Post by Saalik on Jul 30, 2010 18:03:13 GMT
Auzu Billaahi Minash Shaitaanir Rajim Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Assalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuhu
What the Scholars said about the Jama`at
Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu (d. 974/1567)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu defined the Sunni Muslims as follows in his book Fath al-jawad: "A Mubtadi (innovator) is the person who does not have the faith (Aqeedah) conveyed unanimously by the Ahl as-Sunnah. This unanimity was transmitted by the two great Imams, Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari (d.324/936; Rahimahullah) and Abu Mansur al- Maturidi (d.333/944; Rahimahullah) and the scholars who followed their path." Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu also said in his book al- Fatawa al-Hadithiyya (pg. 205): "'Man of bid'ah' means one whose beliefs are different from the Ahl as-Sunnah faith. The Ahl as- Sunnah faith, is the faith of Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari & Abu Mansur al- Maturidi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum and those who followed them. One who brings forth something which is not approved by Islam becomes a man of bid'ah."
Contrary to our belief, when Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala says, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and be not divided." the Salafis take this as to mean that it is the Madhhabs that cause the division. But as usual, their understanding of Allah`s words has no depth and they lack comprehension of this matter and many others.
Imam Qurtubi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Of this verse Qurtubi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu says: 'Be not divided in your religion as were the Jews and Christians divided in their religions' and 'Be not divided in following different false opinions and purposes. Rather, be brothers in God's religion.' As a jurist, Qurtubi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu observes that, 'There is no indication in this verse of the prohibition of disagreement in the branches (furu') [of fiqh] as this in reality not dissension. This is because true dissension is one wherein concord and unity become virtually impossible. `
Narrations of the Imams of Hadith regarding the Saved Sect (firqatun naajiyya) and the importance of holding to the majority group (Jama`ah)
Imam Abu Dawood Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Abu Dawood (Rahimahullah) concerning the division of the Muslim Ummah into seventy- three sects in his Sunan (3/4580, English edn) said:
Abu Amir al- Hawdhani Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said, "Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu stood among us and said, 'Beware! The Apostle of Allah Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam stood among us and said': 'Beware! The People of the Book before (you) were split up into 72 sects, and this community will be split up into 73, seventy-two of them will go to Hell and one of them will go to Paradise, and it is the majority group (Jama'ah).'
Hafiz Ibn Kathir Rahmatullahi Ta'ala Alayh
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (Rahimahullah) in The Signs Before The Day of Judgement (pg. 14):
"Awf ibn Malik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu reported that the Prophet Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam said, 'The Jews split into 71 sects: one will enter Paradise and 70 will enter Hell. The Christians split into 72 sects: 71 will enter Hell and one will enter Paradise. By Him in Whose hand is my soul, my Ummah will split into 73 sects: one will enter Paradise and 72 will enter Hell.' Someone asked, 'O Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), who will they be?' He (Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied, 'The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah).'
Imam Muslim Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Muslim (Rahimahullah) has collected a number of variant Hadith on the saved sect. He has related a longer version of the last Hadith quoted above: "Abdal Rahman ibn Shamasa al-Mahri (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said: 'I was in the company of Maslama bin Mukhallad and Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum).' Abdullah (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said, 'The Hour shall come only when the worst type of people are left on the earth. They will be worse than the people of pre-Islamic days. They will get whatever they ask of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala.' While we were sitting Uqba ibn Amir (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) came, and Maslama (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said to him, 'Uqba (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu), listen to what Abdullah (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) says.' Uqba (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said, 'He knows, so far as I am concerned, I heard the Prophet (Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam) say: A group of people from my Ummah will continue to fight in obedience to the Command of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala, remaining dominant over their enemies. Those who will oppose them shall not do them any harm. They will remain in this condition until the Hour over takes them.' (At this) Abdullah (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said, 'Yes. Then Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala will raise a wind which will be fragrant like musk and whose touch will be like the touch of silk; (but) it will cause the death of all (faithful) persons, not leaving behind a single person with an iota of faith in his heart. Then only the worst of men will remain to be overwhelmed by the Hour.'" (Sahih Muslim, 3/4721, English ed'n, see also Sahih al-Bukhari, 9/414, English ed'n)
Imam Nawawi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Nawawi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu in his Sharh Muslim :
"The group of people (mentioned in the above Hadith) consists of scholars, jurisprudents, authorities on Hadith, those who enjoin Good and forbid Evil and all such persons who do good deeds. Such righteous persons may be found spread all over the world."
Imam al-Tirmidhi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam al-Tirmidhi (Rahimahullah) said:
"The explanation of al- Jama'ah according to the people of knowledge: They are the people of Fiqh, knowledge and Hadith." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 4/2167; Ahmad Shakir ed'n).
Imam Bukhari Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Bukhari (Rahimahullah) stated in his Sahih: "The statement of the Prophet (Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam): 'A group of my followers will remain victorious in their struggle in the cause of the Truth.' Those are the religious(ly) learned men (Ahl ul-Ilm)."
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Rahimahullah) said about this group:
"If it is not the people of Hadith, then I do not know who they may be." (Sahih Muslim Sharif-Mukhtasar Sharh Nawawi, vol. 5, pg. 183, W. Zaman ).
There are differences in Furu` (branches), but not in the Usul (fundamental principles), i.e. Qur'an and Sunnah. For the Madhhabs may differ in some areas, but the efforts in `Ijtihad by their founding Imams remain unequaled by anyone after the time of the Salaf, and thus cannot be tossed out or replaced. And it is obligatory for the common folk to follow one of these Imams, except the one that is a qualified Mujtahid.
Assalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuhu
What the Scholars said about the Jama`at
Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu (d. 974/1567)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu defined the Sunni Muslims as follows in his book Fath al-jawad: "A Mubtadi (innovator) is the person who does not have the faith (Aqeedah) conveyed unanimously by the Ahl as-Sunnah. This unanimity was transmitted by the two great Imams, Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari (d.324/936; Rahimahullah) and Abu Mansur al- Maturidi (d.333/944; Rahimahullah) and the scholars who followed their path." Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu also said in his book al- Fatawa al-Hadithiyya (pg. 205): "'Man of bid'ah' means one whose beliefs are different from the Ahl as-Sunnah faith. The Ahl as- Sunnah faith, is the faith of Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari & Abu Mansur al- Maturidi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum and those who followed them. One who brings forth something which is not approved by Islam becomes a man of bid'ah."
Contrary to our belief, when Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala says, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah and be not divided." the Salafis take this as to mean that it is the Madhhabs that cause the division. But as usual, their understanding of Allah`s words has no depth and they lack comprehension of this matter and many others.
Imam Qurtubi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Of this verse Qurtubi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu says: 'Be not divided in your religion as were the Jews and Christians divided in their religions' and 'Be not divided in following different false opinions and purposes. Rather, be brothers in God's religion.' As a jurist, Qurtubi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu observes that, 'There is no indication in this verse of the prohibition of disagreement in the branches (furu') [of fiqh] as this in reality not dissension. This is because true dissension is one wherein concord and unity become virtually impossible. `
Narrations of the Imams of Hadith regarding the Saved Sect (firqatun naajiyya) and the importance of holding to the majority group (Jama`ah)
Imam Abu Dawood Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Abu Dawood (Rahimahullah) concerning the division of the Muslim Ummah into seventy- three sects in his Sunan (3/4580, English edn) said:
Abu Amir al- Hawdhani Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said, "Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu stood among us and said, 'Beware! The Apostle of Allah Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam stood among us and said': 'Beware! The People of the Book before (you) were split up into 72 sects, and this community will be split up into 73, seventy-two of them will go to Hell and one of them will go to Paradise, and it is the majority group (Jama'ah).'
Hafiz Ibn Kathir Rahmatullahi Ta'ala Alayh
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (Rahimahullah) in The Signs Before The Day of Judgement (pg. 14):
"Awf ibn Malik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu reported that the Prophet Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam said, 'The Jews split into 71 sects: one will enter Paradise and 70 will enter Hell. The Christians split into 72 sects: 71 will enter Hell and one will enter Paradise. By Him in Whose hand is my soul, my Ummah will split into 73 sects: one will enter Paradise and 72 will enter Hell.' Someone asked, 'O Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), who will they be?' He (Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied, 'The main body of the Muslims (al-Jama'ah).'
Imam Muslim Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Muslim (Rahimahullah) has collected a number of variant Hadith on the saved sect. He has related a longer version of the last Hadith quoted above: "Abdal Rahman ibn Shamasa al-Mahri (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said: 'I was in the company of Maslama bin Mukhallad and Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum).' Abdullah (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said, 'The Hour shall come only when the worst type of people are left on the earth. They will be worse than the people of pre-Islamic days. They will get whatever they ask of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala.' While we were sitting Uqba ibn Amir (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) came, and Maslama (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said to him, 'Uqba (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu), listen to what Abdullah (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) says.' Uqba (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said, 'He knows, so far as I am concerned, I heard the Prophet (Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam) say: A group of people from my Ummah will continue to fight in obedience to the Command of Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala, remaining dominant over their enemies. Those who will oppose them shall not do them any harm. They will remain in this condition until the Hour over takes them.' (At this) Abdullah (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) said, 'Yes. Then Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala will raise a wind which will be fragrant like musk and whose touch will be like the touch of silk; (but) it will cause the death of all (faithful) persons, not leaving behind a single person with an iota of faith in his heart. Then only the worst of men will remain to be overwhelmed by the Hour.'" (Sahih Muslim, 3/4721, English ed'n, see also Sahih al-Bukhari, 9/414, English ed'n)
Imam Nawawi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Nawawi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu in his Sharh Muslim :
"The group of people (mentioned in the above Hadith) consists of scholars, jurisprudents, authorities on Hadith, those who enjoin Good and forbid Evil and all such persons who do good deeds. Such righteous persons may be found spread all over the world."
Imam al-Tirmidhi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam al-Tirmidhi (Rahimahullah) said:
"The explanation of al- Jama'ah according to the people of knowledge: They are the people of Fiqh, knowledge and Hadith." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 4/2167; Ahmad Shakir ed'n).
Imam Bukhari Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Bukhari (Rahimahullah) stated in his Sahih: "The statement of the Prophet (Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam): 'A group of my followers will remain victorious in their struggle in the cause of the Truth.' Those are the religious(ly) learned men (Ahl ul-Ilm)."
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Rahimahullah) said about this group:
"If it is not the people of Hadith, then I do not know who they may be." (Sahih Muslim Sharif-Mukhtasar Sharh Nawawi, vol. 5, pg. 183, W. Zaman ).
There are differences in Furu` (branches), but not in the Usul (fundamental principles), i.e. Qur'an and Sunnah. For the Madhhabs may differ in some areas, but the efforts in `Ijtihad by their founding Imams remain unequaled by anyone after the time of the Salaf, and thus cannot be tossed out or replaced. And it is obligatory for the common folk to follow one of these Imams, except the one that is a qualified Mujtahid.