Madraj’l-Mi`raaj Min Jubb’l-Istidraaj The Path of Ascent From the Abyss of Enticement
PART II
The following is the dialogue that took place between you and Michael Enright in the interview on CBC.
Michael: When you read the coverage in some of the more fulminating columnists and commentators, it comes up time and time again, this business about the Qur'an promising the martyrs or the suicide bombers that if they die in the course of their mission they will go immediately to heaven where they will be greeted by ten or fifteen or sixty-eight or something or other, virgins. You must have seen that. What is that?
Hamza: “…If you look in the Qur'an about the pleasures of paradise, the definitive verse in the Qur'an is that the pleasures of paradise are those which no eye has seen, no ear has heard of, and has never occurred to the heart of a human being. So that is the definitive verse about the pleasures of paradise. Now, there are some hadith, it's not in the Qur'an, there is mention of beautiful youths as well as beautiful women, and that's more metonymy in rhetoric.
Michael: It's an allegory.
Shaykh Hamza: Exactly, it's an allegory, exactly. And the thing about it is that our scholars say that the highest sensual experience in the world is orgasm and it's quite literal. I mean this is a traditional opinion; Imam al-Ghazali, one of the early theologians said that the orgasm that a human being experiences in sexual intercourse is the closest sensual experience that one can taste of what the delights of paradise are like. The Muslims traditionally saw it as almost - and the Hindus have this concept as well - that there's almost a mystical experience. Now, the vast majority of human beings do not have profound mystical experiences. The mystic has experiences that transcend sexuality and in fact, it's well known that a lot of mystics lose their appetite for those types of things because of their own internal experiences.
Michael: They're celibate.
Shaykh Hamza: Exactly. So the idea being is that it's really an approximation, it's a way of describing. The number used is 70 and the idea of 70 in the Arabic language is that it just means an untold amount of pleasure and that's really what it's about. And unfortunately literalism is a danger in every religion and I think there are definitely people who look at these things in very literal terms and this goes with religion and with human understanding.
Sidi Hamza, I could cite for you and for those who have been confused by your above statements, all the verses in the Qur’an regarding the pleasure of Paradise and the punishments of Hell. I could give the exegesis of these verses as given by the scholars of the as-Salaf, however, I will cite here what our Amir’l-Mu’mineen the Shehu, Uthman Dan Fuduye’ has given us
regarding these verses. The Shehu arranged these verses in sequence. He used to say: “Whoever obeys the commands of Allah and avoids His prohibitions has entered upon the path to Paradise. Whoever fails to obey the commands of Allah or avoid His prohibitions then he has stumbled into the Hell-Fires and have warranted being included among its people. “For them Hell will be the resting place and above them will be calamities.”
Allah ta`ala says: “For them from above will be the gloom of the Hell-Fires and beneath them will be gloom.” Allah ta`ala says: “And every obstinate oppressor was brought to destruction. In front of him is Hell-Fires and he will be made to drink boiling contaminated water. He will be forced to drink it down his throat and death will come to him from every place, but he will not die and in front of him will be a tremendous torment.” Allah ta`ala says: “Then for those who disbelieved, garments of fire will be cut out for them. Molten lava will be poured down over their heads, which will cause their entrails to melt and their skins. And for them will be hooked rods made of iron. Each time they seek to get away from it, angrily they will be driven back into it and it will be said to them, ‘Taste the torment of roasting!’.” Allah ta`ala says: “Is that better entertainment or the tree of Zaquum? Verily I have made it as a temptation for the unjust. Verily, it is the tree that springs out of the bottom of Hell-Fires. The shoots of its fruit-stalks are like the heads of devils. Then, they will eat from it and fill their bellies with it. Then after that they will be given molten lava to drink so that it becomes like a broth. Then after that their destiny will be the flaming fire of Hell-Fires. Verily, they found their fathers on the wrong path, so they too hastened in their footsteps!” Allah ta`ala says: “Verily the tree of Zaquum will be the food of the sinners. Like boiling oil it will boil in the bellies, like the bubbling of molten lava.” It will be said to the Angels: “Seize him and drag him into the midst of the Hell-Fires. Then pour from over his head the torment of molten lava.” Allah ta`ala says: “Seize him and fetter him, then throw him in the blazing Fire. Then fasten him with a chain which seventy cubits!” Allah ta`ala says: “Then let them taste it - molten lava and puss from dirty wounds. And others of similar kind paired.” Allah ta`ala says: “When iron collars will be rounded over their necks and with chains they will dragged along in the molten lava and then they will roasted in the Fire.” Allah ta`ala says: “Verily with Me are fetters and a raging Fire. And food that chokes and a painful punishment.”
