We say regarding such people that their practice is a religious innovation (bid'ah), and it may contain praises that amount to disbelief, for the practitioners of prophetic praise sometimes reach with their praises
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : A message was received from a listener to the program who says: In our country, religious gatherings are held every Thursday in the homes of the shaykhs. The owner of the zawiyyah, who is the shaykh in whose house the gathering is held, teaches the people who come to attend this gathering. They praise the Messenger, the Companions, Shaykh Abdul Qadir, Shaykh al-Rifa'i, and others. They also beat the hand drums and move with gentle motions that resemble bowing, but they are numerous and rapid. What do you say about such people? May Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : We say regarding such people that their practice is a religious innovation (bid'ah), and it may contain praises that amount to disbelief. For the practitioners of prophetic praise sometimes reach with their praises a level where they place the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the position of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and perhaps they even go beyond that. Some of them repeat the words of the one who addresses the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
"O most noble of creation, I have no one to take refuge in but You when the general calamity befalls
If you are not taking my hand on the Day of Resurrection, then pardon me; otherwise, say: "O you who have slipped in your step"
For from Your generosity are the world and its sister, and from Your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen"
Such descriptions are not valid except for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is He who is called upon when a general calamity befalls, and to Him one seeks refuge. It is He who removes evil, and it is He who answers the call of the distressed. As for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he does not possess such power. Rather, he (peace and blessings be upon him) asks his Lord, seeks His aid, and seeks His help. He is the most worshipful of people toward his Lord in this regard. Therefore, when a man entered the mosque while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon to the people, he complained to him about the lack of rain. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands to the sky, supplicating to Allah. He said: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) does not possess the power to benefit or harm himself, so how could he possess that for others? He (peace and blessings be upon him) is only a guide who guides to the path of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
Such verses that I recited undoubtedly do not attribute anything to Allah the Exalted, because if it is from the generosity of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that he gives the world and its counterpart, which is the Hereafter, if it is from the generosity of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he gives the world and its counterpart, which is the Hereafter, then nothing remains for Allah. So I say that this practice performed by these people with this shaykh is an innovative practice (bid'ah), and it may include things that are abominable in a great degree, and it may include things that constitute disbelief and major shirk (associating partners with Allah). If this shaykh had gathered them for knowledge, for learning the Book of Allah and what is authentic from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that would have been better, more excellent, and more complete, so that they would benefit and be of benefit.
Also, the questioner mentioned that they were bowing and prostrating in a certain manner and beating the hand drums in a light, rapid manner. This is also abominable and not permissible for anyone to worship Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with it. For worship is based on divine legislation, not on taste or desire. It has not been reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from his successors, nor from any of the Salaf (earliest generations) of the Ummah or its imams, that they worshipped Allah the Exalted with such worship. Rather, this is abominable in itself, let alone being considered worship. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : We say regarding such people that their practice is a religious innovation (bid'ah), and it may contain praises that amount to disbelief. For the practitioners of prophetic praise sometimes reach with their praises a level where they place the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the position of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and perhaps they even go beyond that. Some of them repeat the words of the one who addresses the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
"O most noble of creation, I have no one to take refuge in but You when the general calamity befalls
If you are not taking my hand on the Day of Resurrection, then pardon me; otherwise, say: "O you who have slipped in your step"
For from Your generosity are the world and its sister, and from Your knowledge is the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen"
Such descriptions are not valid except for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is He who is called upon when a general calamity befalls, and to Him one seeks refuge. It is He who removes evil, and it is He who answers the call of the distressed. As for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he does not possess such power. Rather, he (peace and blessings be upon him) asks his Lord, seeks His aid, and seeks His help. He is the most worshipful of people toward his Lord in this regard. Therefore, when a man entered the mosque while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon to the people, he complained to him about the lack of rain. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands to the sky, supplicating to Allah. He said:
O Allah, send us relief
اللهم أغثناSuch verses that I recited undoubtedly do not attribute anything to Allah the Exalted, because if it is from the generosity of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that he gives the world and its counterpart, which is the Hereafter, if it is from the generosity of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he gives the world and its counterpart, which is the Hereafter, then nothing remains for Allah. So I say that this practice performed by these people with this shaykh is an innovative practice (bid'ah), and it may include things that are abominable in a great degree, and it may include things that constitute disbelief and major shirk (associating partners with Allah). If this shaykh had gathered them for knowledge, for learning the Book of Allah and what is authentic from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that would have been better, more excellent, and more complete, so that they would benefit and be of benefit.
Also, the questioner mentioned that they were bowing and prostrating in a certain manner and beating the hand drums in a light, rapid manner. This is also abominable and not permissible for anyone to worship Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with it. For worship is based on divine legislation, not on taste or desire. It has not been reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor from his successors, nor from any of the Salaf (earliest generations) of the Ummah or its imams, that they worshipped Allah the Exalted with such worship. Rather, this is abominable in itself, let alone being considered worship. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.