Understanding Shirk in the light of Quran
In today’s growing fitna, the hypocrites placed great stress on Tauheed, Shirk and Bid’ah, where they quote & misinterpret ayah from Quran and ahadees, and deviates the believers and innocent minds away from the path of truth.
Under the pretext of the “righteous people” and posing as only they understand the true concepts of Tauheed and are the true propagators of Tauheed, and by rejecting the earlier scholars and the pious, they have confused the flocks of innocent minds on the very issues of Tauheed, Emaan, etc. Unsuspecting Muslims have fallen prey to such persons with the result that they themselves doubt their own beliefs. So it is necessary for every followers of Ahle-sunnah to understand the meaning tauheed and shirk.
The hypocrites have misinterpreted meaning of Elah(Eligible/Qualified to be worshipped). In this day and age “ELAH” is generally said to be One who possesses the Knowledge of the Unseen, One who is Haazir and Naazir, One who gives children, One who grants you Shifa (cure) from sickness, One who gives assistance, One who listens from a distance and one who sees from a distance, etc. Such classification is done deliberately so as to label the general public, who belief that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace be upon him) and the elite Awliya possess such qualities, as Mushriks. The Munafiqeen say that such belief is certainly Shirk because one has put the creation in par with the Creator Allah Azza-wa-Jal’.
The Munafiqeen stress that the pre-Islamic pagan Arabs held the same belief regarding their idols, who said that their “god” had the knowledge of Ghaib and rendered assistance when needed and called upon. The Munafiqeen say that the Muslims have also attributed these qualities to the Prophets (Peace be upon them) and to the Awliya similar to the Mushrikeen of Arabia. Thus, they say, Sunnis have entangled themselves in Shirk.
This allegation is totally baseless. It is a result of corrupt beliefs and ignorance. The meaning of Elah is certainly not as advocated by the objectors nor is the concept of Divinity based on such qualities.
The holy Quran very clearly answers the differences between Sunnis and false allegations on the believers, where it is mentioned that these qualities have been bestowed to prophets. If these qualities are used to judge as divinity then we will be compelled to accept thousands as divine/Elah (Allah AJ forbid!).
The given below are few proofs through holy Quran on the bestowed powers to holy prophets and angels, and clarifying the believes of the so called Mushriks.
1. Knowledge of the Unseen:
The Holy Quran informs us about Sayyiduna Esa (Peace be upon him) when he addressed his Ummah, saying:
"And I declare to you whatever you eat and whatever you store in your houses."[Surah Ale Imran: 3:49]
It meant that whatever they had eaten in the houses - within four walls - and whatever they had preserved there in was well known to the Prophet of Allah.
This Knowledge of the Unseen does not end here. Its chain of information goes a long way. Seeds are planted in the soil. It germinates, bares fruits and grains. Every grain and fruit has the name of the consumer written on it. Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) knows those fruits and grains and of the people who will eat them. Now imagine how extensive and comprehensive the knowledge Almighty Allahsubhanahu Tala’ has bestowed on Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him). If Divinity was based on the knowledge of Ghaib then how does the Holy Quran classify Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him). Will he be classified as Elah?
2. Control Over the Elements of the World:
If Divinity is based on control over the elements of the world, namely air, water, sun and the moon, then by the virtue of the teachings of the Holy Quran, we are compelled to accept Sayyiduna Sulayman (Peace be upon him) as “Elah”. With regards to his authority, the Holy Quran states:
“Then we subjected the wind to him that it moved by his command softly wherever he desired”. (As-Saad 38:36)
“And for Sulayman We made subservient the violent wind that it blew at his command”. (Al-Ambiya 21:18)
It is understood that whether it a gale or a breeze, whether it is a wind that blows easterly, westerly, southerly, or northerly, they are all under the command of Sayyiduna Nabi Sulayman (Peace be upon him).. It is apparent that it is the wind that moves the clouds and clouds in turn bring rain. Rain in turn nourishes the ground, which in turn nurtures vegetation and growth of all creatures on earth. Existence on the earth depends upon water on earth. By the virtue of this cycle, Almighty Allah AJ has entrusted this power to His Prophet, Sayyiduna Sulayman (Peace be upon him). So, in light of this Divine rule, Sayyiduna Nabi Sulayman (Peace be upon him) is to be regarded as “Elah” too! (Allah AJ forbid!)
3. Curing the Sick
In the Holy Quran, it is stated that Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (Peace be upon him) inquired from his brothers about the welfare of his father, Sayyiduna Nabi Yaqoob (Peace be upon him). They informed him that due to excessive crying in remembrance of him he had lost his eyesight. Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (Peace be upon him) heard this sad news and said to his brothers:
“Take my shirt and place it on the face of my father and his eyesight will be restored” (Surah Yusuf, 12:93).
When his brothers touched the eyes of Yaqub (Peace be upon him) with the shirt, he regained his eyesight through the divine will. The Qur’an says:
“So when the bearer of the good news came, he cast the shirt over Yaqub’ s face and forthwith he regained clear sight”. (Surah Yusuf, 12:93).
Sayyiduna Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) once said in the same verse mentioned section 1 above:
“and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I revive the dead, by Allah’s command”;.[Surah Ale Imran: 3:49]
Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) states that he cures the sick and gives life to the dead. Are these not the qualities of Almighty Allah Subahanahu Wa Tala’ which the Holy Quran mentions , where prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) gave news to his father and his people by command of Allah?
“And when I fall ill, so it is He (Allah) Who heals me.” [Surah Shua`ra 26:80]
“It is He (Allah) Who gives life, and causes death, and to Him you (all) shall retur” (Surah Yunus 10:56)
Nevertheless, by the above Ayah we are given to understand that Almighty Allah AJ has blessed His special servants with the power to cure the sick and to raise the dead.
And not to forget the incident of Sayyiduna Ebraheem (Peace be upon him) mentioned in the Holy Quran wherein we are told about the four birds, which were slaughtered. Their meat were minced and mixed together. Thereafter, the Glorious Prophet u called out to them individually. Each one of the birds became alive as they were before they were slaughtered. The Holy Quran says:
“Then he called on to them and they became alive”. (Surah Baqarah 2:260)
In spite of all these blessed powers a servant remains as a servant and Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’ remains Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’. A servant can never be on par with Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’ nor can he be associated with Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’. His Divine powers will always manifest from the bodies of His beloved servants. From the above incidents, in no way will Sayyiduna Nabi Esa, Yusuf, Ayyub and Sulayman (Peace be upon them) became Elah. They are and will always remain the beloved servants of the Glorious Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’.
