In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Mu’awiyah Ibn Abee Sufyaan [may Allaah be pleased with him and his father] stood and said, “Indeed, Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] stood amongst us and said, ‘Indeed, the people of the Scripture before you split into seventy-two sects and indeed this Ummah will split into seventy-three sects; seventy two are in the Hellfire and one in paradise, and it is the Jamaa’ah. And indeed there will appear a people from my Ummah in whom desires will run through them just as rabbis runs through the one afflicted by it”. (a)

Ed Husain’s intense intoxication and desire for philosopher has led him to utter some crazy statements and desperately attempt to belittle the verdicts of the upright scholars against philosophy. He stated, “What the Arabians gave to the West and Israel, Saudi Arabia should now reclaim and revive at home and abroad again. The neo-Renaissance is rooted in this deep history of open-minded Arabians from Mecca that rekindled what Spinoza called the ‘natural light of reason,’ to strengthen our faith in God with use of our intellect—not sheepish adherence to fatwas of clerics and ayatollahs who forbid Aristotelian philosophy of critical thinking”.

Firstly, we say to Ed Husain that Imaam abu Haatim Ar-Raazee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “One of the signs of ahlul bidah is that they speak ill of those who adhere to the authentic narrations (of tyhe prophet and the companions)”. (b)

Indeed, the above statement is nothing else but sophistry and flattery employed by a person who desperately wants his path to be accepted and embraced without any proof from the Qur’aan, the authentic Sunnah and understanding of the pious predecessors. Every Muslim with some sound knowledge of the final infallible path (Islam) knows that the  light of sound Eemaan and righteous deeds reached many regions of the earth through the Qur’aan, the authentic Sunnah and the understanding of the Sahaabah- neither through the ideas of Spinoza nor Aristotle, even though Ed Husain hates to hear this fact. Allaah [The Exalted] said:

لَقَدۡ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ بَعَثَ فِيہِمۡ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَڪِّيہِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ

Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’an), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest error. [Surah Aal Imraan’ Aayah 164]

And Allaah [The Most High] said in Surah Al-Jumu’ah:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلۡأُمِّيِّـۧنَ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيہِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬

He [Allaah] is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur’an, Islamic laws and Islamic jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of Prophet Muhammad). And verily, they had been before in manifest error]. [Surah Al-Jumu’ah Aayah 2]

Shaikh Shamsuddeen Al-Afghaanee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Allaah [The Most High] guided mankind though Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]and though what he brought of clear manifest evidences and guidance-a guidance that could not be described by those who were proficient in giving descriptions and surpassed the knowledge of those with great perception. So, though this guidance that was given to the Messenger of Allaah, Allaah [The Most High] opened the eyes of the blind ones, the ears of the deaf ones and the hearts of the heedless ones. Allaah [The Most High] united them upon one religion-[the religion of Islamic monotheism; Ibraaheem’s [peace be upon him] religion of pure monotheism]-after they had been in complete disunity, enmity towards one another, upon destructive and corrupt creeds. Allaah united their hearts and they became true brothers in Islaam by way of this great blessing. And thereafter everything that was worshiped besides Allaah-such as graves, trees, stones, graven images, idols etc- ceased to exist and all worship was carried out for Allaah (alone).

The people followed the true Religion of Islamic monotheism; they worshipped Allaah alone and established worship sincerely for Allaah, except those whom Allaah willed that they were to remain as people of polytheism, hypocrisy and followers of the altered and distorted previous scriptures. The darkness of shirk was dispelled and the banner of Tawheed was raised in the lands-amongst the Arabs and non-Arabs. Allaah [The Most High] took away the soul of His Messenger, whilst Islaam was established and in authority-superseding all other ways of life and creeds. Then the rightly guided khulafaa of the Messenger continued upon this path until the two powerful and great nations at the time-Rome and Persia-ended up in humiliation, degradation and in a state of fear after they had been in a state of security, and thus Caesar was restricted and besieged, and khosrau was subdued and destroyed.

So when the enemies of Islaam saw that they were unable to do away with this religion, they implanted their disbelieving agents within Islam, who pretended to be Muslims in order to foment confusion, trials and tribulations; and in order to spread shirk by exaggerating the status of the pious people and exalting their graves with [beliefs and practices] that were not ordained by Allaah.

