Who are the Abdal?
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The questioner: I have a relative who leans toward Sufism, and he told me that there is something called the Abdal, who have control over the world with Allah's permission, and so on. I read the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, and in the virtues of Surat al-Ikhlas, it mentioned so-and-so and so-and-so, and that he was among the Abdal, then it completed the text. What is your opinion regarding the Abdal?The Shaykh: The Abdal—may Allah reward you—are those whom, when one of them dies, Allah the Exalted replaces him with another, who stands among the people as a teacher, guide, and director. This is what is meant by the Abdal. As for anyone who claims to act in the universe alongside Allah, as if someone acts in the universe with Allah, he is one who associates partners with Allah Mighty and Majestic in major shirk. Allah the Exalted said: [Saba: 22-23] As for those Sufis who claim that there are poles who manage the universe, or the Rafidah who claim that there are imams who manage the universe, this is major shirk. They must repent and know that the Manager is Allah Mighty and Majestic.Allah the Exalted said: [Yunus: 31] And they are polytheists, so they will say, "Allah."
The questioner: He means that if a Muslim needs someone or has a need from Allah the Exalted, Allah enables the Abdal to come from a distant place with super speed to help him? This is a lie, absolutely. And if someone appears to a person and says: "I am so-and-so," then he is a Shaytan, and Shaytan may take the form of a human. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that some of the Shayatins take the form of a person, stand at 'Arafah, and issue fatwas to people,And he says: saying, "I am Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah." This is a lie and is not permissible.And the intention of the scholars who said: In this Ummah, there are Abdal like Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in the *Aqeedah al-Wasitiyyah*, and likewise Ibn Kathir and others from the scholars of the Sunnah. Their intention by Abdal is those whom, when one of those who guides, directs, and teaches the servants of Allah dies, another takes his place, meaning he becomes a replacement for him.
(22) Say, [O Muhammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allah." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant. (23) And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits.
قُلْ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَلا فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ ظَهِيرٍ * وَلا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَاّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُSay, "Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges [every] matter?" They will say, "Allah," so say, "Then will you not fear Him?"
قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ أَمَّنْ يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَمَنْ يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنْ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنْ الْحَيِّ وَمَنْ يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُThe questioner: He means that if a Muslim needs someone or has a need from Allah the Exalted, Allah enables the Abdal to come from a distant place with super speed to help him? This is a lie, absolutely. And if someone appears to a person and says: "I am so-and-so," then he is a Shaytan, and Shaytan may take the form of a human. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that some of the Shayatins take the form of a person, stand at 'Arafah, and issue fatwas to people,And he says: saying, "I am Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah." This is a lie and is not permissible.And the intention of the scholars who said: In this Ummah, there are Abdal like Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in the *Aqeedah al-Wasitiyyah*, and likewise Ibn Kathir and others from the scholars of the Sunnah. Their intention by Abdal is those whom, when one of those who guides, directs, and teaches the servants of Allah dies, another takes his place, meaning he becomes a replacement for him.