4. Granting Children
The Holy Quran tells us that Sayyiduna Jibreel (Peace be upon him) went to Sayyiduna Maryam (Peace be upon her) at a time when she was preparing to make Ghusal at a concealed spot. When he appeared in a human form, it shocked her to see a foreign man. The Angel (Peace be upon him) confronted her by saying:
“I am a messenger of your Lord I have come to give you a pure son”. [Surah Maryam 19:19]
How was this possible because the Munafiqeen say that only Allah AJ can give a son? Is the Angel committing Shirk or is the Holy Quran contradicting itself? No certainly not! The Munafiqeen are confusing this issue because they Quote this Ayah of the Holy Quran:
“He gives a son to whom He ordains and He gives a daughter to whom He ordains”. [Surah Shoora 42:49]
The Holy Quran uses the word (to give) for Allah Subahanahu wa tala’ and the same word for the Angel Jibreel. The words are the same. The meaning is the same but Allah Subahanahu wa tala’ does not become Jibreel and nor does Jibreel become Allah. So if Divinity is based on giving a son then we will be compelled to accept Jibreel as “Elah”.
5. To Listen and See From a Distance:
The Holy Quran speaks about Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him). Once he approached the home of the ants. An ant said to its fellow ants:
“Oh Ants! Turn your holes or else you will be trampled by Sulayman (peace be upon him) and his army who will not be aware of you”. (Surah Naml 27:18)
Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him) heard these words of the ant and smiled. The Holy Quran testifies to this:
“Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon him) laughs at the comment of the ant”. (Surah Naml 27:19)
The Mufassareen state that Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him). heard the speech of the ant from three miles away. Imagine how loud the speech of an ant is when you put it close to your ear. Then too you will not be able to hear it. But the Prophet of Allah subhanahu wa tala heard its words from a distance of three miles! In this scientific period, no instrument could be invented to hear the sound of an ant. So if the Munafiqeen base Divinity on the concept of hearing from a distance without any device, then Allah AJ forbid! Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon him) is considered to be “Elah”.??
In another incident, the Holy Quran speaks about Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him). Zulaikah took Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him) into a secret room which was protected by seven doors inter-linking one chamber to another. She then locked the secret chamber and tried to seduce the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him). This incident was taking place in Egypt but his father, Sayyiduna Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who as in Kin’aan (Syria) was fully aware of the situation and immediately came to his rescue. The Quran testifies to this in these words:
And no doubt the woman desired him and he would have also desired her if he would not have seen the proof(burhan) of his Lord. (Sura Yusuf 12:24)
What was that proof which Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw and which assisted him in this serious situation?
Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who appeared in front of him and led him away from the intentions of Zulaikah. Pay attention to the word, which means “to see” and which refers to Burhaan (proof) that the Nabi (peace be upon him) saw. It does not refer to a proof that he felt or heard of. He saw the Burhaan of Allah AJ i.e. the Prophet of Allah Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who came to his assistance. So the Quran speaks of the Burhaan he saw. [The 'burhan' (proof) mentioned in the ayat al-karima of Surat Yusuf (If Yusuf had not seen Allah's burhan...) is, almost by unanimity, the visual appearance of Yaqub ('alaihi 's-salam) to him. (tafseer -ibn katheer)]
Imagine the powers of Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him), who witnessed this incident from a far away country, which was taking place in a super secret chamber hidden from the vision of everyone. He observed and intercepted this happening in the darkness of this chamber and instantly came to assist his son.
The Holy Quran informs us of another incident concerning Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him).
When the caravan departed from Egypt (with the shirt of Nabi Yusuf, peace be upon him) their father (Nabi Yaqoob peace be upon him) said in Kin’aan
“No doubt I find the fragrance of Yusuf.” (Sura Yusuf 12:94)
One should calculate the distance between Egypt and Syria and from the power of perception of Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him), who smelt the fragrance of the shirt of his son in Egypt from a distance country like Syria. So if Divinity is based on hearing, seeing and smelling from a distance, then Nabi Yaqoob and Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) will also be categorized as “Elah”.?? (Allah AJ forbid).
6. Haazir and Naazir:
If Divinity is based on being present everywhere at the same time, then let alone one or two, we will be compelled to accept thousands of Elahs. (Allah AJ forbid!) When Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) was informed of the throne of Bilqees, he ordered for the retrieval of this throne. Bear in mind that Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) was in Palestine and Bilqees’ throne was secured in a security tight chamber with constant guard in far away Yemen. The Holy Quran explains how this throne was retrieved, in the following words:
He said, I would bring the throne of Bilqees to you before the blink of your eye. [Surah al-Naml 27:40]
Allahu Akbar! Remember that Asif Barkhiyya neither went to nor saw the city of Sabah in Yemen. He also did not see the palace and throne of Bilqees[Queen Shiba]. Yet, he sat at the same spot in Palestine and before the blink of the eye he brought this huge and heavy throne from Sabah to the presence of Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them). This is the power of Haazir and Naazir of a Wali of Bani Isra’eel.
In another instance the Holy Quran states:
The Angel of Death gives you death that is appointed upon you. [Surah Sajdah 32:11]
The Holy Quran further states:
And our Angels give death to them. [Ana`am 6:61]
These Angels refer to the assistants of the Angel of Death. Imagine how busy are these Angels who remove the souls of millions of creatures around the world at a specific time. They execute this duty with absolute precision and never falter. This entire world and every spot in it are always in their vision as a dot in the center of the palm. They also recognize creatures on earth and follow them wherever they are to remove their souls on the designated time.
The Holy Quran also mention the presence of Iblees:
That Iblees along with an entire group observes you from a spot where you cannot see them. [Aa`raf 7:27]
From this injunction, we are given to understand that these cursed devils are granted so much power by Allah AJ to mislead, that they can see the entire creation at once at any given time. They are also aware of the intentions in the hearts of the people. It is for this reason that when a person intends to do any good, the devil immediately comes to mislead him. This is the power of Haazir and Naazir granted by Allah AJ to the cursed Shaytaan.
Look at the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky. They observe the entire world all the time and prepare the gardens and fields, cleanse the earth and ripen the fruits and grains. If Divinity was based on being Haazir and Naazir then the exalted Angels, Malakal Maut (Angel of Death) and his assistants will all be “Elahs.” Similarly, the cursed Shaytaan with his evil gang, the sun, the moon and the stars in the heavens will all be “Elahs”. The idol worshippers have eight to ten “gods” but the Munafiqeen will end up with more gods than servants if they call these bestowed powers to define the divinity or Elah.
The Meaning of Elah and Divinity:
There is no doubt that it is a fundamental Islamic belief that the Sublime Allah AJ is Eternal, The All-Hearing, The All-Seeing, The Granter of Good, The Helper in Need, The Creator and The Owner of the Universe, The Curer of Sickness and The Comforter of Pain. But these are neither the primary factors that Divinity is dependent on nor the differentiating factor between Allah AJ and His servants. There is one fundamental factor that really differentiates between Allah AJ and servants whereby Allah AJ remains Allah AJ and the servant remains as the servant. Allah AJ or Elah. Elah is he who is Wealthy, magnificent and Independent, but a servant is always in need and dependent on someone, his status is that he is always in control of someone else. Elah is he who is totally Independent and Self-sufficient, He is the Wealthiest of all and carefree of everything. In Sura Ikhlaas, we are firstly informed of a unique status of Allah AJ.
