Is this true? Please rule on it, and thank you.
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The questioner : I am Mahdi Abdul Sattar, one of the successors of the Rifa'i Sufi order. My question concerns the topic of Sufi orders. I have heard from the honorable scholars that they doubt the orders in your program, and some scholars say that the order is a religious innovation (bid'ah) because it was not transmitted from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I took the order from my shaykh, and my shaykh took it from his father, and his father from his grandfather, and so on up to our great master, Sayyid Ahmad al-Rifa'i. As for Sayyid Ahmad al-Rifa'i, he is the son of Sayyid Sultan ibn Ali, and six generations later he is traced to our master al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib. He is the one to whom the Rifa'i order belongs and is attributed, and he is the one who established the striking of spears and swords, and entering the fire, and the Rifa'i practice. How do you deny this? And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: And Allah has distinguished Sayyid Ahmad al-Rifa'i with miracles (karamat) and proofs that came in the Sufi books, such as his saying before the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Mustafa, you are the abode of the secrets... to the end." So extend your hand, or extend your right hand, so that I may kiss it, so that my lips may attain it. And the hand of the Messenger appeared, and Sayyid Ahmad al-Rifa'i kissed it. Is this true? Please rule on it, and thank you.
The Shaykh : This is a great issue, and it is the issue of the paths that those who invented them invented through advertising for them, either by way of lineage and their claim that they are connected to a noble lineage, or by way of the miracles (karamat) they claim Allah has distinguished them with. By this, they confuse the common people and innovate in the religion of Allah the Exalted what is not part of it.
And we mention a general statement before the Rifa'i order and others, and we say:
Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, made those who legislate in the religion of Allah the Exalted what is not part of it in the position of the idols that are taken as partners besides Allah the Exalted. So He said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:21] and the Jews and the Christians [At-Tawbah 9:31] because they followed them in legislating what contradicts the Shari'ah of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against innovations with a severe warning, to the extent that in his Friday sermon he warns against them and says: Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani) So these paths that their people innovate to draw near to Allah, and which were not from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we say about them: they are forbidden innovations, and they do not increase them in anything from Allah the Exalted except distance. And what they claim of noble lineage or of miracles (karamat) that Allah distinguishes them with, it has no basis in truth as long as they are contradicting the Shari'ah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in that. For miracles (karamat) do not occur except for the awliya (close friends of Allah), Glorified and Exalted is He. And the awliya, Blessed and Exalted is He, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has made them clear in His Book in His saying: [Yunus 10:62-63] So we present the state of this man who claims miracles (karamat) to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). If he is a believer who is mindful of Allah, he is a close friend of Allah. And among the greatest of mindfulness of Allah is that a person should be mindful of Allah regarding innovation in the religion of Allah, that he should legislate in the religion of Allah what is not part of it.
If it is known that al-Rifa'i or others of the leaders of innovation have innovated a path that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs did not have, then it is known that it is a misguided innovative path, and it is not permissible to adhere to it. And what they claim of miracles (karamat) are not miracles (karamat) in reality, but rather things they use to deceive the common people. They take them by sensory means, not by divine, unseen means, and they claim they are miracles (karamat). For example, entering the fire: there are things a person uses to anoint himself with, and he enters the fire with them and does not burn. This man who claims to be a close friend and that he enters the fire and it does not harm him, as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) entered the fire, was thrown into it, and it did not harm him, anoints himself with these things that are contrary to burning. But he does not anoint himself with them in front of these common people, but he anoints himself with them secretly. Then he comes before the people and enters the fire and claims that he is a close friend who was not burned by the fire, and so on of what the sorcerers do. If this man says: "What happened to me is a miracle (karamah) from Allah, Mighty and Majestic," then we must look at his state:
If he is a believer who is mindful of Allah, then what he claimed of miracles (karamat) may be true. And if he is not a believer who is mindful of Allah, but rather he is a person of innovation and superstition and legislations that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has not permitted, then we know that he is a liar and that he is not among the awliya (close friends of Allah), but rather he is among the people farthest from the guardianship of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.
