Discussion of some of the beliefs of the Sufis, including the false belief in the unity of existence.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : ... Everything you see with your eye is Allah! Is this a believer in Allah?!
The questioner : The apparent meaning of the statement is that he is not a believer.
The Shaykh : And the hidden meaning of the statement?
The questioner : In it, they interpret it; for example, the Sufis themselves say that the intended meaning is evidence for the existence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : Excuse me, in my opinion, the earth is not inhabited; I mean, there are no Sufis in it. When Allah gathers us with a Sufi, we will know how we should speak to him. Now, I am communicating with you, right? Do not hold it against me because, frankly, I have lived my whole life this way. If you carry Sufi ideas in your heart and present them so that we can beautify them with the scale of[An-Nisa 4:59], and if you do not carry them, may Allah have spared you from them, then do not stir up the issue of the Sufis as long as you are not one of them.
The questioner : ... But I say: they do not interpret this statement themselves; they say: Ibn Arabi intended that everything is Allah, what does that mean? It indicates the existence of Allah, as a proof, meaning, is that their interpretation of this thing?
The Shaykh : We know this thing, and this statement is for misleading the common Muslims, and this is what happened.
The questioner : I am convinced by your words.
The Shaykh : Good; praise be to Allah. I tell you: "When the shoe fits the foot, it embraces it." This is how we want it to be; and therefore we do not want to put, as they say, a stick in the wheel; because it will hinder the sequential scientific research = -- and peace be upon you -- =, to reach the bitter truth that you pointed out at the beginning of this speech, that Muslims differ on the root of all roots; which is faith in Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So, to clarify this very serious claim, I gave you examples where there is no disagreement; the Jews and the Christians, they are believers in one aspect and disbelievers and polytheists in another aspect. We brought the problem closer when I rambled about those who uphold the unity of existence. These people mean what they say, but people with weak dreams and minds, and with kind hearts and souls, think that this statement has an apparent meaning and a hidden meaning; so its apparent meaning, as you said, is disbelief, fine; what is its reality? Its reality is a faith greater than the faith of Abu Bakr and 'Umar!! And so one of them said—and perhaps you know that about them—he said—yes, indeed—we have crossed a sea where the prophets stopped at its shore, that is all.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The point is: so the unity of existence today is spread in the hearts of Muslims, both the common people and the specialists. The common people hear it within a word they say, as they say in our Syria: "on its own..." meaning without occasion; a person sitting says: Allah is present in every existence, Allah is everywhere; do you hear it or not? This is the unity of existence that Ibn Arabi rambles about in the philosophy of the Sufis, and who says to you frankly in clear Arabic: Everything you see with your eye is Allah; what do you want to interpret of his words?! The door of interpretation is wide, and we are not in this context now. I say: their specialists and their common people, their specialists are influenced either by the Sufi current or by the theological tawhid (oneness of Allah) stemming from the science of theology; the Sufi expression is explicit: Everything you see with your eye is Allah. When the Majus (Zoroastrians) worshipped the fire, they did not worship except the One the Subduer. This is not my word, I am quoting it from their books; when the Majus worshipped the fire, they did not worship except the One the Subduer, this is the logic of the Sufis.
The logic of the theologians: Allah is not in the sky, some of them differ now, but they agree on denying the Qur'anic text;[Al-Mulk 67:16] they say: Allah is not in the sky, [Taha 20:5] the Merciful did not rise above the Throne. Some of them, after this negation, define and say, as the common people say, with the testimony of all the attendees—and you are among them: Allah is everywhere. Some of them, and look with me, which is more astray in path and further in statement; those who only say Allah is not in the sky = -- welcome -- = and He is everywhere, or the others who say: Allah is not above, not below, not right, not left, not in front = -- and peace be upon you -- = and not behind, not inside the world and not outside it; do you believe this is a believer? Say it frankly, we are in a gathering of [Al-'Asr 103:1-3], so a man says it like this, so Allah is not above, not below, not right, not left, not in front, not behind, not inside the created world, and not outside the world where there is no creation.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, meaning he denied the existence of the Truth; right? Do not hold it against me if I tell you: you are ignorant that many of the scholars of Muslims today, this is their belief, and I heard it from a Shaykh among my Shuyukh in Damascus, the capital of the Levant.
= -- Who is making a presentation for us? Abu Yahya, Abu Ahmad.
Another questioner : No, I am the last one to do this.
The Shaykh : Who is Hamdi?
Another questioner : Hamdi and Abu Bilal.