“Allah is the independent and want free.” (Perfect, does not require anything.) [Surah Ikhlas 112:2]
The next Ayah says:
He is Father to no one nor born of anyone. [“He has no offspring, nor is He born from anything.” [Surah Ikhlas 112:3]
This Ayah clearly speaks of His Unique Independence because servant-ship and Prophet Hood is based on dependency.
Finally, Allah AJ declares:
And there is nothing similar/equal to Him. [Surah Ikhlas 112:4]
This is certainly so because everyone and everything is dependent on Allah AJ and exists due to Him and it is He who fulfils the needs of everyone. In other Ayahs Allah AJ says:
And Allah AJ is Carefree and Independent of the Universe. [Surah Al-Imran 3:97]
Allah AJ is Wealthy and Independent and you are poor and dependent. 35/15
Allah AJ is not in need of any assistance because of weakness and dependency. 17:111
Allah AJ did not create the skies and earth and get tired. 46 :34
These are the factors of differentiation where the servant remains a servant and Elah remains Elah.
The Holy Quran states that Allah AJ Sees and Hears and Allah AJ says man also sees and hears. Allah AJ is Alive and the servants are also alive. With all these similarities Allah AJ is Elah and human beings are His servants. This is because Allah AJ is Carefree and Independent while man is careless and totally dependent on Allah AJ to exist. It is
Allah AJ Who has entrusted the qualities to his servants and Allah AJ possesses the power to strip them of these qualities when and how he ordains.
An Objection of the Munafiqeen:
From the past arguments, the Munafiqeen can raise objections to further confuse things. They say that if the basis of Divinity is wealth and independence and servantship is based on need and dependency, that is Elah is always carefree and Abd (servant) is needy, then the Mushrikeen of Arabia would not have been Mushriks nor their “Elahs” (idols) false nor absurd.
This is so because the Holy Quran addresses their idols as “Elah” and condemns their worshippers as Mushriks because none of the Mushriks regarded their “Elah” as Ghani (wealthy) and independent. They believed that their deities were the servants of Allah AJ and dependent on him. The Holy Quran says that if you ask the Mushriks as to whom the skies and earth belongs to, they will say “Allah AJ.” If you ask them who gives sustenance, they will say “Allah AJ.” If you ask them who is the King and controller of the earth and skies, they will say “Allah the Almighty AJ,” etc.
The Quraan it is evident to this fact that when the Mushrikeen of Arabia tied their Ehraam for Hajj or Umrah they read the following Talbiya:
Oh Allah AJ! You do not have any partners besides one and that partner is also your servant. With all this in mind, they still called their idols “Elah” and the Holy Quran also declared them as Mushriks. [Tafseer ibn kathir Juz 21, chapter 30 Ar-Room, ayah 28 -29]
We have to think about here: After all, what was that belief and what faith did the Kuffaar have with their idols that they regarded them as “Elah” and associates of Allah AJ. It was simply one common thing and that was they believed that idols possess the following Divine qualities:
a) They possess Ilme-Ghaib,
b) They are Haazir and Naazir,
c) They can see from a distance as they see from near,
d) They fulfil our needs and desires,
e) They hear our cries and come to our assistance, and
f) They give comfort to the disturbed and distressed.
The Kuffaar have become Mushriks due to the above beliefs because Divinity is based on these qualities. If one accepts that any servant or creation possess such qualities then one has accepted them as Allah AJ. Hence, the Mushrikeen have attributed such qualities to their deities and become Mushriks. The same is the condition of today’s Muslims who attribute such qualities to Prophets and Awliya and say that the Prophets and Awliya are Elah.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the ultimate argument and objection of the Munafiqeen by which they accuse the general and majority of Muslim as Mushriks.
THE ANSWER TO THE OBJECTION OF THE MUNAFIQEEN
The foundation of Shirk is based on associating partners with Allah AJ. The Holy Quran confirms this:
Then the Kuffaar place servants in par to Allah AJ [Ana`am 6:1]
The Holy Quran further states that on the Day of Judgment, the Mushrikeen will tell their gods that they were greatly mistaken
Because we regarded you (idols) as the Lord of the Universe. [Shua`ra 26:98]
It is clear and understandable that the basis of Shirk is to regard anyone in par with Allah AJ. There are two reasons for regarding anyone as being in par to Allah AJ.
1) To elevate a servant to such heights that his status is raised to that of Allah AJ, that is to regard the servant as the possessor of Ilme Ghaib, being Haazir and Naazir, to grant all desires, to assist in time of crises, etc. as being his independent and personal powers.
2) To degrade the status of Allah AJ to that of a servant, that is to regard Allah AJ as equivalent to His creation. Furthermore, to believe that in certain things the servant is dependent on Allah AJ and likewise to believe that Allah AJ is dependent on His servant for some things.
The above two reasons are the basis of defining the divinity/Elah. These are the two basic concepts that the Kuffaar Arabs believed in that made them become Mushriks. Some of them believed that the Angels are the “daughters of Allah AJ,” while others believed that the idols “are His sons.” It is obvious that in the relation of father and son, one depends on the other and in relation to class and gender, both are equal. The pagans Arabs were Mushriks due to these beliefs and the Holy Quran has condemned such beliefs in numerous Ayahs.
Accordingly, the Quran states:
No one has given birth to Him and no one is born from Him, nor is anything like Him.[surah Iqlas]
The Quran further states:
Allah AJ has made no sons and no one is His partner and His King. (Surha Bani-Isra’eel 17:111)
And they have set up a relationship between Him and the Jinn. (Surha As-Saffat 31:158)
It was the general beliefs of the pagan Arabs that their idols were regarded as the servants of Allah AJ and Allah AJ is dependent on them. They believed that after the creation of this Duniya, Allah AJ got so tired and weak that He did not have any power and strength to run His affairs. They said that all idols and deities have taken control and now run the affairs of the world.
This belief is Shirk because it makes the status of the servant equivalent to that of Allah AJ and liken Allah AJ to be dependent on His servants and vice versa. There are numerous Ayahs that refute such beliefs. Allah AJ states:
No tiredness has come to Me in creating the world. [Surah Qaf 50:38]
Allah AJ created these things and did not get tired. [Surah Ahfaq 46:33]
And none is supporter of Him because of weakness. (Surah Bani-Isra’eel 17:111)
However, such beliefs of the Kuffaar are certainly Shirk. Some Kuffaar believed in two gods.
One is the god of good and the other the god of bad. They also named the god of good “Yezdaa” and the bad one “Ahirman”. They also elevated some imaginary servants of these gods so high that they were also regarded as gods.
Alhamdullillah! No Muslim ever holds such absurd beliefs. If a Muslim believes that by the blessings and endowment of the Almighty Allah AJ entrusted on His special servants:
a) To possess the power of Ilme Ghaib,
b) To be Haazir and Naazir.
c) To grant assistance at times of need,
d) To hear to calls from both near and far,
e) To grant desires, etc.