So, this Ummah was put to trial through the plots of the [atheist, heretic and hypocrite] Abdullaah Bin Saba, who claimed Uloohiyyah [i.e. the right to be worship] for Ali Ibn Abee Taalib [radiyallaahu- anhu]. Abdullaah Bin As-Sabah’s followers were known as the Saaba-iyyah, and later on they were known as the rawaafid (shiites), the ismaaliyyah (shittes), the nusayriyah (shiites) and other than them amongst the Baatiniyyah. They used to worship the graves and the dead, and they used to build places of worship and domed [shaped] shrines upon these graves. So, by way of this they revived the practices of the Yahood, the Nasaaraa and the idol worshippers, and thus the practices of the worshippers of graves in this Muslim Ummah manifested itself in actions that were carried out by the rawaafid (shiites).

Secondly: The books of Greek philosophy that contained the ideas of grave and idol worship were translated into Arabic, so many of those who attributed themselves to Islam busied themselves with these books,  such  as  the  likes  of  Al- Faraabee (a) Ibn Sinaa Al-Hanafi (b) Naseer At- Toosee the advocator of disbelief and shirk (c) and other than them amongst those who played tricks with Islaam, just as Paul played tricks with Christianity.

They were influenced by the ideas of the Greek Philosophers, such as the creed of grave worship, so they became callers to grave worship through Greek Philosophy. The practices of these people was rife within the ranks of the people of rhetoric amongst the Hanafi Maatooreediyyah (d) and the Ash-ariyyah Kullaabiyyah due to busying themselves with the Books of the Philosophers; so they were influenced by the creed of grave worship. They became callers to grave worship and callers to the creed of the Jahmiyyah at the same time, such as the likes of Taftaazaanee Al-Hanafi [The Philosopher of the Maatooreediyyah and Grave worshipers] and Jurjaanee Al-Hanafi [a caller to superstition]

[a] Al-Faraabee: Al-Faraabee said that Philosophy is more perfect than Prophet hood. Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said about him: ‘’Misguided; a disbeliever’’ Ibn Sinaa adopted his books and ideas of disbelief. [For further details concerning Al- Faraabee, See Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 2/67—86] [Dar At-Ta’aarud 1/10] [Ighaathatul Luhfaan 2/372-373].

[b] Ibn Sinaa: Imaam Ibnu Salaah (rahimahullaah) said about him: ‘’He was a devil amongst the human devils.’’ [See Fataawaa Ibn Salaah 1/209] [Also see: ‘Ar-Radd Alal Mantaqiyyeen’ of Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah 278-279] [‘Ighaathatul Luhfaan’ of Imaam Ibnul Qayyim 2/373-380] [Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah’ of Imaam Ibn Katheer 12/43]

[c] Naasir At-Toosee: He was a magician and a minister of the Tartars. He rejected the ‘resurrection’. For further details, see: As-Sawaa-iq Al-Mursalah of Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) 2/790; 3/1077-1078

[d]Followers of the Jahmi Abu Mansoor Al- Maatooreedi Al-Hanafi [For further details, see the Book of Shaikh Shamsud-deen al-Afghaanee titled: ‘Al-Maatooreediyyah’ 1/205—376] [d]

Thirdly: A people appeared among the Muslims manifesting asceticism. These people were more dangerous to the masses and more severe in misguidance. They were a people who appeared in the garb of the righteous,  with tearful eyes smeared with kohl, long flowing beards, elevated turbans, carrying rosary beads and pretending to be calling to the sunnah of the leader of Humankind  [Muhammad], whilst secretly practicing the disgraceful acts inherited from the false and vanished religions. And from their plots was that they used to mix manifest lies with the authentic explanations of the qur’aan and the authentic narrations in order to corrupt the clear proofs of the qur’aan and the sunnah. These deviant heretics were known as the holooliyyah, ittihaadiyyah Grave worshippers, such as the likes of al-hallaaj (309ah), ibnul faarid (632ah), ibn arabi (638ah), ibn sina (669ah) etc  (1)

Hulooliyyah and ittihaadiyyah: Hulool- Lit. “Entering” – Divine indwelling.  The belief that Allaah dwells within a particular human.  i.e. That Allaah dwells in a particular Soofi shaykh,  a pious person, a Prophet – This belief is shared by Christians, certain Soofies, certain Shiites, Sikhs and others.