The Shaykh : Fine, Hamdi and Abu Bilal, who else besides you? These are your old companions.
Another questioner : I say: first time... .
The Shaykh : Wait a moment.
Yes?
Another questioner : First time in my life... .
The Shaykh : If it is the first time you hear it, are you making a presentation for me?!
Another questioner: No...
The Shaykh : Are you talking to your companion?
Another questioner : No, by Allah, I did not talk to him!
The Shaykh: All right.
Another questioner : Shall we pray 'Asr and continue; what do you think?
The Shaykh : Ah, my watch is not with me, what time is it?
Another questioner : Five five.
The Shaykh : Come, in the name of Allah.
... -- =
Another questioner : Fine, my lord, there are three verses from the Qur'an that I see the scholars as if they do not see them!
The Shaykh : But only three verses? I wish it were three verses.
Another questioner : Three verses, in my life I have never seen a scholar mention them, I do not know why; I mean, they are afraid to mention them, or—for example—they do not know about them.
The Shaykh : They combine; I mean, so and so.
Another questioner :[Al-Ma'idah 5:44] .
The Shaykh : .
Another questioner :[Al-Ma'idah 5:44] .
The Shaykh : .
Another questioner :[Al-Ma'idah 5:44] .
The Shaykh : .
Another questioner : Why do not... the scholars?
...
Another questioner : Why do they not speak about them, specify them, why? Since you have spoken about them.
The Shaykh : You spoke about them.
Another questioner: Huh?
The Shaykh : You spoke about them.
Another questioner : I spoke about them... .
Another questioner : There was one—may Allah have mercy on him—who came to the Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I want to see, but Shaykh Abu Hamid, what is the relation of the three verses to our topic?
Another questioner : By Allah, just—Shaykh—I wanted to ask you about them before... tomorrow.
The Shaykh : Fine [everyone laughs!].
...
Another questioner : My lord, the last thing I heard from the scholars you were talking about last night, one says, this question is originally the issue.
The Shaykh : Yes, my lord, "and He brings you the news of what you did not provide for"!
Another questioner : Where is Allah? This is a question that is not permissible.
The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
Another questioner : This is a biased question, Allah is not measured by the senses of humans... and Allah is measured by them, and thus this question in itself is a wrong question; because it is not permissible to say: Where is Allah?
The Shaykh : This is disbelief in the Messenger of Allah; because the Messenger is the one who asked.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : And perhaps that is the orator who said: I wish I were the dog of the People of the Cave; because no animal enters Paradise except the dog of the People of the Cave, so I wish it were a dog; by Allah, if there were a verse or a hadith, they would interpret this report, and this is not a verse or a hadith that says: the dog of the People of the Cave enters Paradise!
The questioner : The apparent meaning of the statement is that he is not a believer.
The Shaykh : And the hidden meaning of the statement?
The questioner : In it, they interpret it; for example, the Sufis themselves say that the intended meaning is evidence for the existence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : Excuse me, in my opinion, the earth is not inhabited; I mean, there are no Sufis in it. When Allah gathers us with a Sufi, we will know how we should speak to him. Now, I am communicating with you, right? Do not hold it against me because, frankly, I have lived my whole life this way. If you carry Sufi ideas in your heart and present them so that we can beautify them with the scale of
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِThe questioner : ... But I say: they do not interpret this statement themselves; they say: Ibn Arabi intended that everything is Allah, what does that mean? It indicates the existence of Allah, as a proof, meaning, is that their interpretation of this thing?
The Shaykh : We know this thing, and this statement is for misleading the common Muslims, and this is what happened.
The questioner : I am convinced by your words.