It is neither Kufr nor Shirk. Similarly, the Kuffaar of Arabia were not condemned as Mushriks solely on the basis of such beliefs.
The fundamental bases of condemnation for becoming Mushriks was based on those absurd beliefs, which are presented above, as spoken by Allah AJ in the Holy Quran.
Undoubtedly, Almighty Allah AJ personally possesses the qualities of hearing to calls, offering assistance, granting desires, giving children, curing the sick, etc. He has blessed some of His special servants with such qualities, a proof of which was given from the Ayah of the Holy Quran. With all these privileges and blessing, He remains as the independent Allah AJ and His special servants remain as dependant servants. When these qualities manifest from his beloved servants, it is not their personal power, but actually it is the original Power of Allah AJ through them.
The illustrious Sahaba also believed that Allah AJ has blessed His Beloved Rasool (peace be upon him) with the power to grant the desires of the Ummah and come to their assistance when called. Whenever the Sahaba committed a fault they humbled themselves in the sacred court of the Beloved Habeeb e and cried: Cleanse us, Oh Beloved Rasool of Allah.
Why should they not plead to him to be cleansed when Almighty Allah AJ states in the Holy Quran:
And My Beloved Rasool cleanses them and teaches them the Quran and wisdom. [A/I`mran 3:164]
Allah AJ again states:
Oh Beloved! Collect their charity and with it cleanse them both internally and externally, and plead (Dua) on their behalf, your Duas are tranquility to their hearts. [Surah Taubah 9:103]
We understood from the above Ayah that only the Holy Quran, Hadith, fasting and Salaah cannot thoroughly cleanse a substance until such time the sacred blessings and favours of the Beloved Habeeb (peace be upon him) does not aid you. The Holy Quran and Hadith Shareef are the “water and highly spiritual detergents”. The blessing of the August Rasool (peace be upon him) is the “spiritual hand to activate the detergents”. If you leave water and soap in a container without the hands to wash them, no clothes or body can be cleansed.
1. A blind Sahaba, Sayyiduna Uthmaan bin Haneef ra came and cried by the Habeeb (peace be upon him) for vision (eye-sight). It was granted to him.
2. Sayyiduna Qatada ra severely injured his eye in battle. He held the eyeball in his hand and requested the Habeeb (peace be upon him) to fix it. He fixed it and restored his eyesight to normal.
3. Sayyiduna Okasha ra kissed the seal of Prophethood on the Habeeb’s (peace be upon him) back and was granted the surety of Jannah in this world.
4. Sayyiduna Jaabir ibne Abdullah’s ra two sons tragically died on the day he invited the Habeeb (peace be upon him) for a meal to his house. Before eating food, the Habeeb (peace be upon him) asked for the children whose “dead” bodies were hidden in the house. The “dead” bodies were presented and the Habeeb (peace be upon him) raised them to life again.
5. A camel complained to the Habeeb (peace be upon him) of tyranny and oppression by its master. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) summoned the owner and sort freedom for the camel.
6. A captured deer sought security from the Habeeb (peace be upon him) and it was granted its wish.
7. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) initially used a dry date tree stump as a Mimbar in Masjidun-Nabawi. When the correct Mimbar was made, the stump was replaced by it. The dry stump cried like a baby, for being removed from the contact of the Sacred Body of the Habeeb (peace be upon him). It spoke like a human crying and protesting against the departure. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) spoke to it and comforted it as a mother comforts a child. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) asked it its desire and granted it was granted its desire. The stump rejoiced and stopped crying.
8. Sayyiduna Rabee’ah bin Kaab Aslami (peace be upon him) requested the Habeeb (peace be upon him) his company in Jannah and it was granted to him. In Sahih Muslim it is recorded:
Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t said: I request you your company in Jannah. (Sahih Muslim)
This was the standard of Emaan of the Sahaba. They did not request Emaan and virtuous amal, or good death and security from the dangers of the grave, or peace and tranquility on the Day of Judgment, or safely crossing over Pulsiraat (bridge) into Jannah. They requested the company of the Habeeb (peace be upon him), which encompasses and supercedes everything else.
The Sahaba taught us that no matter how much worship or devotion one can do, it is of no value if the Habeeb (peace be upon him) is displeased or if one is far away from his holy presence. The key to every success and gaining salvation is solely based on one’s relation with the Habeeb (peace be upon him).
However, on the request of Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t the Beloved Habeeb (peace be upon him) did not say: “Rabee’ah! Jannah belong to Allah AJ, I cannot grant it to you or I do not have the authority or right in the matters of Allah AJ”. Instead, the Glorious Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:
Your request is granted. Is there anything else you desire?
Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t said: This is all I desire.
This Sahih Hadith Shareef clearly declares that by the Ata (blessings) of Almighty Allah AJ, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) fulfills the desire of his followers. If by believing that by the Grace and Blessings of Allah AJ, the August Habeeb (peace be upon him) possesses Ilme Ghaib, fulfills the needs of his Ummah, and listens and responds to the calls of his followers as being Shirk, then all the Sahaba ra will be classified as Mushriks. (Allah AJ forbid!)
It is amazing that the Divinely-blessed powers of Ilme Ghaib, the granting of desires and giving assistance of the Noble Prophets of Allah (peace be upon him) is such a clear reality that even the Kuffaar of the era of respected Prophets (peace be upon him) confirm them. The Holy Quran informs us that whenever Fir’oun and his nation experienced any Azaab of Allah AJ, they ran to Sayyiduna Moosa (peace be upon him) and pleaded to him as follows:
(Oh Moosa!) This time if you remove this calamity from us, we will certainly bring Emaan on you and certainly send the Israelites with you. [Surah Aa`raf 7:134]
Neither Sayyiduna Moosa (peace be upon him) nor did Allah AJ refute their requests as Shirk. In fact, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for them and Allah AJ removed His I Azaab from them. After being saved by the Duas of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the ungrateful mischievous Israelites went against their word and did not bring Emaan. So Allah AJ sent another Azaab on them. This is what Allah AJ has to say about them:
Consequently whenever We lifted the punishment from them for a term which they must reach, they used to then turn away. [Surah Aa`raf 7:135]
The point to note here is, if the request of the Israelites to Nabi Moosa (peace be upon him) was Shirk, then the punishment and Azaab on them should have increased and not being lifted.
The qualities of Allah AJ are His personal powers and eternal, which exist with Him from eternity till eternity. On the contrary, the qualities found in His beloved servants are not personal but blessed and entrusted to them by Almighty Allah AJ. How can there then be any similarity in power between the Independent and the dependent? This factor is the fundamental difference between Divinity and servant-ship.
What a tragedy and shame! Some of today’s Kalima reciters are more ignorant that the Kaafirs of those days.
Allah and his prophet knows best.