Wahdaatul Wujood – Lit – Unity of Existence.  The belief that all existence is a single existence and everything we see are only aspects of the Essence of Allaah.  This belief is also held by certain Soofies, Hindus and others.

Those who believe in hulool say that Allaah dwells and is incarnate in human beings, High is Allaah above and far removed from that. This was openly called to by some of the extreme Sufis, such as al-Husayn ibn Mansoor al-Hallaaj who was declared to be an unbeliever by the scholars. They ordered that he be executed and he was crucified in the year 309H. The following saying is attributed to him: “Glory to Him who manifested His human nature, Hiding the piercing brightness of His divinity: Till His creation saw Him openly, In the form of one eating and drinking” Attributed by al-Wakeel to the book at Tawaaseen of al Hallaaj (p. 130).

And his saying: “I am the one who loves and the One who is loved is me, We are two spirits who dwell in a single body. So when you see me you see Him, and when you see Him you see us both.”So al-Hallaaj was a believer in hulool and believed in the duality of the divine nature and that the Deity had both a divine and a human nature. Thus the divine becomes incarnate within the human so that the human spirit is the divine nature of the Deity and the body is its human form. Despite the fact that he was killed for his evil apostasy and although some of the Sufis declare themselves free of him, yet others count him as a Sufi, hold that his beliefs were correct, and write down his words. From them is Abdul-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Ataa al-Baghdaadee, Muhammad ibn Khaleef ash? Sheeraazee and Ibraheem an-Nasraabaadhee, as is reported by al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee.

Wahdatul-Wujood, i.e. that all in existence is a single reality, and that everything we see is only aspects of the Essence of Allaah. The chief claimant of this belief was Ibn ‘Arabee al-Haatimee at-Taa’ee, who was buried in Damascus having died in the year 638H. He himself says about this belief in his book al-Fatoohaat-ul-Makkiyyah: “The slave is the Lord and the Lord is a slave, I wish that I knew which was the one required to carry out the required duties.  If I were to say the servant then that is true, or if I were to say the Lord, then how can that be required for Him.” Al-Fatoohaat-ul-Makkiyyah as it is attributed by Dr. Taqiyyuddeen al-Hilaalee in his book al-Hadiyyatul-Haadiyah (p.43).

He also says in al-Fatoohaat: “Those who worshipped the calf worshipped nothing except Allaah.” Quoted as Ibn ‘Arabee’s saying by Ibn Tayrniyyah in al-Fataawaa (vol.11), who attributes it to the book al-Fatoohaat. Ibn ‘Arabee is called ‘al-‘Aarif billaah’ (The one having great knowledge of Allaah) by the Sufis, and also ‘al-Qutubul Akbar’ (The great pivot), ‘al-Miskul-Adhfar’ (the sweetest smelling musk), “al-Kibreetul-Ahmar’ (the reddest brimstone), despite his belief in wahdatul-wujood and other calamitous sayings. Indeed he praised Fir’awn (Pharaoh) and declared that he died upon Eemaan! Furthermore he speaks against Haroon for his criticism of his peoples worship of the calf, thus directly opposing the text of the Qur’aan. He also held that the Christians were Unbelievers only because they made divinity particular to ‘Eesaa, whereas if they had made it general to all then they would not have been unbelievers. [Despite all the gross deviation of Ibn ‘Arabee and the fact that the scholars declared him to be an Unbeliever, yet he is revered by the Sufis and others who do not distinguish between the truth and falsehood, and those who turn away from accepting the truth even when it is as clear as the sun. But his books, which are filled with clear apostasy, such as al-Fatoohaatul-Makkiyyah and Fusoosul-Hikam are still circulated. He even has a tafseer, which he called at-Tafseerul-Baatin since he holds that there is an apparent and a hidden meaning for every Aayah, so the outer meaning is for the people of Ta’weel. From this group came Ibn Basheesh who said: “O Allaah rescue me from the mire of Tawheed, and drown me in the centre of the sea of unity, and mix me into the state of unity and oneness until I do not see, nor hear, nor sense except through it.” (2)