Then after that the Shehu would mention the dialogue of the people of the Hell-Fire as it is mentioned in the prophetic tradition related by al-Bayhaqi: that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said, “Verily there will be five supplications for the people of Hell-Fires. Allah ta`ala will respond to four of their supplications. When they make the fifth supplication they will not be allowed to speak thereafter forever. They will say: ‘Our Lord You caused us to die twice and You gave us life twice. You alone know our sins. Is there in way out of this!?’ Allah ta`ala will respond: ‘This is because when Allah alone was called upon you denied Him and when associates were made with Him you believed in them. For the final judgment belongs to Allah the Exalted the Great.’ Then they will say: ‘Our Lord we have seen and we have heard. Return us so that we can do righteous deeds. Indeed we are people of certainty.” Allah ta`ala will respond: ‘Then taste that which you used to forget of the meeting with this Day of yours. Verily I have forgotten you. And taste the punishment of eternity for what you used to do.’ Then they will say: ‘Our Lord postpones us for a short time so that we can answer Your call and follow the messengers.’ Allah ta`ala will respond: ‘Were you not among those who swore from before that you would never die!?’ Then they will say: ‘Our Lord take us out of it, so that we can do good deeds other than what we used to do.’ Then Allah ta`ala will respond: ‘Did I not prolong your lives so that whoever would receive admonition could receive it!? And warners came to you, so taste! For the unjust there are no helpers!’ Then they will say: ‘Our Lord our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a people in error.’ Allah ta`ala will respond: ‘Be silent in it! And do not speak!’ For then they will never thereafter speak again.
There are many other dialogues of the people of the Fire. Among them are those mentioned in the prophetic tradition related by Ibn al-Mubaarak, who said: ‘It has reached me that the people of the Hell-Fires will seek redemption with the custodian of Hell. Allah ta`ala says: “Those in the Hell-Fire will say to the custodians of Hell: ‘Supplicate to your Lord that He may alleviate from us a day from the punishment.” The custodians will answer them: “Did there not come to you your messengers with clear messages? They will say: ‘Indeed!’ They will say: ‘Go on and supplicate for the supplication of the disbelievers is only in error.” When they seek relief with the custodians of Hell-Fires, they will call to Malik, and he will be angry sitting in the center of Hell upon an axle around which the Angels of punishment revolve. There Malik is able to see the furthest part of Hell in the same manner as the nearest part. The people will say: “O Malik! Seek our needs with your Lord!” And they will beg him for death. He will say remain silent refusing to answer their request for eighty years. A year there will be three hundred and days. A month will be thirty days. And a day there will be like a thousand years of your reckoning. Then after eighty years he will show regard for them saying: “Verily you will reside therein.” When they hear what he says they will then seek relief as they did before. Some of them will say to others. “O you there! Perhaps He will alleviate from us the punishment and affliction the way it was alleviated before. So let us adhere to patience. For perhaps patience will benefit us in the same manner that the people of obedience were patient with obedience to Allah. Thus, patience benefited them when they were patient.” Thus, they will all agree to remain steadfast with the punishment. They will be patient until their patience goes for a long time. They will then have regret and call out: “It is the same whether we show remorse or show patience. There will be no escape.” Meaning there will be no escape from it to safety.
Then Iblis will say to them: “Verily Allah promised you a promise of truth and I made a promise to you. However I went against my promise. I had no authority over you except that I invited you. You in turn answered my invitation. Therefore do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot answer your screams nor will you be able to answer my screams. Verily I deny what deities you used to associate before with Him.” For when they hear what he says, they will detest themselves. He will say to them: “Verily Allah’s detestation is greater than our detestation of ourselves. They will say: ‘Twice have You caused us to die and twice have You caused us to live. Now we confess our sins. Is there any way for us to get out?” He will say in answer to them: “This is because when Allah alone was called upon they denied Him and believed in partners besides Him. For the Final Judgment it with Allah the Exalted the Great.” This will be the first dialogue.
Then they will call out a second time: “Our Lord take us out so that we can do good, then we will have certainty.” Then Allah ta`ala will answer them: “If I had desired I would have given every soul its guidance, however the word is true from Me that I will fill the Hell-Fires with the Jinn and mankind all together. So therefore taste what you used to overlook of the meeting with this Day of yours. I have overlooked you. So taste the punishment of eternity due to what you used to do.”
Then they will call out a third time: “Our Lord postpone us for a short time so that we can respond to Your call and follow the messengers.” Then Allah ta`ala will answer them: “Did you not swear before that you would not come to an end. You resided in the homes of those who were unjust to themselves and it became clear to you how I dealt with them and I threw similarities for you. They plotted their plots, but their plots were with Allah, even had their plots were as big as the mountains.”