The Shaykh : Good; praise be to Allah. I tell you: "When the shoe fits the foot, it embraces it." This is how we want it to be; and therefore we do not want to put, as they say, a stick in the wheel; because it will hinder the sequential scientific research = -- and peace be upon you -- =, to reach the bitter truth that you pointed out at the beginning of this speech, that Muslims differ on the root of all roots; which is faith in Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So, to clarify this very serious claim, I gave you examples where there is no disagreement; the Jews and the Christians, they are believers in one aspect and disbelievers and polytheists in another aspect. We brought the problem closer when I rambled about those who uphold the unity of existence. These people mean what they say, but people with weak dreams and minds, and with kind hearts and souls, think that this statement has an apparent meaning and a hidden meaning; so its apparent meaning, as you said, is disbelief, fine; what is its reality? Its reality is a faith greater than the faith of Abu Bakr and 'Umar!! And so one of them said—and perhaps you know that about them—he said—yes, indeed—we have crossed a sea where the prophets stopped at its shore, that is all.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The point is: so the unity of existence today is spread in the hearts of Muslims, both the common people and the specialists. The common people hear it within a word they say, as they say in our Syria: "on its own..." meaning without occasion; a person sitting says: Allah is present in every existence, Allah is everywhere; do you hear it or not? This is the unity of existence that Ibn Arabi rambles about in the philosophy of the Sufis, and who says to you frankly in clear Arabic: Everything you see with your eye is Allah; what do you want to interpret of his words?! The door of interpretation is wide, and we are not in this context now. I say: their specialists and their common people, their specialists are influenced either by the Sufi current or by the theological tawhid (oneness of Allah) stemming from the science of theology; the Sufi expression is explicit: Everything you see with your eye is Allah. When the Majus (Zoroastrians) worshipped the fire, they did not worship except the One the Subduer. This is not my word, I am quoting it from their books; when the Majus worshipped the fire, they did not worship except the One the Subduer, this is the logic of the Sufis.
The logic of the theologians: Allah is not in the sky, some of them differ now, but they agree on denying the Qur'anic text;
Do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven
أَأَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِThe Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى(1) By time, (2) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
وَالْعَصْرِ * إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ * إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, meaning he denied the existence of the Truth; right? Do not hold it against me if I tell you: you are ignorant that many of the scholars of Muslims today, this is their belief, and I heard it from a Shaykh among my Shuyukh in Damascus, the capital of the Levant.
= -- Who is making a presentation for us? Abu Yahya, Abu Ahmad.
Another questioner : No, I am the last one to do this.
The Shaykh : Who is Hamdi?
Another questioner : Hamdi and Abu Bilal.
The Shaykh : Fine, Hamdi and Abu Bilal, who else besides you? These are your old companions.
Another questioner : I say: first time... .
The Shaykh : Wait a moment.
Yes?
Another questioner : First time in my life... .
The Shaykh : If it is the first time you hear it, are you making a presentation for me?!
Another questioner: No...
The Shaykh : Are you talking to your companion?
Another questioner : No, by Allah, I did not talk to him!
The Shaykh: All right.
Another questioner : Shall we pray 'Asr and continue; what do you think?
The Shaykh : Ah, my watch is not with me, what time is it?
Another questioner : Five five.
The Shaykh : Come, in the name of Allah.
... -- =
Another questioner : Fine, my lord, there are three verses from the Qur'an that I see the scholars as if they do not see them!
The Shaykh : But only three verses? I wish it were three verses.
Another questioner : Three verses, in my life I have never seen a scholar mention them, I do not know why; I mean, they are afraid to mention them, or—for example—they do not know about them.
The Shaykh : They combine; I mean, so and so.
Another questioner :
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُThe Shaykh :
Then those are the disbelievers
فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَAnother questioner :
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُThe Shaykh :
Then those are the wrongdoers
فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَAnother questioner :
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُThe Shaykh :
Then those are the open sinners
فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَAnother questioner : Why do not... the scholars?
...
Another questioner : Why do they not speak about them, specify them, why? Since you have spoken about them.
The Shaykh : You spoke about them.
Another questioner: Huh?
The Shaykh : You spoke about them.
Another questioner : I spoke about them... .
Another questioner : There was one—may Allah have mercy on him—who came to the Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I want to see, but Shaykh Abu Hamid, what is the relation of the three verses to our topic?
Another questioner : By Allah, just—Shaykh—I wanted to ask you about them before... tomorrow.
The Shaykh : Fine [everyone laughs!].
...
Another questioner : My lord, the last thing I heard from the scholars you were talking about last night, one says, this question is originally the issue.
The Shaykh : Yes, my lord, "and He brings you the news of what you did not provide for"!
Another questioner : Where is Allah? This is a question that is not permissible.
The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
Another questioner : This is a biased question, Allah is not measured by the senses of humans... and Allah is measured by them, and thus this question in itself is a wrong question; because it is not permissible to say: Where is Allah?
The Shaykh : This is disbelief in the Messenger of Allah; because the Messenger is the one who asked.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : And perhaps that is the orator who said: I wish I were the dog of the People of the Cave; because no animal enters Paradise except the dog of the People of the Cave, so I wish it were a dog; by Allah, if there were a verse or a hadith, they would interpret this report, and this is not a verse or a hadith that says: the dog of the People of the Cave enters Paradise!
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.