The above clarification by Shaikh Shamsuddeen Al-Afghaanee As-Salafi exposes the destructive path of three groups – the Raafidah, the philosophers and so called ascetics, and Ed Husain belongs to the second group because he promotes Ibn Sina and Al-Farabi.  Indeed, due to the bidah of philosophy that has deeply penetrated Ed Husain’s heart and mind, he cannot come to terms with the fact that philosophy is not from the methodology of the Prophets and Messengers, therefore he utilises sophistry, attempts to flatter the Saudis and then beautify for them that which has been declared ugly by the pious predecessors. Imaam Maalik [may allaah have mercy upon him] said, “The latter part of this Ummah (i.e. those who will come after the Salaf) will not be rectified except by way of that which rectified it’s earlier part (i.e. the Salaf).’’ And he [rahimahullaah) said: ‘’Whoever innovates a bidah in Islaam and considers it to be something good, then indeed he has claimed that Muhammad betrayed the Risaalah (i.e. the message he was entrusted with); because Allaah said: ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ -This day, I have perfected your religion for you.” Therefore, what was not part of the religion at that time (i.e. during the time of the Messenger) cannot be part of the religion today (i.e. after his departure from this world)”. (3)

Then Mr Husain said: “The neo-Renaissance is rooted in this deep history of open-minded Arabians from Mecca that rekindled what Spinoza called the ‘natural light of reason,’ to strengthen our faith in God with use of our intellect—not sheepish adherence to fatwas of clerics and ayatollahs who forbid Aristotelian philosophy of critical thinking”. [End of quote]

Indeed, the likes of this statement necessitates that whoever has not endorsed this methodology is not open minded. The companions of the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] are the most virtuous amongst humankind – after the Prophets and Messengers – until the day of judgement, and neither can anyone reach their level in Eemaan, knowledge, clear-sightedness and in dealing with affairs that brought about wellbeing, prosperity, strength and honour in the religious and worldly affairs of the Muslims; but they never entertained philosophy. Therefore, does this make them less critical in their thinking and can anyone say that they were people without free minds?! Allaah stated about Sahaabah in the final revelation:

وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِـإِحۡسَـٰنٍ۬ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى تَحۡتَهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَآ أَبَدً۬ا‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ

And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success. [Surah At-Tawbah. Aayah 100]

The Prophet [peace and blessings of allaah be upon him] said: “The best of the people are those living in my generation, then those who will follow the latter and then those who come after them. Then there will come after them people who will be treacherous and will not be trustworthy, they will bear witness without being asked to do so, and they will vow, but will never fulfil their vows….’’. [Al-Bukhaari]

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi [may allaah preserve him] said,”They give false testimony, act treacherously and deceitfully. They behave in a very sinful manner and follow evil desires, except those whom Allaah safeguards amongst the Taa’ifatul Mansoorah [i.e. the aided group of Muslims upon the straight path] – those whom Allaah’s Messenger [alayhis salaatu wassalaam] praised. Therefore, it is obligated on us to acquire knowledge for the sake of Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic] and act upon it. Ignorance is a deadly disease and knowledge is a weapon that will destroy you if you do not act upon it, and Allaah’s refuge is sought”. (4)

The noble Messenger [peace and blessings of allaah be upon him] said:
فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَعِشْ مِنْكُمْ فَسَيَرَى اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا، فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيينَ، عَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ؛ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ

Verily he lives long among you will see a lot of differing, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafaa ar-Rashideen (the rightly guided caliphs). Adhere to it with your molar teeth (i.e. adhere to it firmly). And beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for every newly invented matter [in the religion] is a bidah (innovation in the religion), and every bidah is misguidance.” [Abu Dawood. Number 4607] [Tirmidhee. Number 2676]