References:
Under the pretext of the “righteous people” and posing as only they understand the true concepts of Tauheed and are the true propagators of Tauheed, and by rejecting the earlier scholars and the pious, they have confused the flocks of innocent minds on the very issues of Tauheed, Emaan, etc. Unsuspecting Muslims have fallen prey to such persons with the result that they themselves doubt their own beliefs. So it is necessary for every followers of Ahle-sunnah to understand the meaning tauheed and shirk.
The hypocrites have misinterpreted meaning of Elah(Eligible/Qualified to be worshipped). In this day and age “ELAH” is generally said to be One who possesses the Knowledge of the Unseen, One who is Haazir and Naazir, One who gives children, One who grants you Shifa (cure) from sickness, One who gives assistance, One who listens from a distance and one who sees from a distance, etc. Such classification is done deliberately so as to label the general public, who belief that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace be upon him) and the elite Awliya possess such qualities, as Mushriks. The Munafiqeen say that such belief is certainly Shirk because one has put the creation in par with the Creator Allah Azza-wa-Jal’.
The Munafiqeen stress that the pre-Islamic pagan Arabs held the same belief regarding their idols, who said that their “god” had the knowledge of Ghaib and rendered assistance when needed and called upon. The Munafiqeen say that the Muslims have also attributed these qualities to the Prophets (Peace be upon them) and to the Awliya similar to the Mushrikeen of Arabia. Thus, they say, Sunnis have entangled themselves in Shirk.
This allegation is totally baseless. It is a result of corrupt beliefs and ignorance. The meaning of Elah is certainly not as advocated by the objectors nor is the concept of Divinity based on such qualities.
The holy Quran very clearly answers the differences between Sunnis and false allegations on the believers, where it is mentioned that these qualities have been bestowed to prophets. If these qualities are used to judge as divinity then we will be compelled to accept thousands as divine/Elah (Allah AJ forbid!).
The given below are few proofs through holy Quran on the bestowed powers to holy prophets and angels, and clarifying the believes of the so called Mushriks.
1. Knowledge of the Unseen:
The Holy Quran informs us about Sayyiduna Esa (Peace be upon him) when he addressed his Ummah, saying:
"And I declare to you whatever you eat and whatever you store in your houses."[Surah Ale Imran: 3:49]
It meant that whatever they had eaten in the houses - within four walls - and whatever they had preserved there in was well known to the Prophet of Allah.
This Knowledge of the Unseen does not end here. Its chain of information goes a long way. Seeds are planted in the soil. It germinates, bares fruits and grains. Every grain and fruit has the name of the consumer written on it. Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) knows those fruits and grains and of the people who will eat them. Now imagine how extensive and comprehensive the knowledge Almighty Allahsubhanahu Tala’ has bestowed on Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him). If Divinity was based on the knowledge of Ghaib then how does the Holy Quran classify Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him). Will he be classified as Elah?
2. Control Over the Elements of the World:
If Divinity is based on control over the elements of the world, namely air, water, sun and the moon, then by the virtue of the teachings of the Holy Quran, we are compelled to accept Sayyiduna Sulayman (Peace be upon him) as “Elah”. With regards to his authority, the Holy Quran states:
“Then we subjected the wind to him that it moved by his command softly wherever he desired”. (As-Saad 38:36)
“And for Sulayman We made subservient the violent wind that it blew at his command”. (Al-Ambiya 21:18)
It is understood that whether it a gale or a breeze, whether it is a wind that blows easterly, westerly, southerly, or northerly, they are all under the command of Sayyiduna Nabi Sulayman (Peace be upon him).. It is apparent that it is the wind that moves the clouds and clouds in turn bring rain. Rain in turn nourishes the ground, which in turn nurtures vegetation and growth of all creatures on earth. Existence on the earth depends upon water on earth. By the virtue of this cycle, Almighty Allah AJ has entrusted this power to His Prophet, Sayyiduna Sulayman (Peace be upon him). So, in light of this Divine rule, Sayyiduna Nabi Sulayman (Peace be upon him) is to be regarded as “Elah” too! (Allah AJ forbid!)
3. Curing the Sick
In the Holy Quran, it is stated that Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (Peace be upon him) inquired from his brothers about the welfare of his father, Sayyiduna Nabi Yaqoob (Peace be upon him). They informed him that due to excessive crying in remembrance of him he had lost his eyesight. Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (Peace be upon him) heard this sad news and said to his brothers:
“Take my shirt and place it on the face of my father and his eyesight will be restored” (Surah Yusuf, 12:93).
When his brothers touched the eyes of Yaqub (Peace be upon him) with the shirt, he regained his eyesight through the divine will. The Qur’an says:
“So when the bearer of the good news came, he cast the shirt over Yaqub’ s face and forthwith he regained clear sight”. (Surah Yusuf, 12:93).
Sayyiduna Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) once said in the same verse mentioned section 1 above:
“and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I revive the dead, by Allah’s command”;.[Surah Ale Imran: 3:49]
Nabi Esa (Peace be upon him) states that he cures the sick and gives life to the dead. Are these not the qualities of Almighty Allah Subahanahu Wa Tala’ which the Holy Quran mentions , where prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) gave news to his father and his people by command of Allah?
“And when I fall ill, so it is He (Allah) Who heals me.” [Surah Shua`ra 26:80]
“It is He (Allah) Who gives life, and causes death, and to Him you (all) shall retur” (Surah Yunus 10:56)
Nevertheless, by the above Ayah we are given to understand that Almighty Allah AJ has blessed His special servants with the power to cure the sick and to raise the dead.
And not to forget the incident of Sayyiduna Ebraheem (Peace be upon him) mentioned in the Holy Quran wherein we are told about the four birds, which were slaughtered. Their meat were minced and mixed together. Thereafter, the Glorious Prophet u called out to them individually. Each one of the birds became alive as they were before they were slaughtered. The Holy Quran says:
“Then he called on to them and they became alive”. (Surah Baqarah 2:260)
In spite of all these blessed powers a servant remains as a servant and Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’ remains Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’. A servant can never be on par with Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’ nor can he be associated with Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’. His Divine powers will always manifest from the bodies of His beloved servants. From the above incidents, in no way will Sayyiduna Nabi Esa, Yusuf, Ayyub and Sulayman (Peace be upon them) became Elah. They are and will always remain the beloved servants of the Glorious Allah Subahanahu wa Tala’.
4. Granting Children
The Holy Quran tells us that Sayyiduna Jibreel (Peace be upon him) went to Sayyiduna Maryam (Peace be upon her) at a time when she was preparing to make Ghusal at a concealed spot. When he appeared in a human form, it shocked her to see a foreign man. The Angel (Peace be upon him) confronted her by saying:
“I am a messenger of your Lord I have come to give you a pure son”. [Surah Maryam 19:19]
How was this possible because the Munafiqeen say that only Allah AJ can give a son? Is the Angel committing Shirk or is the Holy Quran contradicting itself? No certainly not! The Munafiqeen are confusing this issue because they Quote this Ayah of the Holy Quran:
“He gives a son to whom He ordains and He gives a daughter to whom He ordains”. [Surah Shoora 42:49]
The Holy Quran uses the word (to give) for Allah Subahanahu wa tala’ and the same word for the Angel Jibreel. The words are the same. The meaning is the same but Allah Subahanahu wa tala’ does not become Jibreel and nor does Jibreel become Allah. So if Divinity is based on giving a son then we will be compelled to accept Jibreel as “Elah”.
