What is the ruling on those who give people pledges, such as the Shadhiliyyah, Sufi, Rifa'iyyah, and Bayumiyyah orders, and who hold dhikr gatherings on the birthdays of the awliya (close friends of Allah)?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : He asks about the people who give people pledges, such as the Shadhiliyyah, Sufi, Rifa'iyyah, and Bayumiyyah orders, and who hold dhikr gatherings on the birthdays of the righteous awliya (close friends of Allah), such as our master al-Husayn, Sayyidah Zaynab, Sayyid al-Badawi, and many of the righteous awliya (close friends of Allah). We ask you for the ruling of the Shari'ah and your view on that?
The Shaykh : What we see regarding these orders and other orders, sects, and schools of thought is that it is obligatory that they be presented to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So whatever of them is true is accepted, and whatever of them is false must be rejected and discarded, and one must not rely on it or hold fast to it.
And these orders that the questioner listed are based on what we mentioned regarding the obligation to present them to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). If these orders include supplicating to the awliya (close friends of Allah), prioritizing their love over the love of Allah and His Messenger, attaching oneself to them, and supplicating to them, then that falls under shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it may be major shirk that takes one out of the religion. Thus, they do not benefit from these orders. And my advice to them and to others is to return in their affairs and religious matters to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were upon, for that is the good, and that is what will benefit them with Allah. As for these matters to which they attach themselves, they have no basis.
The Shaykh : What we see regarding these orders and other orders, sects, and schools of thought is that it is obligatory that they be presented to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So whatever of them is true is accepted, and whatever of them is false must be rejected and discarded, and one must not rely on it or hold fast to it.
And these orders that the questioner listed are based on what we mentioned regarding the obligation to present them to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). If these orders include supplicating to the awliya (close friends of Allah), prioritizing their love over the love of Allah and His Messenger, attaching oneself to them, and supplicating to them, then that falls under shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it may be major shirk that takes one out of the religion. Thus, they do not benefit from these orders. And my advice to them and to others is to return in their affairs and religious matters to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were upon, for that is the good, and that is what will benefit them with Allah. As for these matters to which they attach themselves, they have no basis.