Regarding Ed Husain’s comment ‘sheepish adherence to fatwas of clerics and ayatollahs who forbid Aristotelian philosophy of critical thinking’, then indeed we remind Ed Husain that Shaikh Shamsuddeen Al-Afghaanee said, “So when the enemies of Islaam saw that they were unable to do away with this religion, they implanted their disbelieving agents within Islam, who pretended to be Muslims in order to foment confusion, trials and tribulations; and in order to spread shirk by exaggerating the status of the pious people and exalting their graves with [beliefs and practices] that were not ordained by Allaah. So, this Ummah was put to trial through the plots of the [atheist, heretic and hypocrite] Abdullaah Bin Saba, who claimed Uloohiyyah [i.e. the right to be worship] for Ali Ibn Abee Taalib [radiyallaahu- anhu]. Abdullaah Bin As-Sabah’s followers were known as the Saaba-iyyah, and later on they were known as the rawaafid (shiites), the ismaaliyyah (shittes), the nusayriyah (shiites) and other than them amongst the Baatiniyyah. They used to worship the graves and the dead, and they used to build places of worship and domed [shaped] shrines upon these graves. So, by way of this they revived the practices of the Yahood, the Nasaaraa and the idol worshippers, and thus the practices of the worshippers of graves in this Muslim Ummah manifested itself in actions that were carried out by the rawaafid (shiites). Secondly: The books of Greek philosophy that contained the ideas of grave and idol worship were translated into Arabic, so many of those who attributed themselves to Islam busied themselves with these books,  such  as  the  likes  of  Al- Faraabee, Ibn Sinaa Al-Hanafi, Naseer At- Toosee the advocator of disbelief and shirk and other than them amongst those who played tricks with Islaam, just as Paul played tricks with Christianity.  They were influenced by the ideas of the Greek Philosophers, such as the creed of grave worship, so they became callers to grave worship through Greek Philosophy. The practices of these people was rife within the ranks of the people of rhetoric amongst the Hanafi Maatooreediyyah and the Ash-ariyyah Kullaabiyyah due to busying themselves with the Books of the Philosophers; so they were influenced by the creed of grave worship. They became callers to grave worship and callers to the creed of the Jahmiyyah at the same time, such as the likes of Taftaazaanee Al-Hanafi [The Philosopher of the Maatooreediyyah and Grave worshipers] and Jurjaanee Al-Hanafi [a caller to superstition]”.

Pay close attention to Shaikh Shamsuddeen’s statement as follows: “The books of Greek philosophy that contained the ideas of grave and idol worship were translated into Arabic, so many of those who attributed themselves to Islam busied themselves with these books,  such  as  the  likes  of  Al- Faraabee, Ibn Sinaa Al-Hanafi, Naseer At- Toosee the advocator of disbelief and shirk and other than them amongst those who played tricks with Islaam, just as Paul played tricks with Christianity.  They were influenced by the ideas of the Greek Philosophers, such as the creed of grave worship, so they became callers to grave worship through Greek Philosophy”.

Indeed, Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina were from those who played tricks with the religion ordained by Allaah just as Paul played tricks with Christianity, but Ed Husain praises them, utilises sophistry, flattery and deception whilst calling to their destructive paths and then seeks to belittle the uptight scholars of the Ummah – those who issue upright Fataaawa against the bidah of philosophy.

As for the so called Ayatollahs mentioned by Ed Husain- the heretics amongst the Raafidah, they are upon one bidah and Ed Husain is upon another Bidah. As for the upright scholars of Ahlus Sunnah – the upright scholars of Saudi Arabia, such as the likes of Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Fawzaan, Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee, Al-Allaamah Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbaad, Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Luhaydaan, Al-Allaamah Ubaid Al-Jaabiriy and other upright scholars of the Sunnah, they refute philosophy based on sound proof because this was the path of the righteous predecessors, as Imaam Maalik said, “May Allaah curse Amr Ibn Ubaid, for indeed he innovated this innovation from Al-Kalaam. If Kalaam was knowledge, the companions of the Messenger and the Taabi’een would have spoken about it just as they spoke about rulings and laws of the religion, however it is falsehood and leads to falsehood”. (5) Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee [rahimahullaah] said, “Ilmul Kalaam is ignorance”. Imaam Abu Yusuf [rahimahullaah] said, “Ilmul kalaam is ignorance and to be ignorant of Ilmul Kalaam is knowledge”. (6)

Yoonus Ibn Abdil A’laa (rahimahullaah) said, “I heard Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) saying, ‘It is better for a man to be put to trial with everything that Allaah has forbidden except Shirk than looking into (or engaging himself in) ilmul kalaam; for indeed I have come across affairs from the proponents of ilmul kalaam that which I never thought I would come across’”. (7)

Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) said, “I am neither a person of Ilmul Kalaam nor do I recognize Ilmul Kalaam in anything. (I only recognize) that which is found in the Book of Allaah or in the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam)”. (8)

Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) also said, “Do not sit with the proponents of ilmul kalaam even if they defend the Sunnah”. (9)