Then they will call out a fourth time: “Our Lord take us out so that we can do good deeds other than what we used to do.” Then Allah ta`ala will answer them: “Did I not prolong your lives? But you did take heed from the reminder when there came to you the Warner. So taste the punishment. There can be no helper for the unjust.” Then they will reside therein as long as Allah wills, He will then call out to them: “Were not My signs recited to you, yet you were among those who denied them.” When they will hear His address, they will say to themselves: “Now our Lord will show us mercy!” They will say at that time: “Our Lord our wretchedness overcame us and we were a people in error. Our Lord take us out of it, for if You were to return us, indeed we were among the unjust.” Allah ta`ala will say at that point: “Be silent and do not speak!” At that point all hope and answering of supplication will be cut off from them. Then they will encounter one another and spit in each others faces. Then they will be covered and shut in. For this reason Allah ta`ala says: “This is Day they will not be allowed to speak, nor will permission be given - so that they might give excuses.”
TELL ME SIDI HAMZA, WILL ALL THESE PUNISHMENTS IN THE HELL FIRES BE ALLEGORICAL? ARE THESE DESCRIPTIONS METONYNYM IN RHETORIC? ARE THESE DIVERSE PUNISHMENTS AND TORMENTS MYSTICAL AFFLICTIONS THAT WILL ONLY AFFECT THE SPIRIT AND THE SOUL? VERILY WE BELONG TO ALLAH AND TO HIM IS OUR RETURN AND WE SEEK REFUGE WITH HIM FROM FALSEHOOD AND IGNORANCE!
Shehu Uthman Dan Fuduye’ also arranged for us the verses in the Qur’an, which increase our yearning for the Paradise of Allah ta`ala. He would say to his students: “Whoever obeys the commands of Allah and avoid His prohibitions will enter Paradise. Allah ta`ala says: “I will not forsake the reward of those who were excellent in deeds. For these will be Gardens of Ease under which rivers flow. There they will be given bracelets of gold and will wear green robes of silk brocade and gold embroidery. They will recline upon thrones therein. The best of Rewards and excellent the resting place.”
Allah ta`ala says: “These will have a known provision of fruits and they will be honored in Gardens of Delight upon couches facing one another. There will be passed among them a cup from a bright gushing spring which will be delicious to the drinkers and which does not cause headaches nor will they be made unbalanced from it. With them will be women of modest gaze and lovely eyes as if they were hidden pearls.”
Allah ta`ala says: “Those who believe in My signs and have surrendered in Islam will enter into Paradise, you and your wives to be made gratified. There will be brought to them trays of gold and cups. Therein will be what all souls desire and whatever eyes find sweet. You will be in it forever. This is the Paradise which you have inherited based upon what you used to do. For you in it will abundant fruits which you will consume.”
Allah ta`ala says: “Verily those who fear Allah will be in safe places in Gardens and springs. They will be dressed in silk and silk embroidery, facing one another. Even so, and I will marry them to large eyed maidens. They will request every sought of fruit in safety. They will taste death except the first death. For He has saved them from the doom of Hell. This is a bounty from your Lord and this is the Supreme Bounty.”
Allah ta`ala says: “The likeness of Paradise which has been promised to those who fear Allah, therein are rivers of unpolluted water, rivers of milk whose taste does not change, rivers of wine delicious to the drinkers and rivers from clear honey. Therein is every kind of fruit and forgiveness from Lord.”
Allah ta`ala says: “Verily those who fear Allah will be in Gardens and ease enjoying the fruits of what their Lord will give then and their Lord will save them from the punishment of Hell. Therefore, eat and drink as a reward for what you used to do. Reclining upon arranged couches and I will marry them to large eyed maidens. And those who believe and their descendants who followed them in belief, they will meet with their descendants there, and I will not deprive them of anything of their deeds. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned. I will provide for them fruits and meats which they desire. They will pass between themselves cups which has no vanity nor sin. There circulates among them youth who are like guarded pearls. Each of them will encounter one another questioning. They will say: ‘We used to be among our people anxious. Then Allah favored us and saved us from the torment of the breath of the Fire. We used to supplicate Him for He is the Benevolent and the Merciful.”