5. To Listen and See From a Distance:
The Holy Quran speaks about Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him). Once he approached the home of the ants. An ant said to its fellow ants:
“Oh Ants! Turn your holes or else you will be trampled by Sulayman (peace be upon him) and his army who will not be aware of you”. (Surah Naml 27:18)
Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him) heard these words of the ant and smiled. The Holy Quran testifies to this:
“Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon him) laughs at the comment of the ant”. (Surah Naml 27:19)
The Mufassareen state that Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him). heard the speech of the ant from three miles away. Imagine how loud the speech of an ant is when you put it close to your ear. Then too you will not be able to hear it. But the Prophet of Allah subhanahu wa tala heard its words from a distance of three miles! In this scientific period, no instrument could be invented to hear the sound of an ant. So if the Munafiqeen base Divinity on the concept of hearing from a distance without any device, then Allah AJ forbid! Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon him) is considered to be “Elah”.??
In another incident, the Holy Quran speaks about Sayyiduna Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him). Zulaikah took Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him) into a secret room which was protected by seven doors inter-linking one chamber to another. She then locked the secret chamber and tried to seduce the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him). This incident was taking place in Egypt but his father, Sayyiduna Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who as in Kin’aan (Syria) was fully aware of the situation and immediately came to his rescue. The Quran testifies to this in these words:
And no doubt the woman desired him and he would have also desired her if he would not have seen the proof(burhan) of his Lord. (Sura Yusuf 12:24)
What was that proof which Nabi Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw and which assisted him in this serious situation?
Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who appeared in front of him and led him away from the intentions of Zulaikah. Pay attention to the word, which means “to see” and which refers to Burhaan (proof) that the Nabi (peace be upon him) saw. It does not refer to a proof that he felt or heard of. He saw the Burhaan of Allah AJ i.e. the Prophet of Allah Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him) who came to his assistance. So the Quran speaks of the Burhaan he saw. [The 'burhan' (proof) mentioned in the ayat al-karima of Surat Yusuf (If Yusuf had not seen Allah's burhan...) is, almost by unanimity, the visual appearance of Yaqub ('alaihi 's-salam) to him. (tafseer -ibn katheer)]
Imagine the powers of Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him), who witnessed this incident from a far away country, which was taking place in a super secret chamber hidden from the vision of everyone. He observed and intercepted this happening in the darkness of this chamber and instantly came to assist his son.
The Holy Quran informs us of another incident concerning Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him).
When the caravan departed from Egypt (with the shirt of Nabi Yusuf, peace be upon him) their father (Nabi Yaqoob peace be upon him) said in Kin’aan
“No doubt I find the fragrance of Yusuf.” (Sura Yusuf 12:94)
One should calculate the distance between Egypt and Syria and from the power of perception of Nabi Yaqoob (peace be upon him), who smelt the fragrance of the shirt of his son in Egypt from a distance country like Syria. So if Divinity is based on hearing, seeing and smelling from a distance, then Nabi Yaqoob and Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) will also be categorized as “Elah”.?? (Allah AJ forbid).
6. Haazir and Naazir:
If Divinity is based on being present everywhere at the same time, then let alone one or two, we will be compelled to accept thousands of Elahs. (Allah AJ forbid!) When Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) was informed of the throne of Bilqees, he ordered for the retrieval of this throne. Bear in mind that Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them) was in Palestine and Bilqees’ throne was secured in a security tight chamber with constant guard in far away Yemen. The Holy Quran explains how this throne was retrieved, in the following words:
He said, I would bring the throne of Bilqees to you before the blink of your eye. [Surah al-Naml 27:40]
Allahu Akbar! Remember that Asif Barkhiyya neither went to nor saw the city of Sabah in Yemen. He also did not see the palace and throne of Bilqees[Queen Shiba]. Yet, he sat at the same spot in Palestine and before the blink of the eye he brought this huge and heavy throne from Sabah to the presence of Nabi Sulayman (peace be upon them). This is the power of Haazir and Naazir of a Wali of Bani Isra’eel.
In another instance the Holy Quran states:
The Angel of Death gives you death that is appointed upon you. [Surah Sajdah 32:11]
The Holy Quran further states:
And our Angels give death to them. [Ana`am 6:61]
These Angels refer to the assistants of the Angel of Death. Imagine how busy are these Angels who remove the souls of millions of creatures around the world at a specific time. They execute this duty with absolute precision and never falter. This entire world and every spot in it are always in their vision as a dot in the center of the palm. They also recognize creatures on earth and follow them wherever they are to remove their souls on the designated time.
The Holy Quran also mention the presence of Iblees:
That Iblees along with an entire group observes you from a spot where you cannot see them. [Aa`raf 7:27]
From this injunction, we are given to understand that these cursed devils are granted so much power by Allah AJ to mislead, that they can see the entire creation at once at any given time. They are also aware of the intentions in the hearts of the people. It is for this reason that when a person intends to do any good, the devil immediately comes to mislead him. This is the power of Haazir and Naazir granted by Allah AJ to the cursed Shaytaan.
Look at the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky. They observe the entire world all the time and prepare the gardens and fields, cleanse the earth and ripen the fruits and grains. If Divinity was based on being Haazir and Naazir then the exalted Angels, Malakal Maut (Angel of Death) and his assistants will all be “Elahs.” Similarly, the cursed Shaytaan with his evil gang, the sun, the moon and the stars in the heavens will all be “Elahs”. The idol worshippers have eight to ten “gods” but the Munafiqeen will end up with more gods than servants if they call these bestowed powers to define the divinity or Elah.
The Meaning of Elah and Divinity:
There is no doubt that it is a fundamental Islamic belief that the Sublime Allah AJ is Eternal, The All-Hearing, The All-Seeing, The Granter of Good, The Helper in Need, The Creator and The Owner of the Universe, The Curer of Sickness and The Comforter of Pain. But these are neither the primary factors that Divinity is dependent on nor the differentiating factor between Allah AJ and His servants. There is one fundamental factor that really differentiates between Allah AJ and servants whereby Allah AJ remains Allah AJ and the servant remains as the servant. Allah AJ or Elah. Elah is he who is Wealthy, magnificent and Independent, but a servant is always in need and dependent on someone, his status is that he is always in control of someone else. Elah is he who is totally Independent and Self-sufficient, He is the Wealthiest of all and carefree of everything. In Sura Ikhlaas, we are firstly informed of a unique status of Allah AJ.