This is a general statement I offer to the Rifa'i and others of the people of innovation. And I call upon them to fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that they return to the religion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to his Shari'ah, and that they know that the religion of Allah the Exalted is complete. For Allah says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] And let every innovator know that with the prohibition of his path and his innovation, he is diminishing the religion of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, where he claimed that what he innovated is what is needed in the religion of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. And this means that the religion of Allah the Exalted is deficient, and by this he is lying about the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: [Al-Ma'idah 5:3] So everything that contradicts this religion that Allah completed through His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah does not accept it. For Allah says: [Al-Ma'idah 5:3] only And He said: [Ali 'Imran 3:85] And every innovation is not from Islam in any way.
So I call upon these who follow these paths, from the Rifa'i, the Qadiri, the Naqshbandi, and others, I call upon them to fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that they return to the religion of Allah and to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and that they know that they will meet Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and He will hold them accountable for that.[Al-Inshiqaq 84:6] And let them reflect much on the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: [Al-An'am 6:151] until He said: [Al-An'am 6:153].
If the Muslims had agreed upon the Sunnah and not divided into sects in their beliefs, methodologies, and conduct, if they had agreed upon that, there would have been for the Muslim community of victory, support, honor, and establishment what has not been, as they are today in this shameful state. And that is due to their distance from their religion and their adherence to it. I ask Allah to reform the Muslims and their rulers and their inner circle, for He is Generous and Bountiful.
And He grants His special mercy to whom He wills
ويختص برحمته من يشاءThe Shaykh : This is a great issue, and it is the issue of the paths that those who invented them invented through advertising for them, either by way of lineage and their claim that they are connected to a noble lineage, or by way of the miracles (karamat) they claim Allah has distinguished them with. By this, they confuse the common people and innovate in the religion of Allah the Exalted what is not part of it.
And we mention a general statement before the Rifa'i order and others, and we say:
Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, made those who legislate in the religion of Allah the Exalted what is not part of it in the position of the idols that are taken as partners besides Allah the Exalted. So He said:
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُThey have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِevery novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error
كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالة(62) Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve (63) Those who believed and were fearing Allah
أَلا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ * الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَIf it is known that al-Rifa'i or others of the leaders of innovation have innovated a path that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs did not have, then it is known that it is a misguided innovative path, and it is not permissible to adhere to it. And what they claim of miracles (karamat) are not miracles (karamat) in reality, but rather things they use to deceive the common people. They take them by sensory means, not by divine, unseen means, and they claim they are miracles (karamat). For example, entering the fire: there are things a person uses to anoint himself with, and he enters the fire with them and does not burn. This man who claims to be a close friend and that he enters the fire and it does not harm him, as Ibrahim (peace be upon him) entered the fire, was thrown into it, and it did not harm him, anoints himself with these things that are contrary to burning. But he does not anoint himself with them in front of these common people, but he anoints himself with them secretly. Then he comes before the people and enters the fire and claims that he is a close friend who was not burned by the fire, and so on of what the sorcerers do. If this man says: "What happened to me is a miracle (karamah) from Allah, Mighty and Majestic," then we must look at his state:
If he is a believer who is mindful of Allah, then what he claimed of miracles (karamat) may be true. And if he is not a believer who is mindful of Allah, but rather he is a person of innovation and superstition and legislations that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has not permitted, then we know that he is a liar and that he is not among the awliya (close friends of Allah), but rather he is among the people farthest from the guardianship of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.
This is a general statement I offer to the Rifa'i and others of the people of innovation. And I call upon them to fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that they return to the religion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to his Shari'ah, and that they know that the religion of Allah the Exalted is complete. For Allah says:
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِينًاThis day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِينًاhave approved for you Islam
رَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَas a religion
دِينًاAnd whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُSo I call upon these who follow these paths, from the Rifa'i, the Qadiri, the Naqshbandi, and others, I call upon them to fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, that they return to the religion of Allah and to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and that they know that they will meet Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and He will hold them accountable for that.
O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it.
يَا أَيُّهَا الإِنسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلاقِيهِSay, "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him
قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًاAnd, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.
وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَIf the Muslims had agreed upon the Sunnah and not divided into sects in their beliefs, methodologies, and conduct, if they had agreed upon that, there would have been for the Muslim community of victory, support, honor, and establishment what has not been, as they are today in this shameful state. And that is due to their distance from their religion and their adherence to it. I ask Allah to reform the Muslims and their rulers and their inner circle, for He is Generous and Bountiful.