Allah ta`ala says: “For he who fears the station of his Lord there will be two Gardens. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Of spreading branches. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Wherein are two flowing fountains. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Wherein is every kind of fruit in pairs. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Reclining upon couches lined with silk brocade, the fruit of both Gardens near at hand. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Therein are maidens of modest gaze, whom neither man nor jinn have touched before. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Like unto the jacinth and the coral-stone. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Is not the reward for excellence only excellence? Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? And beside these two are two other Gardens. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Dark green with foliage. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Wherein are two abundant springs. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Wherein is fruit, the date palm and pomegranate. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Wherein are the most excellent and beautiful. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Maidens close-guarded in pavilions. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Whom neither man nor jinn have ever touched before. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Reclining on green cushions and exquisite carpets. Which of the favors of your Lord can you two deny? Blessed be the name of your Lord, the Mighty and Glorious.
Allah ta`ala says: “The foremost are the foremost. These are those who are brought near. In Gardens of Ease. A multitude of those of old and a few of those of later time. On lined couches, reclining therein face to face. There wait on them immortal youths with bowls, containers and cups from a pure spring. From which neither headaches nor derangement occur. And fruits that they prefer and flesh of fowls that they desire. And large eyed maidens like hidden pearls. Reward for what they used to do. They will hear no vain talking nor incrimination. Only the saying: Peace. Peace. And the companions of the right. What are the companions of the right? Among thornless lote trees and clustered plantains and spreading shade and gushing water and abundant fruit, neither out of reach nor forbidden. And there are raised couches. Verily I have made them into a new creation and have made for them virgins who are lovers and friends for the companions of the right.”
Allah ta`ala says: “Verily the righteous will drink from cups whose draught is blended with camphor taken from springs. Gushing exceedingly and it will be imbibed by the servants of Allah .” Allah ta`ala says: “They will be rewarded Gardens and silk for their patience. Reclining therein upon couches which has never seen the severity of the sun nor bitter cold. The shade therein will be close upon them and the clustered fruits thereof dip down. Containers of silver are circulated among them and cups as bright as glass, but made from silver which are measured to exact measure. These are watered from a cup whose drink is a blend of Zanjabil. From the spring therein called Salsabil. They are served by eternal youths whom if seen would look like scattered pearls. If you were to see these favors, then you would see blessings and a huge kingdom. Upon them will be garments of fine green silk and gold embroidery. They will wear bracelets of silver and their Lord will give them to drink a pure beverage.”
Allah ta`ala says: “Verily the righteous will be in ease upon couches gazing. The splendor of serenity will be noticed on their faces. They will be given to drink from sealed wine whose seal will be musk. Let this be what those who contest, vie with one another. A drink whose blend is from Tasneem taken from a spring, imbibed by those who will be brought near.”
Allah ta`ala says: “Faces on that Day will be in bliss because of the efforts which were pleasing in the highest Gardens in which no empty talk will be heard. Therein will be flowing springs. Therein will be raised couches, placed cups, arranged cushions, and silken carpets spread out.”
SIDI HAMZA, ARE THESE DELIGHTS OF PARADISE ALLEGORICAL? ARE THESE PLEASURES EXPERIENCED BY THE BODILY SENSES, OR ARE THEY EXPERIENCED BY THE SPIRIT AND SOUL? ARE THESE ENJOYMENTS SIMPLY METONYNYM IN RHETORIC, AS YOU CLAIM? OR ARE THESE ENJOYMENTS EXPERIENCED LITERALLY AS ALLAH TA`ALA DESCRIBED THEM IN HIS INFALLIBLE QUR’AN?
