“Opposing the Sunnah, the Evil of Innovations and Abandoning the Truth after Knowing it” from “Fadlul-Islām” of Al-Imām Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhāb―notes from Imām Ibn Bāz

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The following covers pages 43 to 46.

Al-Imām Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhāb (rahimahullah) said:

The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “While I was sleeping, a group of my followers were brought close to me and I recognised them. Then a man (i.e. an angel) came out from between me and them, he said to them, ‘Come along.’ I asked, ‘Where to?’ He said, ‘To the Hellfire, by Allah.’ I asked, ‘What is wrong with them.’ He said, ‘They became apostates and renegades after you left.’ Then behold, another group of my followers were brought close to me―and when I recognised them, a man (i.e. an angel) came out from between me and them, and he said to them, ‘Come along.’ I asked, ‘Where to?’ He said, ‘To the Hellfire, by Allah.’ I asked, ‘What is wrong with them?’ He said, ‘They became apostates and renegades after you left.’ So I did not see anyone of them escaping except a few who were like camels without a shepherd.” (Reported by Bukhari, no. 6587)

Bukhāri (no. 6526) and Muslim (no. 2860) reported from Ibn ‘Abbās: The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) stood up among us and addressed saying, “You will be gathered, barefooted, naked, and uncircumcised (just as Allah said):

‏كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيدُهُ

‘As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it..’ (Qur’an 21:104)

And the first human being to be dressed on the Day of Resurrection will be the Prophet Ibrāhīm Al-Khalīl (‘alaihis-salām). Then there will be brought some men of my followers who will be taken towards the left (towards the Fire), and I will say: ‘O Lord! My companions!’ whereupon Allah will say: ‘You do not know what they did after you left them.’ I will then say as the pious slave, Jesus (peace be upon him) said,

وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ ۖ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

‘I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things. If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’” (Al-Mā’idah: 117-118)

The narrator added: “Then it will be said that those people kept on turning on their heels as apostates.”

They also reported from Abu Hurairah that Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Every child is born upon an innate nature to worship none but Allah (fitrah) but his parents convert him to Judaism, Christianity or Magainism―just as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal. Do you find it mutilated?” Then Abu Hurairah recited:

فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ –

“Allah’s fitrah (i.e. His sole worship) with which He has created mankind. Let there be no change in the creation of Allah (i.e. in the innate Religion upon which He created mankind)―that is the straight religion, but most men know not.” (Ar-Rūm: 30)

كَانَ النَّاسُ يَسْأَلُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْخَيْرِ وَكُنْتُ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُدْرِكَنِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا كُنَّا فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَشَرٍّ فَجَاءَنَا اللَّهُ بِهَذَا الْخَيْرِ فَهَلْ بَعْدَ هَذَا الْخَيْرِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَهَلْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ الشَّرِّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَفِيهِ دَخَنٌ قُلْتُ وَمَا دَخَنُهُ قَالَ قَوْمٌ يَهْدُونَ بِغَيْرِ هَدْيي تَعْرِفُ مِنْهُمْ وَتُنْكِرُ قُلْتُ فَهَلْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ الْخَيْرِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَالَ نَعَمْ دُعَاةٌ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ جَهَنَّمَ مَنْ أَجَابَهُمْ إِلَيْهَا قَذَفُوهُ فِيهَا قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صِفْهُمْ لَنَا قَالَ هُمْ مِنْ جِلْدَتِنَا وَيَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِنَا قُلْتُ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي إِنْ أَدْرَكَنِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ تَلْزَمُ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِمَامَهُمْ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ وَلاَ إِمَامٌ قَالَ فَاعْتَزِلْ تِلْكَ الْفِرَقَ كُلَّهَا وَلَوْ أَنْ تَعَضَّ بِأَصْلِ شَجَرَةٍ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَكَ الْمَوْتُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ

Hudhaifah (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said: “The people used to ask Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) about the good but I used to ask him about the evil lest I should be overtaken by it.

So I asked, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), we were living in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought to us this good, will there be any evil after this good?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ I asked, ‘Will there be any good after that evil?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but it will be tainted.’ I asked, ‘What will be its taint?’ He replied, ‘People who will guide to other than my way. You will approve of some of their acts and disapprove of others.’

I asked, ‘Will there be any evil after that good?’ He replied, ‘Yes, there will be callers at the gates of Hell and whoever responds to them, they will throw him into it.’

I asked, ‘O Allah’s Messenger, describe them to us?’ So he (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) answered, ‘They will be from our own people and will speak our language.’

