul Awliyaa’ as follows:

حدثنا محمد بن عبد الرحمن حدثني أبو الحسن بن القتات، حدثنا محمد بن أبي يحيى، حدثنا يونس بن عبد الأعلى، قال: سمعت الشافعي يقول: لولا أن رجلا عاقلا تصوف لم يأت الظهر حتى يصير أحمق.

“If a rational man does not become a Sufi he does not reach noon except he is a dolt!”

Commenting Shaykh Gibril states, “Abû Nu`aym narrates this from Muh.ammad ibn `Abd al-Rah.mân ibn al-Fad.l, from Abû al-H.asan [Ah.mad ibn Muh.ammad ibn al-H.ârith] ibn al-Qattât [al-Mis.rî], from the thiqa Muh.ammad ibn Abî Yah.yâ, from the thiqa Imâm Yûnus ibn `Abdal-A`lâ, from the Imâm.”

So let not the pseudo-salafis on paltalk and elsewhere call Shaykh Gibril Haddad a “Liar”, and “one who can not be trusted in knowledge!” For it is as he has said.

Adding to the list of positive statements of Imam Ash-Shafi’i regarding Tasawwuf is the following:

صحبت الصوفية فلم استفد منهم سوى حرفين، وفي رواية سوى ثلاث كلمات: قولهم: الوقت سيف إن لم تقطعه قطعك. وقولهم: نفسك إن لم تشغلها بالحق شغلتك بالباطل. وقولهم: العدم عصمة

“I accompanied the Sufis for ten years and benefited from them but from two sayings [and in another report three sayings]: their statement that time is as a sword: if you do not cut it, it cuts you, and their statement that deprivation is immunity.”

[The reported third states: “their statement: if your soul does not keep busy with truth it will keep you busy with batil.”]

Shaykh Gibril states (I have added the arabic) commenting on this athar: “Narrated from Muh.ammad ibn Muh.ammad ibn Idrîs al-Shâfi`î by al-Bayhaqî in Manâqib al-Shâfi`î (2:208) cf. Ibn al-Qayyim in Madârij al-Sâlikîn (3:128) and al-Jawâb al-Kâfî (p. 208-209) and al-Suyût.î in تأييد الحقيقة العلية Ta’yîd al-H.aqîqat al-`Aliyya (p. 15)”

Adding again to his statements Imam ‘Ajluni reports that Imam Ash-Shafi’i said,

حبب إلي من دنياكم ثلاث: ترك التكلف، وعشرة الخلق بالتلطف، والاقتداء بطريق أهل التصوف

[source:1089 كشف الخفاء ومزيل الالباس عما اشتهر من الأحاديث عل ألسنة الناس]

“Three things in this world have been made lovely to me: avoiding affectation, treating people kindly, and abiding by the way of the people of tasawwuf!”

In the non-pseudo-salafi publication of the Diwan of Imam Ash-Shafi’i we find:

فقيها وصوفيا فكن ليس واحدا        فإني   وحق   الله   إياك     أنصح

فذلك قاس  لم يذق قلبه  تقى         وهذا جهول كيف ذو الجهل يصلح

Faqîhan wa-s.ufiyyan fakun laysa wâh.idan
fa’innî wa-h.aqqillâhi iyyâka ans.ah.u
Fadhâlika qâsin lam yadhuq qalbuhu tuqan
wahâdhâ jahûlun kayfa dhûl-jahli yas.luh.u⁴

“Be both a jurisprudent and a s.ûfî - never just one of the two.
Truly, by the Divine Right, I am advising you sincerely!
For the former is hardened, his heart tastes no Godwariness,
While the latter is ignorant - of what use is the ignorant?”⁵

So let the enemies of tasawwuf digest on these words! May Allah bless our Sayyid Muhammad, his family, companions, and his followers Amin.

1. as quoted by the satanic site “Allaahuakbar”
2. http://www.livingislam.org/k/si_e.html 
3. http://www.livingislam.org/n/shs_e.html 
4. for the arabic go here: http://www.alwatanyh.com/literature/showentry34497.html 
5. translated by Shaykh Gibril here: http://www.livingislam.org/n/shs_e.html 

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Video 1:

Video 2:

The Shaykh quotes some verses wherein Allah ta’ala says “And mention Allah ” such as:

الذين يذكرون الله قياما وقعودا وعلى جنوبهم ويتفكرون في خلق السماوات والأرض ربنا ما خلقت هذا باطلا سبحانك فقنا عذاب النار

“Those who mention Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire”

and:

وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا

“But keep in remembrance the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him whole-heartedly(all the time).” (73:8)

another possible example would be, though the Shaykh does not mention it:

الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّا أَن يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيراً وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

“(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, “our Lord is Allah ”. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).”

He also mentions the hadith:

‏لا تقوم الساعة حتى لا يقال في الأرض الله الله‏

“The Hour will not rise until Allah , Allah is no longer said on earth”

and in those verses Allah does not say “glorify Allah - Say Subhanallah or to say “Allah Akbar”, rather he mentions the name “Allah ” etc.

Ibn Al-Qayyim in his fatwa states that such dhikr does not benefit anyone, and then goes on to say that if a kafir were to say “Allah ” throughout his life it would never make him a Muslim. The Shaykh mentions that he has heard some coptic christians there in egypt say “Subhanallah” - does this make them Muslims? Even if he says “Alhamdulilah” multiple times the person does not become Muslim save by the two Shahadas! So even if the kafir says “La ilaha illa Allah ” he infact does not become “Muslim” because he must testify to Muhammad being the Messenger of God. So by Ibn Al Qayyim’s standard, all of these adhkar, because they do not make a kaafir Muslim, must be bida’ah!

He mentions other points of benefit for the listener to catch themselves.

We have responded to the sad claims of the wahhabis here:

http://seekingilm.com/archives/162

and

http://seekingilm.com/archives/134

Imam At-Tirmidhi narrates the following incident:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّوَارِبِ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَالِكٍ النُّكْرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَوْزَاءِ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ ضَرَبَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خِبَاءَهُ عَلَى قَبْرٍ وَهُوَ لَا يَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ قَبْرٌ فَإِذَا فِيهِ إِنْسَانٌ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ حَتَّى خَتَمَهَا فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي ضَرَبْتُ خِبَائِي عَلَى قَبْرٍ وَأَنَا لَا أَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ قَبْرٌ فَإِذَا فِيهِ إِنْسَانٌ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ تَبَارَكَ الْمُلْكِ حَتَّى خَتَمَهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هِيَ الْمَانِعَةُ هِيَ الْمُنْجِيَةُ تُنْجِيهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ

Muhammad ibn Abdul Malik ibn Abish-Shawarib>>Yahya ibn ‘Amru ibn Malik An-Nukri>>from his father>>from Abil Jawzaa’>>Ibn ‘Abbas (radiya Allahu anhu) who said,

“One of the companions of the Prophet [Muhammad] set up a tent on a grave while not aware that it was a grave. The man heard the person within the grave reciting Surat Al-Mulk until it was completed. So the man came to the Nabi and informed him of what occurred.  The Nabi said, “It is a prevention! It is a salvation  saving one from the punishment of the grave!”

The following is the scan of how it was translated by the Wahhabi publisher Dar-Us-Salam:

(Click Image to Make Larger)

Their translation claims that the man who placed his “tent” over the grave was the one who recited it, not the person that was in the grave! It does seem that this hadith is weak, as claimed in the takhrij, though Imam At-Tirmidhi does declare the hadith Hasan.