[N1bNXuDb]

Assalamualaikum

I would like to know whether the following quotes from the Mujaddid portray and accurate picture of his view on Bidah. If they are out of context, can any knowledgable brothers/sisters who have access to his maktoobat, post an alternate view of his on Bidah.


Hadrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Thaani (R.A.) said”

Quote:
“MAY ALLAH TAALA GRANT THE ULAMA OF THE TIME THE TAUFEEQ OF NOT HAVING THE AUDACITY TO DESCRIBE ANY BID’AH AS BEING HASAN (BEAUTIFUL) EVEN IF THE BID’AH IN THEIR SIGHT APPEARS TO BE LIKE THE GLITTERING RAYS OF MORNING LIGHT BECAUSE IN ANYHING OTHER THAN THE SUNNAH, THE DECEPTION OF SHAITAAN PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE.”

[Maktoob 23, Daftar 11]


Imam Rabbani-Mujatadi Alf-e-Thaani (R.A.) writes:

“This Faqeer pleads in humility, sincerity and earnest to Allah Taala in open and secret that which has been newly introduced into Deen and those bid’ats which have been cooked up and that which was not prevalent in the time of Rasulullah (S.A.W.) and the Kulafaah-e-Rashideen (R.A.) even if be the likeness the whiteness of the brightness of the morning – Allah Taala does not catch this Faqeer and those who are connected to him in those new invented things – And does not make us crazy (dazzle) on its beauty (eternal) by the Barakaah of Rasulullah (S.A.W.).

(Daftar 1, Maktoob 186)

Hadrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Thaani (R.A.) said:

“The fortunate and highly successful one is the man who in this forlorn stage of Islam revives a Sunnah from among the shunned Sunnahs and wards off a bid’at from among the bid’ah in vogue…. The signs of Qiyaamah have cast their dazzle. The Sunnah because of its distance (in time) from the age of Nabi (S.A.W.) has become hidden. As a result of falsehood, bid’ah has manifested itself. The time therefore, calls for such a valiant warrior who will aid the Sunnah and vanquish bid’ah.”

[Maktoob 23, Daftar 11]


Imam Rabbaani (R.A.) said:

“In the past, Islam was powerful and it could carry the darkness of bid’ah. It is, therefore, quite possible that engulfed by Noor of Islam (i.e. past Islam), the darkness of some innovated practices was lit up and appeared to dazzle (with reflected glitter), hence such practices were described as hasanah and noor. But in the prevalent times, Islam is weak and does not posses the strength to bear the darkness of bid’ah.”

[Maktoob 23, Daftar 11]


Hadrat Mujaddid Ali Thanvi (R.A.) says"

“As long as man does not abstain from such ‘bid’ah hasanah’ which is in reality ‘bid’ah sayyiah’ evil innovation, he will be deprived of fragrance of this wealth of Imaan. Today, the comprehension of the tenth has become most difficult because the entire world is drowning in the ocean of bid’ah. People are reclining and taking comfort in the darkness of bid’ah practices. Who today has the ability to eliminate bid’ah and revive Sunnah? The majority of the Ulama of this age (i.e. the age in which Hadrat Mujaddid lived 4 centuries ago) are engaged in establishing bid’at and eliminating Sunnah….”

[Maktoob 54, Daftar 11, addressed to Sayyid Shah Muhammad]

" Gatherings of Meelaad as-Shareef with the recitation of Holy Quraan with good (melodious) voice and Naats and Qasidaas are recited for Huzoor Sallallaho alayhi wa sallam then what is the hesitation ? "

[Ahmed Sirhindi, Maktobaat, Volume 1, First Chapter, Maktoob number 42, page 154]

Syed Abul Hasan Nadwi's writes in his 'saviours of the spirit':

When he was asked whether there was any objection to such gatherings (Milad) if they were not attended by any ritual against the approved religious practices, he answered:

''This poorling is of the opinion that unless this practice is completely given up, the interested persons would not cease taking advantage of it. If the practise is declared lawful, it would gradually lead to finding justification for other innovations also. Even a small mistake becomes a prelude to grave errors.''