“Allah is the independent and want free.” (Perfect, does not require anything.) [Surah Ikhlas 112:2]
The next Ayah says:
He is Father to no one nor born of anyone. [“He has no offspring, nor is He born from anything.” [Surah Ikhlas 112:3]
This Ayah clearly speaks of His Unique Independence because servant-ship and Prophet Hood is based on dependency.
Finally, Allah AJ declares:
And there is nothing similar/equal to Him. [Surah Ikhlas 112:4]
This is certainly so because everyone and everything is dependent on Allah AJ and exists due to Him and it is He who fulfils the needs of everyone. In other Ayahs Allah AJ says:
And Allah AJ is Carefree and Independent of the Universe. [Surah Al-Imran 3:97]
Allah AJ is Wealthy and Independent and you are poor and dependent. 35/15
Allah AJ is not in need of any assistance because of weakness and dependency. 17:111
Allah AJ did not create the skies and earth and get tired. 46 :34
These are the factors of differentiation where the servant remains a servant and Elah remains Elah.
The Holy Quran states that Allah AJ Sees and Hears and Allah AJ says man also sees and hears. Allah AJ is Alive and the servants are also alive. With all these similarities Allah AJ is Elah and human beings are His servants. This is because Allah AJ is Carefree and Independent while man is careless and totally dependent on Allah AJ to exist. It is
Allah AJ Who has entrusted the qualities to his servants and Allah AJ possesses the power to strip them of these qualities when and how he ordains.
An Objection of the Munafiqeen:
From the past arguments, the Munafiqeen can raise objections to further confuse things. They say that if the basis of Divinity is wealth and independence and servantship is based on need and dependency, that is Elah is always carefree and Abd (servant) is needy, then the Mushrikeen of Arabia would not have been Mushriks nor their “Elahs” (idols) false nor absurd.
This is so because the Holy Quran addresses their idols as “Elah” and condemns their worshippers as Mushriks because none of the Mushriks regarded their “Elah” as Ghani (wealthy) and independent. They believed that their deities were the servants of Allah AJ and dependent on him. The Holy Quran says that if you ask the Mushriks as to whom the skies and earth belongs to, they will say “Allah AJ.” If you ask them who gives sustenance, they will say “Allah AJ.” If you ask them who is the King and controller of the earth and skies, they will say “Allah the Almighty AJ,” etc.
The Quraan it is evident to this fact that when the Mushrikeen of Arabia tied their Ehraam for Hajj or Umrah they read the following Talbiya:
Oh Allah AJ! You do not have any partners besides one and that partner is also your servant. With all this in mind, they still called their idols “Elah” and the Holy Quran also declared them as Mushriks. [Tafseer ibn kathir Juz 21, chapter 30 Ar-Room, ayah 28 -29]
We have to think about here: After all, what was that belief and what faith did the Kuffaar have with their idols that they regarded them as “Elah” and associates of Allah AJ. It was simply one common thing and that was they believed that idols possess the following Divine qualities:
a) They possess Ilme-Ghaib,
b) They are Haazir and Naazir,
c) They can see from a distance as they see from near,
d) They fulfil our needs and desires,
e) They hear our cries and come to our assistance, and
f) They give comfort to the disturbed and distressed.
The Kuffaar have become Mushriks due to the above beliefs because Divinity is based on these qualities. If one accepts that any servant or creation possess such qualities then one has accepted them as Allah AJ. Hence, the Mushrikeen have attributed such qualities to their deities and become Mushriks. The same is the condition of today’s Muslims who attribute such qualities to Prophets and Awliya and say that the Prophets and Awliya are Elah.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the ultimate argument and objection of the Munafiqeen by which they accuse the general and majority of Muslim as Mushriks.
THE ANSWER TO THE OBJECTION OF THE MUNAFIQEEN
The foundation of Shirk is based on associating partners with Allah AJ. The Holy Quran confirms this:
Then the Kuffaar place servants in par to Allah AJ [Ana`am 6:1]
The Holy Quran further states that on the Day of Judgment, the Mushrikeen will tell their gods that they were greatly mistaken
Because we regarded you (idols) as the Lord of the Universe. [Shua`ra 26:98]
It is clear and understandable that the basis of Shirk is to regard anyone in par with Allah AJ. There are two reasons for regarding anyone as being in par to Allah AJ.
1) To elevate a servant to such heights that his status is raised to that of Allah AJ, that is to regard the servant as the possessor of Ilme Ghaib, being Haazir and Naazir, to grant all desires, to assist in time of crises, etc. as being his independent and personal powers.
2) To degrade the status of Allah AJ to that of a servant, that is to regard Allah AJ as equivalent to His creation. Furthermore, to believe that in certain things the servant is dependent on Allah AJ and likewise to believe that Allah AJ is dependent on His servant for some things.
The above two reasons are the basis of defining the divinity/Elah. These are the two basic concepts that the Kuffaar Arabs believed in that made them become Mushriks. Some of them believed that the Angels are the “daughters of Allah AJ,” while others believed that the idols “are His sons.” It is obvious that in the relation of father and son, one depends on the other and in relation to class and gender, both are equal. The pagans Arabs were Mushriks due to these beliefs and the Holy Quran has condemned such beliefs in numerous Ayahs.
Accordingly, the Quran states:
No one has given birth to Him and no one is born from Him, nor is anything like Him.[surah Iqlas]
The Quran further states:
Allah AJ has made no sons and no one is His partner and His King. (Surha Bani-Isra’eel 17:111)
And they have set up a relationship between Him and the Jinn. (Surha As-Saffat 31:158)
It was the general beliefs of the pagan Arabs that their idols were regarded as the servants of Allah AJ and Allah AJ is dependent on them. They believed that after the creation of this Duniya, Allah AJ got so tired and weak that He did not have any power and strength to run His affairs. They said that all idols and deities have taken control and now run the affairs of the world.
This belief is Shirk because it makes the status of the servant equivalent to that of Allah AJ and liken Allah AJ to be dependent on His servants and vice versa. There are numerous Ayahs that refute such beliefs. Allah AJ states:
No tiredness has come to Me in creating the world. [Surah Qaf 50:38]
Allah AJ created these things and did not get tired. [Surah Ahfaq 46:33]
And none is supporter of Him because of weakness. (Surah Bani-Isra’eel 17:111)
However, such beliefs of the Kuffaar are certainly Shirk. Some Kuffaar believed in two gods.
One is the god of good and the other the god of bad. They also named the god of good “Yezdaa” and the bad one “Ahirman”. They also elevated some imaginary servants of these gods so high that they were also regarded as gods.
Alhamdullillah! No Muslim ever holds such absurd beliefs. If a Muslim believes that by the blessings and endowment of the Almighty Allah AJ entrusted on His special servants:
a) To possess the power of Ilme Ghaib,
b) To be Haazir and Naazir.
c) To grant assistance at times of need,
d) To hear to calls from both near and far,
e) To grant desires, etc.
It is neither Kufr nor Shirk. Similarly, the Kuffaar of Arabia were not condemned as Mushriks solely on the basis of such beliefs.
