The Status of the Books of the Sufis
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Our brother asks his final question, saying: I read a book titled: "The Divine Effusions in the Virtues and the Qadiri Invocations," compiled and arranged by: Isma'il ibn al-Sayyid Muhammad Sa'id al-Qadiri. The book is printed in Egypt and contains a large collection of poetry and invocations attributed to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani. What is your opinion of this book?
Answer:
I have not looked into this book, nor do I know the true state of it. However, many of those who claim affiliation with Sufism write things that have no basis, no truth, and no validity. One should not rely on their writings unless the author is known for uprightness, soundness of creed, and knowledge and insight into the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so that it is known that he has brought forth legal evidence upon which one can rely. Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and others from among the scholars who are known for asceticism and scrupulousness are often lied about, and false things are attributed to them. As for those who claim affiliation with Sufism, one should not acknowledge their claims, nor should one cling to them.
He is a righteous, well-known man, and a well-known Hanbali jurist. However, those who claim affiliation with him attribute to him things that have no truth and do not conform to the Shari'ah.
Therefore, one should be cautious of this and guard against it, and not rely on any of it except what conforms to the Book and the Sunnah, whether it is attributed to him or to someone else. The reliance in these matters is on what the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) indicate, from what is established in authentic hadiths. It is not permissible for a Muslim to rely on the statement of so-and-so, or the opinion of so-and-so, from what people attribute to so-and-so or so-and-so of the well-known imams or others. Rather, all of that must be presented to the Book and the Sunnah. What conforms to them, or to one of them, is accepted, and what does not is not. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-Nisa: 59].
It is obligatory to return to what people dispute, and to return to what people narrate from the four imams or others, or from al-Awza'i, or from Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, or from those below them, or from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or al-Junayd, or Abu Sulayman al-Darani, or so-and-so or so-and-so. All of this must be returned to the Book and the Sunnah, and it must not be accepted as it is merely because of its attribution. Rather, it is obligatory to weigh the sayings and opinions of people with the just scale, which is the speech of Allah and what is authentic from His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the scale according to the people of knowledge and faith. So whatever agrees with them, or with one of them, is the truth, and whatever contradicts them is falsehood. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.
The presenter: And Allah is the Helper, may Allah reward you with good.
Our brother asks his final question, saying: I read a book titled: "The Divine Effusions in the Virtues and the Qadiri Invocations," compiled and arranged by: Isma'il ibn al-Sayyid Muhammad Sa'id al-Qadiri. The book is printed in Egypt and contains a large collection of poetry and invocations attributed to Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani. What is your opinion of this book?
Answer:
I have not looked into this book, nor do I know the true state of it. However, many of those who claim affiliation with Sufism write things that have no basis, no truth, and no validity. One should not rely on their writings unless the author is known for uprightness, soundness of creed, and knowledge and insight into the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so that it is known that he has brought forth legal evidence upon which one can rely. Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and others from among the scholars who are known for asceticism and scrupulousness are often lied about, and false things are attributed to them. As for those who claim affiliation with Sufism, one should not acknowledge their claims, nor should one cling to them.
He is a righteous, well-known man, and a well-known Hanbali jurist. However, those who claim affiliation with him attribute to him things that have no truth and do not conform to the Shari'ah.
Therefore, one should be cautious of this and guard against it, and not rely on any of it except what conforms to the Book and the Sunnah, whether it is attributed to him or to someone else. The reliance in these matters is on what the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) indicate, from what is established in authentic hadiths. It is not permissible for a Muslim to rely on the statement of so-and-so, or the opinion of so-and-so, from what people attribute to so-and-so or so-and-so of the well-known imams or others. Rather, all of that must be presented to the Book and the Sunnah. What conforms to them, or to one of them, is accepted, and what does not is not. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًاIt is obligatory to return to what people dispute, and to return to what people narrate from the four imams or others, or from al-Awza'i, or from Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, or from those below them, or from Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or al-Junayd, or Abu Sulayman al-Darani, or so-and-so or so-and-so. All of this must be returned to the Book and the Sunnah, and it must not be accepted as it is merely because of its attribution. Rather, it is obligatory to weigh the sayings and opinions of people with the just scale, which is the speech of Allah and what is authentic from His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the scale according to the people of knowledge and faith. So whatever agrees with them, or with one of them, is the truth, and whatever contradicts them is falsehood. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.
The presenter: And Allah is the Helper, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.