The claim of a Sufi shaykh that he possesses a light by which he gains knowledge of the unseen
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Fatwa No. ( 12143 )
Q 1: A Sufi shaykh claims that he has a light by which he looks into matters of the unseen, including news and conditions. He is largely confident that there is no involvement of Satan in it, and that it is not a means through which Gabriel (peace be upon him) conveys it. The matters decreed for him through this realization, he calls: (an order). In every transaction, his habit is to say: If the order comes, I will do such and such; if it does not come, I will not do it. He means by this that it is an order from Allah, and the foundation of his life is this realization and this order. And if one does not submit to this order and does not believe in its reality, the shaykh says that he is a hypocrite and an outcast, and he expels him from his gathering?
A 1: Only Allah (Mighty and Majestic) knows the unseen matters. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Naml 27:65], and calling what he claims to be knowledge of the unseen an "order" is a form of deception upon the people, so that they may accept the falsehood he says. And his labeling as a hypocrite anyone who does not believe him in what he claims is not correct. Rather, it is obligatory to refute his claim of knowledge of the unseen matters. We have issued a fatwa with number (189) regarding the ruling on one who claims knowledge of the unseen.
This is its text: (The principle regarding unseen matters is that Allah has exclusive knowledge of them. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-An'am 6:59], and He said: [An-Naml 27:65]. But Allah the Exalted reveals to whom He chooses among His messengers something of the unseen. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Jinn 72:26-27], and He said: [Al-Ahqaf 46:9]. And it is established in a long hadith narrated by Ahmad and included by al-Bukhari in (The Book of Funerals) of his (Sahih). And in a narration from him: Sahih al-Bukhari 1243. And it is established in many hadiths that Allah informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of the outcomes of some of his Companions, so he gave them glad tidings of Paradise. And in the hadith of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Bukhari and Muslim , , and he did not go beyond informing him of its signs. This indicates that he knew of the unseen only what Allah informed him of, and not other hidden matters, and He informed him of it when there was a need).
Q 1: A Sufi shaykh claims that he has a light by which he looks into matters of the unseen, including news and conditions. He is largely confident that there is no involvement of Satan in it, and that it is not a means through which Gabriel (peace be upon him) conveys it. The matters decreed for him through this realization, he calls: (an order). In every transaction, his habit is to say: If the order comes, I will do such and such; if it does not come, I will not do it. He means by this that it is an order from Allah, and the foundation of his life is this realization and this order. And if one does not submit to this order and does not believe in its reality, the shaykh says that he is a hypocrite and an outcast, and he expels him from his gathering?
A 1: Only Allah (Mighty and Majestic) knows the unseen matters. Allah the Exalted said:
Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
قُلْ لاَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلا اللَّهُThis is its text: (The principle regarding unseen matters is that Allah has exclusive knowledge of them. Allah the Exalted said:
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.
وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الأَرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍSay, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected."
قُلْ لاَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ(26) [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone (27) Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before each messenger and behind him observers
عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا (26) إِلا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًاSay, "I am not something original among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner."
قُلْ مَا كُنْتُ بِدْعًا مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلاَ بِكُمْ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلا مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا إِلا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌFrom the path of Umm al-'Ala, that she said: When Uthman ibn Maz'un died, we wrapped him in his shrouds. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us. I said: May Allah have mercy on you, O Abu al-Sa'ib. My testimony is upon you that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has honored you. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: What makes you think that Allah has honored him? I said: I do not know, by my father and mother you are. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: As for him, certainty from his Lord has come to him, and I hope for him good. And by Allah, I do not know, while I am the Messenger of Allah, what will be done with me. I said: By Allah, I will not praise anyone after him forever.
من طريق أم العلا أنها قالت: لما توفي عثمان بن مظعون أدرجناه في أثوابه، فدخل علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقلت: رحمة الله عليك أبا السائب شهادتي عليك لقد أكرمك الله عز وجل، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ما يدريك أن الله أكرمه. فقلت: لا أدري بأبي أنت وأمي، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أما هو فقد جاءه اليقين من ربه، وإني لأرجو له الخير.. والله ما أدري وأنا رسول الله ما يُفعل بي، فقلت: والله لا أزكي بعده أحدًا أبدًاI do not know what Allah will do with me though I am Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).
ما أدري وأنا رسول الله ما يُفعل بهThat Jibril asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the Hour, and he said: The one asked about it is not more knowledgeable than the one asking.
أن جبريل سأل النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام عن الساعة، فقال: ما المسؤول عنها بأعلم من السائل
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.