The fundamental bases of condemnation for becoming Mushriks was based on those absurd beliefs, which are presented above, as spoken by Allah AJ in the Holy Quran.
Undoubtedly, Almighty Allah AJ personally possesses the qualities of hearing to calls, offering assistance, granting desires, giving children, curing the sick, etc. He has blessed some of His special servants with such qualities, a proof of which was given from the Ayah of the Holy Quran. With all these privileges and blessing, He remains as the independent Allah AJ and His special servants remain as dependant servants. When these qualities manifest from his beloved servants, it is not their personal power, but actually it is the original Power of Allah AJ through them.
The illustrious Sahaba also believed that Allah AJ has blessed His Beloved Rasool (peace be upon him) with the power to grant the desires of the Ummah and come to their assistance when called. Whenever the Sahaba committed a fault they humbled themselves in the sacred court of the Beloved Habeeb e and cried: Cleanse us, Oh Beloved Rasool of Allah.
Why should they not plead to him to be cleansed when Almighty Allah AJ states in the Holy Quran:
And My Beloved Rasool cleanses them and teaches them the Quran and wisdom. [A/I`mran 3:164]
Allah AJ again states:
Oh Beloved! Collect their charity and with it cleanse them both internally and externally, and plead (Dua) on their behalf, your Duas are tranquility to their hearts. [Surah Taubah 9:103]
We understood from the above Ayah that only the Holy Quran, Hadith, fasting and Salaah cannot thoroughly cleanse a substance until such time the sacred blessings and favours of the Beloved Habeeb (peace be upon him) does not aid you. The Holy Quran and Hadith Shareef are the “water and highly spiritual detergents”. The blessing of the August Rasool (peace be upon him) is the “spiritual hand to activate the detergents”. If you leave water and soap in a container without the hands to wash them, no clothes or body can be cleansed.
1. A blind Sahaba, Sayyiduna Uthmaan bin Haneef ra came and cried by the Habeeb (peace be upon him) for vision (eye-sight). It was granted to him.
2. Sayyiduna Qatada ra severely injured his eye in battle. He held the eyeball in his hand and requested the Habeeb (peace be upon him) to fix it. He fixed it and restored his eyesight to normal.
3. Sayyiduna Okasha ra kissed the seal of Prophethood on the Habeeb’s (peace be upon him) back and was granted the surety of Jannah in this world.
4. Sayyiduna Jaabir ibne Abdullah’s ra two sons tragically died on the day he invited the Habeeb (peace be upon him) for a meal to his house. Before eating food, the Habeeb (peace be upon him) asked for the children whose “dead” bodies were hidden in the house. The “dead” bodies were presented and the Habeeb (peace be upon him) raised them to life again.
5. A camel complained to the Habeeb (peace be upon him) of tyranny and oppression by its master. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) summoned the owner and sort freedom for the camel.
6. A captured deer sought security from the Habeeb (peace be upon him) and it was granted its wish.
7. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) initially used a dry date tree stump as a Mimbar in Masjidun-Nabawi. When the correct Mimbar was made, the stump was replaced by it. The dry stump cried like a baby, for being removed from the contact of the Sacred Body of the Habeeb (peace be upon him). It spoke like a human crying and protesting against the departure. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) spoke to it and comforted it as a mother comforts a child. The Habeeb (peace be upon him) asked it its desire and granted it was granted its desire. The stump rejoiced and stopped crying.
8. Sayyiduna Rabee’ah bin Kaab Aslami (peace be upon him) requested the Habeeb (peace be upon him) his company in Jannah and it was granted to him. In Sahih Muslim it is recorded:
Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t said: I request you your company in Jannah. (Sahih Muslim)
This was the standard of Emaan of the Sahaba. They did not request Emaan and virtuous amal, or good death and security from the dangers of the grave, or peace and tranquility on the Day of Judgment, or safely crossing over Pulsiraat (bridge) into Jannah. They requested the company of the Habeeb (peace be upon him), which encompasses and supercedes everything else.
The Sahaba taught us that no matter how much worship or devotion one can do, it is of no value if the Habeeb (peace be upon him) is displeased or if one is far away from his holy presence. The key to every success and gaining salvation is solely based on one’s relation with the Habeeb (peace be upon him).
However, on the request of Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t the Beloved Habeeb (peace be upon him) did not say: “Rabee’ah! Jannah belong to Allah AJ, I cannot grant it to you or I do not have the authority or right in the matters of Allah AJ”. Instead, the Glorious Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:
Your request is granted. Is there anything else you desire?
Sayyiduna Rabee’ah t said: This is all I desire.
This Sahih Hadith Shareef clearly declares that by the Ata (blessings) of Almighty Allah AJ, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) fulfills the desire of his followers. If by believing that by the Grace and Blessings of Allah AJ, the August Habeeb (peace be upon him) possesses Ilme Ghaib, fulfills the needs of his Ummah, and listens and responds to the calls of his followers as being Shirk, then all the Sahaba ra will be classified as Mushriks. (Allah AJ forbid!)
It is amazing that the Divinely-blessed powers of Ilme Ghaib, the granting of desires and giving assistance of the Noble Prophets of Allah (peace be upon him) is such a clear reality that even the Kuffaar of the era of respected Prophets (peace be upon him) confirm them. The Holy Quran informs us that whenever Fir’oun and his nation experienced any Azaab of Allah AJ, they ran to Sayyiduna Moosa (peace be upon him) and pleaded to him as follows:
(Oh Moosa!) This time if you remove this calamity from us, we will certainly bring Emaan on you and certainly send the Israelites with you. [Surah Aa`raf 7:134]
Neither Sayyiduna Moosa (peace be upon him) nor did Allah AJ refute their requests as Shirk. In fact, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for them and Allah AJ removed His I Azaab from them. After being saved by the Duas of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the ungrateful mischievous Israelites went against their word and did not bring Emaan. So Allah AJ sent another Azaab on them. This is what Allah AJ has to say about them:
Consequently whenever We lifted the punishment from them for a term which they must reach, they used to then turn away. [Surah Aa`raf 7:135]
The point to note here is, if the request of the Israelites to Nabi Moosa (peace be upon him) was Shirk, then the punishment and Azaab on them should have increased and not being lifted.
The qualities of Allah AJ are His personal powers and eternal, which exist with Him from eternity till eternity. On the contrary, the qualities found in His beloved servants are not personal but blessed and entrusted to them by Almighty Allah AJ. How can there then be any similarity in power between the Independent and the dependent? This factor is the fundamental difference between Divinity and servant-ship.
What a tragedy and shame! Some of today’s Kalima reciters are more ignorant that the Kaafirs of those days.
Allah and his prophet knows best.
References:
- THE TRUE CONCEPT OF IMAN, by Sheikh Abu-Muhammad Abdul-Haadi Al-Qaadiri Radawi
- Tafseer-e-Quraan, by Ibn kathir.
- English Translation of Tarjuma Kanzul Eman.
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