I remember we had this argument before back in the mid 90s. I left it because I assumed you would have researched it and saw what I was arguing to be the truth. You made the same claim then that you have made in the recent interview. It is impossible for me to believe that you hold these views. Even if you had not broadcast them to the public, and kept it concealed in your heart, you would still be in error. However, you made these deviant views public and sold them as though these were the basic beliefs of the Muslims. As a daa`iy (inviter) you should have used that opportunity to invite Michael Enright to the good news of Paradise and warned him about the torments of Hell. But instead, you denigrated the beliefs of the Muslims in order to satisfy the deviant fears of the disbelievers. In your desire for acceptance from them, you allowed them to make you say something about Allah ta`ala which had no proof or authority. What is it? Are you pushing up on them because you hope to be like Thomas Cleary? You want a prestigious position in one of their universities? What is the reason that you would openly deny the foundation of this religion? Every point you made about the Paradise was wrong, deviant and contrary to the Qur’an, the Sunna and the consensus of the Muslim scholars. Qadi `Iyad said in his as-Shifa Bi Ta`reef Huquuq ‘l-Mustafa:
من دان بالوحدانية وصحّة النّبوّة، ونبوّة نبيّنا صلّى اللّه عليه وسلّم، ولكن جوّز على الأنبياء الكذب فيما أتوا به، ادّعى في ذلك المصلحة بزعمه أو لم يدّعها فهو كافر بإجماع، كالمتفلسفين، وبعض الباطنية، والرّوافض، وغلاة المتصوّفة، وأصحاب الإباحة، فإنّ هؤلاء زعموا أنّ ظواهر الشّرع، وأكثر ما جاءت به الرّسل من الأخبر عما كان ويكون من أمور الآخرة والحشر والقيامة، والجنّة، والنّار، ليس منها شيء على مقتضى لفظها مفهوم خطابها، وإنما خاطبوا بها الخلق على جهة المصلحة لهم، إذ لم يمكنهم التصريح لقصور أفهامهم، فمضمّن مقالاتهم إبطال الشرائع، وتعطيل الأوامر والنّواهي، وتكذيب الرّسل، ولإرتياب فيما أتوا به
“Those who believe in the Oneness of Allah, the soundness of prophecy and the prophecy of our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, however they permit that the prophet can lie regarding what they brought. Regardless if he claims that there is benefit in that or not, he is a disbeliever by consensus of opinion, like the false philosophers, some of the esotericists, the Rafidites, the extreme of the sufis and the people who permit the prohibited (al-ibaaha). These people claim that the outer aspects of the divine law and most of the narratives that the Messengers came with about the affairs of the Hereafter, the Gathering, the Standing, Paradise, and the Fire are not as they are stated and understood from their expressions. They claim that the Messengers addressed people in such a manner that was best for their interests, since it was not possible to explain explicitly to them the reality of these things due to the limitations of their comprehension. Hidden in the implication of their words is an invalidation of the Divine Law, a rescinding of the legal commands and prohibitions, denying the Messengers and creating doubt regarding what they came with.”
Sidi Hamza, may Allah ta`ala forgive you and open the door of repentance to you! The statements you made accompanied with your actions indicate something that few of us want to conclude about you. There is no one who loves you and wants to continue to have a good opinion of you, except that he has not fallen into a quandary concerning you. People around the world are wrestling in their hearts and minds about your statements and the implications they confirm regarding your beliefs. I shudder to think that you transmitted these types of ideas in your Zaytuna Institute. It has to be that you said what you said out of taqiyya (dissimulation). If this was the case, you have applied dissimulation where the shari`a does not permit it. Nothing but doubt can occur in those who accept that the pleasures of Paradise are allegorical or as you said ‘metonymy in rhetoric’. If Paradise is as you claimed then it would be a denial of the veracity of the Prophets and Messengers, since they were ordered to deliver the Good News of the Hereafter clearly and not to conceal anything. Negation of concealment of the message is an obligation with regard the Messengers, even if that concealment was done under the veil of allegorical and symbolic language. This would also mean that the prohibitions and obligations are no longer valid because the Divine Incentive for doing things and avoiding things would be invalidated. How could you have taught the basic aqeeda of Imam al-Ash`ari, Imam at-Tahaawi and the fundamentals of the al-Akhdaari and allow contradictory doctrines to come out of your mouth? How many young men and woman, who cling to your every word, have been flung into the chasms of doubt and skepticism due to your statements? It is hard to believe that someone of your status does not know the dreadful implications of your statement. Again Qadi `Iyad said in his as-Shifa:
من أنكر شيئًا ممّا نصّ فيه القرآن، بعد علمه أنّه من القرآن الذّي في أيدي النّاس ومصاحف المسلمين، ولم يكن جاهلاً به، ولا قريب عهد بالإسلام، واحتجّ لإنكار إمّا بأنّه لم يصحّ النّقل عنده، ولا بلغه العلم به، أو لتجويزه الوهم على ناقليه، فنكفّره ...، لأنه مكذَب للقرآن ومكذّب للنّبيّ صلّى اللّه عليه وسلّم، لكنه تستّر بدعواه. وكذلك من أنكر الجنّة أو النّار أو البعث أو الحساب أو القيامة فهو كافر بإجماع للنّصّ عليه، وإجماع الأمّة صحّة نقله متواتراً، وكذلك من اعترف بذلك ولكنه قال إنّ المراد بالجنّة والنّار والحشر والنّشر والثّواب والعقاب معنى غير ظاهره، وإنّها لذّات روحانية ومعان باطنة، كقول النّصارى والفلاسفة والباطنية وبعض المتصوفة، وزعمهم أنّ معنى القيامة الموت أو فناء محض، وانتقاض هيئة الأفلاك، وتحليل العالم، كقول بعض الفلاسفة.
