The Proliferation of Misguided Sects in Our Time, Including the Sufis and the Tijaniyyah, Who Have Followers Claiming to Be on the Right Path and in the Right
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The questioner : O our honorable Shaykh, the misguided sects have multiplied in our time, and among these misguided sects are the Sufis and the Tijaniyyah, who have followers claiming that they are on a correct path and that they are in the right. We ask you, O honorable Shaykh, to address these false paths and clarify the truth for those who have been deceived and deluded by these misguided paths.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows:
The answer to this question is derived from what is established in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his sermon, meaning the Friday sermon. The answer to this question is taken from what is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his sermon:Sahih Muslim 867a And al-Nasa'i has: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1578Sahih (Darussalam) So let us look at these paths that the questioner referred to, and other paths besides them, and see whether they conform to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or not.
If they conform to it, then they are valid, and they are the best guidance, and the path that leads to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and they are the guidance, the healing, the rectitude, the reform, and the uprightness. But if they contradict the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then they are misguidance and misery for their followers, and a punishment for them, from which they gain nothing but toil in this world and punishment in the Hereafter. And the more they contradict the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the greater their misguidance. Some of these paths may even reach the level of open disbelief, such as those who claim that they have reached a level where they know the unseen, or that their awliya (close friends of Allah) know the unseen, or that so-and-so saves people from hardships, or brings good, or causes rain to fall, or the like of what is attributed to those who claim to be their awliya and their imams. Indeed, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says in His Book:[An-Naml 27:65] So whoever claims that anyone knows the unseen has lied to this noble verse. Whoever claims that he knows the unseen, or that any person among the people knows the unseen, has lied to this noble verse. And Allah the Exalted commands His Prophet to announce to the people: [Al-An'am 6:50] And in His saying: [Al-An'am 6:50] And he (peace and blessings be upon him) was indeed so, for he was the greatest of people in servitude to Allah, the most mindful of Him, and the most upright in the religion of Allah, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him. And Allah says to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), commanding him: [Al-Jinn 72:21-22] If this is the case regarding the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), what then of those below him among creation? Rather, what of those who are claimed to be awliya and guides? In reality, they are enemies, misguidance, tyrants, and rebels.
My advice to these people, and to others who have deviated from the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with their religious innovations, is that they repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and return to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), which is the explanation and clarification of the Qur'an. Let them return to his guidance, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, which is the exact application of the Shari'ah, and to the guidance of the Companions, led by the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them).
As for these paths and these religious innovations that contradict the religion of Allah, they are misguidance, no matter how much a person’s heart feels at ease with them, no matter how much his chest opens up to them, and no matter how much they are made attractive to him. For a bad deed may be made attractive to a person, as Allah the Exalted said:[Fatir 35:8] And the chest may open up to disbelief, as Allah the Exalted said: [An-Nahl 16:106].
So let not the followers of these religious innovations say, "Our chests open up to these innovations and our hearts feel at ease," for this is not a standard. But the standard is the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs were upon of truth and guidance. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to follow him and to follow the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after him, and he said:.
They, meaning the followers of these religious innovations, whether in the paths or the methodology, or in the creed, if they return to the truth, they will find joy in the soul, bliss for the heart, and a conduct that combines fulfilling the right of Allah, the right of the self, and the right of the people, which is far better than what they are currently upon. And it will become clear to them that what they were upon before was evil, misguidance, a trial, and a punishment.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows:
The answer to this question is derived from what is established in Sahih Muslim from the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his sermon, meaning the Friday sermon. The answer to this question is taken from what is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his sermon:
The best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error.
أما بعد فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله وخير الهدي هدي محمد وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالةand every going astray is in the Fire
وكل ضلالة في النارIf they conform to it, then they are valid, and they are the best guidance, and the path that leads to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and they are the guidance, the healing, the rectitude, the reform, and the uprightness. But if they contradict the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then they are misguidance and misery for their followers, and a punishment for them, from which they gain nothing but toil in this world and punishment in the Hereafter. And the more they contradict the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the greater their misguidance. Some of these paths may even reach the level of open disbelief, such as those who claim that they have reached a level where they know the unseen, or that their awliya (close friends of Allah) know the unseen, or that so-and-so saves people from hardships, or brings good, or causes rain to fall, or the like of what is attributed to those who claim to be their awliya and their imams. Indeed, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says in His Book:
Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
قل لا يعلم من في السموات والأرض الغيب إلا اللهSay, [O Muhammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me."
قل لا أقول لكم عندي خزائن الله لا أعلم الغيب ولا أقول لكم إني ملك إن أتبع إلا ما يوحى إليI only follow what is revealed to me.
إن أتبع إلا ما يوحى إلي(21) Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction." (22) Say, "Indeed, there will never protect me from Allah anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge.
قل إني لا أملك ضراً ولا رشداً قل إني لن يجيرني من الله أحد ولن أجد من دونه ملتحداMy advice to these people, and to others who have deviated from the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with their religious innovations, is that they repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and return to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), which is the explanation and clarification of the Qur'an. Let them return to his guidance, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, which is the exact application of the Shari'ah, and to the guidance of the Companions, led by the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them).
As for these paths and these religious innovations that contradict the religion of Allah, they are misguidance, no matter how much a person’s heart feels at ease with them, no matter how much his chest opens up to them, and no matter how much they are made attractive to him. For a bad deed may be made attractive to a person, as Allah the Exalted said:
Then is one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]? For indeed, Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let yourself perish over them in regret. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do.
أفمن زين له سوء عمله فرآه حسناً فإن الله يضل من يشاء ويهدي من يشاء فلا تذهب نفسك عليهم حسرات إن الله عليم بما يصنعونWhoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment;
من كفر بالله من بعد إيمانه إلا من أكره وقلبه مطمئن بالإيمان ولكن من شرح بالكفر صدراً فعليهم غضب من الله ولهم عذاب عظيمSo let not the followers of these religious innovations say, "Our chests open up to these innovations and our hearts feel at ease," for this is not a standard. But the standard is the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs were upon of truth and guidance. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to follow him and to follow the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after him, and he said:
Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after me. Cling to them tightly and beware of newly invented matters.
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي تمسكون بها وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ وإياكم ومحدثات الأمورThey, meaning the followers of these religious innovations, whether in the paths or the methodology, or in the creed, if they return to the truth, they will find joy in the soul, bliss for the heart, and a conduct that combines fulfilling the right of Allah, the right of the self, and the right of the people, which is far better than what they are currently upon. And it will become clear to them that what they were upon before was evil, misguidance, a trial, and a punishment.