A man asked Qaasim Bin As-Sallaam [rahimahullaah] about Ilmul Kalaam, so he said to him, “Indeed, your Lord has guided to the path of uprightness and to the path of truth. Allaah [The Exalted] said:

[فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعۡتُمۡ فِى شَىۡءٍ۬ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَحۡسَنُ تَأۡوِيلاً – (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination]. [Surah An-Nisaa. Aayah 59]

Do you not have what suffices in what your Lord guided you to regarding His speech and the Sunnah of His Prophet, so that you do not return to your opinion and thus become destroyed! Indeed, your Lord has forbidden you from speaking about His Essence and Attributes, except that which He has made know to you. (10)

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee was asked: May Allaah reward you with good; this is also a question from the brothers who are present, saying: Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuhu. Virtuous Shaikh, is it permissible for me to learn [or study] the knowledge of philosophical logic? Benefit me [i.e. with a response] and may Allaah [The Exalted] reward you with good.

Answer: The knowledge of theological rhetoric is a corrupt knowledge and the pious predecessors – by way of consensus- declared that it is Haraam to study it due to the misguidance and evil consequences within it. Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Neither does a dull-witted person benefit from it nor is an intelligent person in need of it”. An intelligent person is not in need of it because he is sensible in himself, in his natural disposition and intellect; and a dull-witted  person does not benefit from it. Even if he studied all the books of philosophical logic, he will not benefit from it. Shaikh Albaani [may Allaah have mercy upon him] used to debate against the scholars of philosophical logic and they used to be like children in his presence, yet he never studied philosophical logic; rather Allaah granted him [sound] speech and [Sharee’ah] knowledge, and there is no proof stronger than the proofs of the Kitaab [i.e. the Qur’aan] and the [authentic] Sunnah. The people of philosophical logic are always defeated [or overwhelmed]. By Allaah, regardless how much they [utilise] philosophical speech and  how strong they are in philosophical logic, they are defeated [or overwhelmed] in the presence of the methodology of the Salafus Saaleh [which is] founded on the Book [i.e. the Qur’aan] and the [authentic] Sunnah. (11)

Therefore, even though Ed Husain praises the early Arabian believers who took Islaam to the aggressive fire worshippers of Iran, however he wants to eradicate their path – the path of the Salafus Saaleh [the Sahaabah and their upright followers, and the path of the upright Muslims of the third generation of Islaam – through sophistry.

As for Ed Husain’s exaltation of his faulty understanding and intense desire for philosophy, then he is reminded that Allaah [The Most High] said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ

O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward before Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Verily! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet. [Surah Al-Hujuraat. Aayaat 1-2]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: When it is the case that Allaah forbade [us] from giving precedence to [ourselves] over the Messenger, then which type of giving precedence to oneself over the Messenger can be more severe than giving precedence to one’s intellect over the revelation he was sent with? Many of the Salaf stated [that this ayah means]: ‘’Do not say anything [about the religion] until the Messenger speaks and do not act until he commands you.’’

The most disobedient person amongst the people and the worst with regards to giving precedence to himself [or herself] over the Messenger is that one who gives precedence to his [or her] intellect or the intellect of another person over the revelation the Messenger was sent with. And when it is the case that Allaah has indeed forbidden them from raising their voices above the voice of the Messenger, then how about raising their intellects above the statements of the Messenger and the revelation he came with? (12)

Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: In this great Soorah there are lofty benefits and rulings. The Muslims are greatly in need of understanding (it), being conscious of it and take benefit from it. In the first part, there is a warning against putting oneself forward before Allaah and His Messenger. And that which is obligated on the People of Eemaan is that they are to be followers and not innovators, and that they do not put themselves forward before Allaah and His Messenger. The people of knowledge say (that this ayah means): “Do not speak until you are commanded by Allaah and His Messenger, and do not act until the Messenger acts and legislates; do not put (yourselves) forward before him with either speech or action, (but) be you followers of that which has been prescribed for you and that which has been made clear for you in the (Islamic) legislation. This is the way the people of Eemaan are to be -they do not innovate acts of worship and rulings in Allaah’s Sharee’ah.

[وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيم – And fear Allah. Verily! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing].