“Whoever denies anything which is narrated in the Qur’an, that is, the scriptures that are in the hands of the people, after knowing that it is in the Qur’an, and is not ignorant of it, nor is he a new Muslim, (nor is he in need of objection based upon an unsound narration that he received, nor has knowledge of it reached him, or he has illusions regarding its narration) – then we declare him as a disbeliever… because he denies the Qur’an and denies the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Even when he does so by a veiled allusion. Likewise, whoever denies the Paradise, the Fire, the Resurrection, the Reckoning or the Standing, then he is a disbeliever by the consensus of he narration about these things. The consensus of the Umma is agreed regarding the soundness of their transmission by many paths of transmission. Likewise, disbelief applies to the one who knows these issues, however he says that what is really meant by the Paradise, the Fire, the Gathering, the Resurrection, the Eternal Reward and the Eternal Punishment is a meaning which are not to be taken literally. They claim that these issues are only spiritual pleasures and concealed significances, like the ideas of the Christians, the philosophers, the esotericists, and some of the sufis. They claim that the real meaning of the Standing is death, passing away, the collapse of the form of the heavenly spheres, or the dissolution of the world, like the ideas of some of the philosophers.”
There is no confusion about the judgment of someone who says the above, or who alludes to something similar to it. So, what is the judgment regarding the statements you made, Sidi Hamza? The least that we can say, is that you must make repentance, and your repentance has to be open and public, like the open and public statements you said that distorted the beliefs of the Muslims. You are obligated to inform those unfortunate Muslims, who were led astray by your statements. If you do not, then your knowledge and everything that is the outcome of your work is mere enticement (al-istidraaj). There are thousands, if not millions of young Muslims, who really trust you and take your words as the gospel truth. For you to lead these young people by their noses until you plop them into, first, degrading their Islam to the arrogance of Anglo-American culture, and then, by utterly invalidating their beliefs and the foundation of the deen, speaks to the age that we are in. We are in the last times in which corruption gets the upper hand over righteousness, corrupt passions prevails over the truth and heretical innovation prevails over the sunna - except for those whom Allah ta`ala has singled out and they are few.
“This is the time about which we were warned
In the words of Ka`b and in the words of Ibn Mas`ud.
When this persist and no one speaks to rebuke
When no one will cry for the dead nor be happy about a new born.
In this age the truth has been rejected all together
While injustice and corruption in these times are not rejected.”
Sidi Hamza, all of us, have to be aware of the plot of Allah ta`ala in these days, because no one is free of gradual enticement (al-istidraaj). Shaykh Abdullahi Dan Fuduye’ said in his Madhkhal-Madhkhal:
إنّما يُستدرج العبد على قدر بُغيته فبعضهم بالملك والسلطان وطاعة النّاس له، ومنهم من استُدرج بالدُّنو من الملك والسلاطين، ومنهم من استُدرج بالتّوسًّع في تجارته أو بالأهل والولد أو بالتّبع ... والعالم بالعلم أن يّعظّم بسببه ويسمع قوله فهو مستدرج نائل حظّه بعلمه والعابد بعمله وذو البصيرة بزيادة بصيرته فلا يخلوا كلّهم من الرّياء والعجب ما اعطى حتّى يوخذ فيه
“The servant is gradually enticed based upon the extent of the object of his desire. For some of them are gradually enticed by kingdom, authority, and the obedience that people give them. Others are gradually enticed by being brought in proximity to rulers and those in authority. Others are gradually enticed by the enlargement in their business, or wives, children, or followers. The scholar is gradually enticed by his knowledge, especially when he becomes famous because of it and when others listen to his ideas. This is an enticement by which worldly portion is obtain through his knowledge, or by which the servant obtains it through his actions, or the person of piercing insight obtains it through the increase of his insight. Thus, all of them are not free of showing-off and being conceited in what they have obtained until they are eventually seized by means of it.”
Therefore, Sidi Hamza, you should not allow yourself to be deceived due to number of people who listen to you. You should not let the invitation to the White House and the House of Congress go to your head. When the MSA, ICNA and ISNA and other immigrant groups look up to you, you should not be comfortable and feel safe from the plot of Allah ta`ala. You should be grateful to Him and fulfill the trust that Allah ta`ala has honored you with. Fame, fortune, prestige is not always a sign of good and well-being from Allah ta`ala, as you know. It could mean the very opposite by which Allah ta`ala, in His wisdom, leads many unsuspecting people astray. I recall the lecture that Sidi Hatim Bazian made where he showed how the umma suffered the same kind of gradual enticement (istidraaj) at the hands of the modernist. He showed how the elite in the Arab and Indian societies, among the scholars and the notables, opened the door of European colonialism and imperialism. The reason for this is because the masses of the people looked up to these scholars and notables to guide them in the direction of good and well-being. Examine how these people opened the door of tribulation and humiliation due their capitulation to the disbelievers. They opened a door of tribulation, which has not been closed for the past 5 centuries. And it does not look like it will be closed again until the appearance of our Imam al-Mahdi.
