Honoring the People of Innovation
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Fatwa No. ( 20235 )
All praise is due to Allah alone, and may blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. And after: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from the honorable Shaykh: Khalid ibn Ali al-Shamh , the judge of the court and director of the Cooperative Office in Badr , which was referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars, with number (1139) on 9/2/1419. The questioner asked a question, the text of which is as follows:
I inform you, O my father, that I work in the Badr Governorate in the Prophet’s City , and we have found there many young people whom Allah has blessed with knowledge of the path of guidance. We have also found some who seek to draw near to certain Sufis in order to obtain financial sums or material aid. They honor those who belong to the Sufis and prepare feasts and occasions for them, claiming that the Sufis provide a great deal for the region or for its charitable works. O my father: The youth have become divided between those who support these actions and this honoring of those who belong to the Sufis in order to obtain that benefit, and those who condemn drawing near to the Sufis, even if the aid, donations, and assistance to the region were to cease. Indeed, some people have begun to warn against attending those gatherings, stating that attending them is forbidden. Furthermore, some have begun to boycott those who honor the Sufis or seek their favor, even if the person is not one of them and does not follow their methodology. O my father: The youth among us are divided between those who affirm and those who deny, and they desire guidance regarding this. Is it permissible to honor the Sufis or draw near to them for the sake of the benefit they provide to the region? Is it permissible to attend those gatherings of honor? What is the ruling on boycotting those who honor them and seek their favor? I hope the answer will be quick and detailed so that it may cure the ailment and reassure the soul. May Allah guide you and direct your steps to all that is good.
After studying the inquiry, the Committee answered that Sufism is an innovated sect in Islam, and every innovation is misguidance. It may lead its adherents to associating partners with Allah and disbelief in Allah if it reaches the point of exaggeration regarding the sheikhs, believing that they benefit or harm without Allah, or seeking aid from the dead and slaughtering animals for them, or believing that the followers of the Sufi paths receive their religion directly from Allah, so they have no need to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They legislate for their followers acts of worship and remembrances for which Allah has sent down no authority. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1718b . Therefore, it is not permissible to keep company with the Sufis or attend their gatherings, nor is it permissible to honor them or encourage them. Rather, it is obligatory to condemn them and prevent them from practicing their Sufi works and spreading them among people, and it is obligatory to boycott them and warn against them. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
All praise is due to Allah alone, and may blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. And after: The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from the honorable Shaykh: Khalid ibn Ali al-Shamh , the judge of the court and director of the Cooperative Office in Badr , which was referred to the Committee by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars, with number (1139) on 9/2/1419. The questioner asked a question, the text of which is as follows:
I inform you, O my father, that I work in the Badr Governorate in the Prophet’s City , and we have found there many young people whom Allah has blessed with knowledge of the path of guidance. We have also found some who seek to draw near to certain Sufis in order to obtain financial sums or material aid. They honor those who belong to the Sufis and prepare feasts and occasions for them, claiming that the Sufis provide a great deal for the region or for its charitable works. O my father: The youth have become divided between those who support these actions and this honoring of those who belong to the Sufis in order to obtain that benefit, and those who condemn drawing near to the Sufis, even if the aid, donations, and assistance to the region were to cease. Indeed, some people have begun to warn against attending those gatherings, stating that attending them is forbidden. Furthermore, some have begun to boycott those who honor the Sufis or seek their favor, even if the person is not one of them and does not follow their methodology. O my father: The youth among us are divided between those who affirm and those who deny, and they desire guidance regarding this. Is it permissible to honor the Sufis or draw near to them for the sake of the benefit they provide to the region? Is it permissible to attend those gatherings of honor? What is the ruling on boycotting those who honor them and seek their favor? I hope the answer will be quick and detailed so that it may cure the ailment and reassure the soul. May Allah guide you and direct your steps to all that is good.
After studying the inquiry, the Committee answered that Sufism is an innovated sect in Islam, and every innovation is misguidance. It may lead its adherents to associating partners with Allah and disbelief in Allah if it reaches the point of exaggeration regarding the sheikhs, believing that they benefit or harm without Allah, or seeking aid from the dead and slaughtering animals for them, or believing that the followers of the Sufi paths receive their religion directly from Allah, so they have no need to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They legislate for their followers acts of worship and remembrances for which Allah has sent down no authority. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.