I asked, ‘What do you order me to do if that reaches me?’ He replied, ‘Stick to the Jamā’ah of the Muslims and to their ruler.’ I said, ‘What if there is neither a united body (Jamā’ah) nor a ruler?’ He answered, ‘Then turn away from all of those sects even if you have to bite onto the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state.’” (Bukhāri, no. 7084, Muslim, no. 1847)

In a wording there occurs:

قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَاذَا قَالَ ‏”‏ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ الدَّجَّالُ مَعَهُ نَهْرٌ وَنَارٌ فَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي نَارِهِ وَجَبَ أَجْرُهُ وَحُطَّ وِزْرُهُ وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي نَهْرِهِ وَجَبَ وِزْرُهُ وَحُطَّ أَجْرُهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَاذَا قَالَ ‏”‏ ثُمَّ هِيَ قِيَامُ السَّاعَةِ ‏”

“I asked: ‘What will come next?’ He replied: ‘Then the Dajjāl will come forth accompanied by a river and fire. He who falls into his fire will certainly be rewarded and unburdened of his sins, but he who falls into his river will carry his burden of sins and his reward will be taken away.’ I then asked: ‘What will come next?’ He said: ‘The Last Hour will come.’” (Abu Dāwūd no. 4244, Ahmad, 5/403, declared hasan by Al-Albāni)

Abul-Āliyah (d.90H) said: “Learn Islam and when you have learned it, then do not turn away from it―and upon you is to stick to the Straight Path, for it is Islam. Do not deviate from the Path, not to the right nor to the left. Upon you is to hold to the Sunnah of your Prophet Muhammad (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam)―and be warned from these desires (i.e. innovations).” (Al-Marwazi in As-Sunnah no. 27, Mu’tamar bin Rāshid in his Al-Jāmi’ 11/367, Abu Nu’aym in Hilyah Al-Awliyā’ 2/218)

Ponder over the speech of Abul-‘Āliyah (rahimahullāh)―how fine it is! And know his era wherein he is warning from desires and innovations (ahwā)―such that whoever follows them has turned away from Islam―and the meaning of Islam is the Sunnah. And he feared for the best of the tābi’een and their scholars from leaving the Sunnah and the Book―this clarifies for you the meaning of His saying (the Most High):

إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ ۖ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ – 2:131

When his Lord said to him, “Submit!” He said, “I have submitted myself to the Lord of all creation.” (Al-Baqarah: 131)

And His saying, the Most High:

وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ – 2:132

And this submission was enjoined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya’qub, “O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the Religion, then die not except as Muslims.” (Al-Baqarah: 132)

وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ ۚ 2:130

“And who would be averse to the religion of Ibrahīm except one who makes a fool of himself.” (Al-Baqarah: 130)

And these mighty foundations resemble each other―they constitute the fundamental of the principles which many people are neglectful concerning. And by understanding the speech of Abul-‘Āliyah one comes to understand the meanings of the hadeeths in this chapter and other similar narrations. And the person who reads these narrations and verses without understanding them or is negligent concerning them, so he feels secure and at ease―and he thinks these texts are for a people who have passed away [in history], then he [in reality] is from those who are addressed by the saying of Allah:

أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ – 7:99

“Did they then feel secure against the plan of Allah? None feels secure from the plan of Allah except the people who are losers.” (Al-A’rāf: 99)

Abdullāh Ibn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه) said that Allah’s Messenger (عليه الصلاة و السلام) drew for us a straight line and said: “This is Allah’s Straight Path.” Then he drew lines to the right and to left and said: “These are divergent paths. At the head of each of these paths is a devil calling to it.” Then he (عليه الصلاة و السلام) recited:

وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not other paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become pious.” (Al-An’ām: 153)

(Reported Ahmad, 1/435, An-Nasā’i in Sunan Al-Kubrā 6/343 no. 11174, Ad-Dārimi in his Sunan in the Muqadimah, 208, Al-Hākim in Al-Mustadrak, no. 3241 with a sahīh chain of narration, also Ibn Hibbān, no. 6)

Al-Imām Ibn Bāz (rahimahullāh)

This chapter explains that it important for a believer to be aware and cautious and not to be deceived by numbers! Rather, he gives concern to the Sunnah and the proofs―and that he should fear for himself falling into misguidance, and not feel safe from it because Allah said:

أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

“Did they then feel secure against the plan of Allah? None feels secure from the plan of Allah except the people who are the losers.” (Al-A’rāf: 99)

So the believer acts and obeys Allah, and he is fearful, not at ease thinking that he is safe―rather is cautious of innovations and disobedience. And he follows the people of the truth (Ahlul-Haqq) and is steadfast alongside them―and he is far away from Ahlul-Bātil (the people of falsehood) and keeps away from accompanying them―this is the believer. Allah said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ – 98:7
جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۖ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ – 98:8

“Indeed, they who have believed and work righteous deeds ― they are the best of creation. Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.”

And He said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ – 67:12

“Indeed, those who fear their Lord without being seen will have forgiveness and great reward.”

And He said:

فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ – 3:175

“So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.”

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ – 55:46

“But for he who has feared his position in front of his Lord are two gardens as reward.”

So it is must that a Muslim is on his guard and aware, and not at ease and feeling secure―he should not say, “This is view of so-and-so, and that is the view of so-and-so” until he knows the evidence for those views from the Book and Sunnah.

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