Now military jihad is condemned and altered by those who profess to be scholars. They even neglect the jihad of speaking the truth in the face of tyrants. These times are a time of grief and despondency, when you look back with yearning for the People of Allah, whom we have lost. Men like Waziri Junaydu, Shaykh Muhammad al-Bukhari, Shaykh Muhammad al-Faatih, Shaykh Gharibullah and my beloved father of meaning Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin, may Allah ta`ala bless us with the baraka. They were men of fortitude who showed no humiliation in the face of tyranny and injustice. Sidi Hamza, when worldly promises are discarded and neglected, this is expected because the promises of this world’s life are empty. But when the promises of revival and religious reform prove to be empty, there is nothing left for us except disillusionment and quiet weeping. We weep when we remember the character of the noble ones, those courageous ones who taught us with their states and silence. Weep Sidi Hamza, because weeping in these times of hypocrisy and collaboration is an obligation. Weep as Shaykh Ahmad Bamba wept for those whom the whales and creatures of the sea also weep.
حُقَّ اَلْبُكَآءُ عَلَى سَــادَاتٍ أَمْـوَاتِ * تَبْــكِي الأَرْضِ عَلَيْهِمْ كَالسَّمَوَاتِ
أَبْكِي عَلَيْهِمْ وَاَرْجُو فِي البُكَآءِ غَدًّا * رِضْوَانَ مَن فِيهِ غَــــابُوا بِالْحَلاَوَاتِ
يَالَهْفَ نَفْسِي عَلَى فَـقْدِ الاَكَابِرِ مَنْ * غَـابُواْ لِــرَبٍّ دَعَـــاهُمْ لِلْعُـلُــوَّاتِ
تَبْكِـي اللَّيَالِــي عَلَيْهِمْ وَالشُّهُورُ مَعًا * مِـثْـلَ اَلْـعَشِىِّ بِوَجْــدٍ وَالْــغُـدُوَّاتِ
كَانُواْ عِبَــادًا بِطَـاعَـاتٍ لِرَبِّهِم * وَكَانَ جَـلَّ لَهُمُ رَبًّــا بِمِنَّـــــاتِ
كَـانُواْ يَعُدُّونَ تَرْكَ الْوِرْدِ مَعَ شِبَعٍ * مِنَ الْحَلاَلِ مِنْ اَسْبَـابِ الْمُصِيبَـاتِ
كَانُواْ إِذَا الَّيْلُ اَرْخَى السِّتْرَ ذَا حَلَكٍ * قَامُواْ سِرَاعًا لِإِحْيَاءِ الدُّجُــنَــاتِ
بَاعُواْ فُضُلاً بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ خَــالِقِهِـمْ * فَالْنَّوْمَ فِي الَّيْلِ بَاعُواْ بِالْمُنَاجَــاتِ
تَجْفُواْ الْمَضَـاجِعَ فِي لَيْلٍ جُنُـوبُهُمُ * نَاسِيـنَ سَلْمَى وَلَيْلَى بِالْبُشَارَاتِ
فَحَيْـثُمَا بَرَزَتْ لَيْلَى بِـبَهْجَــتِهَا * عَـنْهَا تَـوَلَـوْا إِلَى الْمَــوْلَـى بِطَاعَاتِ
يَنْسَوْنَ لَيْـلَى وَسُعْدَى فِي قِيَــامِهِمُ * مُـسْـتَـأْنِـسِيــتنَ بِأَذْكَـارٍ وَ أَيَاتِ
حَدِيــثُهُمْ ذِكْرُ مُغْنٍ نَـافِعٍ صَمَدٍ * لاَ ذِكْرِ هِنْــدٍ وَلُبْـنَـى فِــي اَلْمَقَـالاَتِ
قَـوْمٌ بِأَسْـلِحَةٍ أَعْـدَاءَهُمْ قَهَـرُواْ * حَتَّى عَلَـوْا بِالْمَزَايَــا وَالْكَـرَامَـــاتِ
Weeping is necessary for the death of the spiritual masters.
The earth likewise the heavens weep over them
I weep over them and hope in weeping that tomorrow
To gain the pleasure of the One who caused them to vanish in Divine grace
I pity myself over the lost of these notables who
Became extinct for the sake of the Lord who invited them to the highest abodes.
The nights along with the months weep over them
Like the evenings and the early mornings do so with passion.