Allaah hears their statements and nothing is hidden from Him with regards to your state of affairs. He hears the statements of the slaves and He knows their state of affairs. He knows the truth you utter and other than it. He knows what you do, the truth you utter and other than it. The meaning of (this is that): Be mindful of Him and be warned about (disobeying Him) because nothing is hidden from Him. He hears and He knows your state of affairs. Therefore, it is obligated on you to be followers, and not innovators in Allaah’s Sharee’ah. (13)

The Imaam was asked: Shaikh, are the ones who depend on their intellects in understanding many of the affairs of the religion considered to be from those who are mistaken?

Answer: Yes; it is obligated on him not to depend on his intellect, rather he studies the texts and relies on the divine texts from the speech of  Allaah and that of Allaah’s  Messenger [salllal laahu alayhiwa wasallam], because there is guidance in it and direction towards good. As for the intellect, it can be right or wrong. The sects that oppose Ahlus sunnah were destroyed due to their intellects. They thought that they had good intellects and that their intellects arrived at what is correct and thus they opposed the texts by way of their stagnant intellects which they thought were sound. What was that which made the Jahmiyyah negate the Perfect Names and Attributes of Allaah, except due to their corrupt intellects?!

What was it that led the Mutazilah to negate the attributes of Allaah and declared that the sinners [i.e. those who die whilst committing the major sins that are lesser that major kufr and major shirk] will remain in the fire forever, except due to their corrupt intellects?! Likewise, is the case of their followers who utter this same speech.

What led the Khawaarij to excommunicate the people due to committing sins – that the sinner is a disbeliever and that he will remain in the fire forever, except due to their corrupt intellects. Likewise, this is the case regarding other than them amongst the proponents of Bidah. The intellects which they depend upon is that which destroy them, because they think that their intellects are safe, sound, good and infallible, whereas that is not the case; rather it is not infallible – commits mistakes a lot; however they hold a good suspicion regarding their intellects and an evil suspicion regarding the texts and thus they are destroyed.

It is obligatory to harbour a good suspicion regarding the texts and an evil suspicion regarding the intellect, and to submit the intellects to the texts. The texts are infallible if their chain of transmission are established to be authentic. As for the intellects, they are fallible. A person susceptible to mistakes, shortcoming and desires. As for the Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam], what he conveyed from Allaah is infallible. and likewise the Qur’aan is infallible- the speech of Allaah. Therefore, it is obligatory that the Qur’aan and Sunnah passes a judgement on your intellect and that you give precedence to the Qur’aan and Sunnah over your intellect- over the intellect of the Shaikh, the Mashaayikh, your forefathers, ancestors and all the people. The texts are given precedence over all the intellects.  (14)

To be continued InShaaAllaah

[a: Reported by Imaam Abu Daawud 4597. Declared Saheeh by Imaam Albaanee in Saheeh Al-Jaami 2641]

[a: Aqeedah As-Salaf. page 105]

[Ref 1: Excerpt from Juhoodu Ulamaa Al-Hanafiyyah Fee Ibtaal Aqaa’id Al-Qubooriyyeen. Vol 1. Page 19-25]

[Ref 2: http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=8&Topic=3528 ]

[Ref 3: An Excerpt from : أثر العبادات في حياة المسلمpages 4-5. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 4: Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm pages 268-270]

[Ref 5: Dhammul Kalaam by Al-Harwee 5/73]

[Ref 6: Aqeedah Ash-Shaafi’ee. Page: 86]

[Ref 7: Source: Quoted in ”An-Nahjul Aqwaa. Introduction by Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan and Shaikh Abdul Azeez Aala Shaikh. page: 126]

[Ref 8: An-Nahjul Aqwaa’ with the introduction of Shaikh Fawzaan and Shaikh Abdul Azeez Aala Shaikh. Page: 127

[Ref 9: Reported by Al-Ajlee in Dhammul Kalaam 1/85]

[Ref 10: As-Sawaa-iq Al-Mursalah Alal Jahmiyyah Wal-Mu-attilah 4/1346]

[Ref 11: An Excerpt from Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm page 347. Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 12: An Excerpt from Al-Waabil as-Sayyib’ page: 21. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 13: An Excerpt from Al-Fawaa-id al-Ilmiyyah Min Ad-Durar Al-Baaziyyah: page: 391-392; Vol: 4. Publisher: Daar

Ar-Risaalah 1st ed 1430AH (Year 2009)]

[Ref 14: https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/28730/%D9%8A%D8%AC%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%82%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%84-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B5 ]