They were servants by their obedience to their Lord
As a result, the Lord enveloped them in divine favors
They considered neglecting the wird along with being sedated
With lawful food among the causative factors of afflictions.
When the night had lowered its veil of intense darkness, they used to
Stand quickly in order to give life to the gloomy darkness.
They sold worldly favors for the remembrance of Allah, their Creator
And sleep during the nights they traded it for divine intimate conversation
Their sides eschewed the beds during the nights
Forgetting about Salma and Layla in exchange for divine interchange.
For wherever Layla appeared with her beauties
They turned away towards their Lord with acts of obedience.
They forgot about Layla and Su`daa during their standing in prayer
Preoccupied in intimate discourse with remembrance and Quranic verses.
Their talk was remembrance of the Independent, the Beneficiary the Eternal
Not the remembrance of Hind and Lubna punctured their conversations.
They were a people who vanquished their enemies with weapons
Until they excelled in all acts of virtue and miraculous nobility.
With the ending of the poem of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba, I end my open letter to you Sidi Hamza, hoping by it that you, I, and all who read it, may repent with a repentance that moves our Generous Lord to accept us. If, this is above you Sidi, then I will repent not just for my own sins, which are numerous as the sands. I will repent for you and for all those who follow you into this abyss of the enticements of collaboration and friendship with the enemies of Allah and the Muslims.
O Allah glory be to You, we are indeed among the unjust. O Allah we ask you by the right of Muhammad forgive us our sins and accept our repentance. O Allah forgive and protect the poor Muslims of Afghanistan. Accept them, for the world has turned its back on them and they have no protection except You. O Allah forgive the lion cub Usama Bin Laden and his young champions. Make them and all the mujahideen in this age among those who repent and count them among the Shuhada.. Clear them of the plots of the criminals and terrorists who hate Your religion. O Allah confound Your enemies and tear their foundations and branch to pieces by the rank of all those who truly repent to You. O Allah bless our master Muhammad, his family, Companions, wives and descendents to the number of every known thing. We seek forgiveness from You, whom there is no deity except You, the Living the Self-Subsistent and it is to You that we repent.
Still your friend and brother
الأمير محمّد شريف بن فريد
Amir Muhammad Shareef
Rajab, 22, 1422 (October 9, 2001)
Lately, it is the corrupt house of Musharaf standing on its last legs, threatened first by our brave sisters from Jamia Hafsa and then the highest legal authority of the country followed by a wave of protests demanding his removal. It seems Musharaf turned to his fellow American poodle from al-Saud, who happily sent his concubine - none other than the Imam of Ka'aba to the rescue. I have managed to read and watch his khutbahs delivered in Pakistan which clearly show his public endorsement of Musharaf's 'enlightened moderation' and implicitly asking people of Pakistan to unite behind the Tawagheet. It also seems a bit pathetic and sickening seeing someone of his repute making Du'a to Allah (swt) whilst surrounded by the most corrupt evil-doers, when instead of forbidding the Munkar.. he enjoined it. He can be seen, also reported widely to have praised the corrupt president, prime minister, entertained nationalistic slogans and didn't miss the opportunity to thank his King (Abdullah) for allowing this visit (may Allah forgive his sins).
ISLAMABAD: Imam-e-Kaaba Shaikh Abdur Rehman al-Sudais has ardently appealed to the Lal Masjid administration to give up the path it has adopted for the past few months or the enemy would benefit from anarchy and chaos.
Lately, it is the corrupt house of Musharaf standing on its last legs, threatened first by our brave sisters from Jamia Hafsa and then the highest legal authority of the country followed by a wave of protests demanding his removal. It seems Musharaf turned to his fellow American poodle from al-Saud, who happily sent his concubine - none other than the Imam of Ka'aba to the rescue. I have managed to read and watch his khutbahs delivered in Pakistan which clearly show his public endorsement of Musharaf's 'enlightened moderation' and implicitly asking people of Pakistan to unite behind the Tawagheet. It also seems a bit pathetic and sickening seeing someone of his repute making Du'a to Allah (swt) whilst surrounded by the most corrupt evil-doers, when instead of forbidding the Munkar.. he enjoined it. He can be seen, also reported widely to have praised the corrupt president, prime minister, entertained nationalistic slogans and didn't miss the opportunity to thank his King (Abdullah) for allowing this visit (may Allah forgive his sins).
ISLAMABAD: Imam-e-Kaaba Shaikh Abdur Rehman al-Sudais has ardently appealed to the Lal Masjid administration to give up the path it has adopted for the past few months or the enemy would benefit from anarchy and chaos.