Maktubat Vol. III No 72 to Khwaja Hosam-ud-Din

And a long quote:

'The happiest, the most fortunate person is he who recovers one of the forgotten sunnats and annihilates one of the widespread bid'ats in a time when irreligiousness is on the increase. We are now in such a time when a thousand years have elapsed after the Best of man kind [Hadhrat Muhammad], As we get farther from the time of happiness of our Prophet, the sunnats are gradually being covered and, lies being on the increase, the bid'ats are spreading. A hero is needed who will uphold the sunnats and stop, expel the bid'ats. To spread bid'ats is to demolish Islam. To respect those who make up and commit bid'ats, to deem them great will cause Islam to perish. It is declared in a hadith, "He who says 'great' about those who commit bid'ats has helped the demolition of islam". The meaning of this should be given die consideration on. Utmost energy should be spent in striving for uncovering one Sunnat and annihilating one bid'at. For strengthening Islam any-time, especially when Islam has become so weak, it is necessary to spread the sunnats and demolish the bid'ats. The former Islamic savants, having seen maybe some beauty in the bid'ats, gave some of them the name of hasana [beautiful]. But this faqir [Imaam-Rabbini means himself] do not follow them in this respect; I do not regard any of the bid'ats as beautiful. I see all of them as dark and cloudy. Our Prophet declared: "All bid'ats are aberration, deviation from the right way". In such a time as this when Islam has become weak, I see that salvation and escaping Hell is in holding fast to the Sunnat; and destruction of the din is, no matter how, in falling for any bid'at. I understand that each bid'at is like a pickaxe to demolish the building of Islam and all sunnats are like brilliant stars to guide you on a dark night.

May Allahu ta'ala give enough reasonableness to the hodjas of our time so that they will not say that any bid'at is beautiful or permit any bid'at to be committed. They should not tolerate bid'ats even if they seem to illuminate darknesses like the rising of the sun! For, the satans do their work easily outside the sunnats. In the early times, Islam being strong, the darknesses of bid'ats were not conspicuous, but, maybe, along with the world-wide powerful light of Islam, some of those darknesses passed as bright. Therefore they were said to be beautiful. Whereas, those bid'ats did not have any brightness or beauty, either. But now, Islam having become weak and disbelievers' customs and even the symptoms of disbelief having become settled [as fashion] among Muslims, each bid'at has displayed its harm, and Islam, without anyone noticing it, has been slipping away. Our hodjas should be most vigilant in this respect, and they should not pioneer the spreading of bid'ats by saying, "it is permissible to do so and so", or "such and such things is not harmful", and putting forward the old fatwas. Here is the place for the saying, 'The din will change in process of time". It is wrong for disbelievers to use this saying as tongs for demolishing Islam and settling the bid'ats and disbelief. The bid'ats having covered all the world, this age roosts like a dark night. The sunnats being on the decrease, their lights blink like fire-flies flying here and there in dark night. As the committing of bid'ats increases, the darkness of the night has been increasing and the light of Sunnat has been decreasing. But the increasing of the sunnats would decrease the darkness and increase the light. He who wishes may increase the darkness of bid'at, thus strengthening the devil's army! And he who wishes may increase the light of Sunnat, thus strengthening the soldiers of Allahu ta'ala! Know well that the end of the devil's army is calamity, loss. He who is in the army of Allahu ta'ala will attain endless bliss."

Mujaddid is quoted as saying:

“I vehemently prohibit the practice of Moulood because it is contrary to our Path (Shariah). I prohibit whatever is in opposition to our Path, whether the contrary [b]act be simaa’, riqs (Spiritual dance and music), poetry, music, and Moulood practices.”

(If anybody knows the reference to the last two quotes please could you state it ).

[adolfadsermens]

i just read saviours of islamic spirit and also came across Mujadid Alf e thaani being against bidah Hasana......but i have to read that section a second time

[Ekrbcbvh]

I am also currently reading the 3rd volume of 'Saviours of Islamic Spirit' on Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (Rahimahullah). I can confirm that there's a section in the book titled 'Rejection of Bid'ah e Hasanah' and also that he was against the Mawlid celebrations (the quote is the same as in the original post by SeekerofGuidance).

InshaAllah, if I get time I will try to post some other quotes from the book (if any) which clarify his position further.

Wassalam

[BeaseHoca]

Salaam

Maulana Manzur Nu'mani, who was a renowned Deobandi scholar and had done in-dpeth study of the works of Hadhrat Shah Waliullah and Imam Sirhindi, stated in his monumenterous work, Mu'afriul-Hadith, that theres no such thing as Bid'ah al-Hasanah and said that Hadhrat Imam Mujaddid Alf Thani al-Sirhindi has also stated the same, a number of times, in his Maktubat (as have been quoted by u). Hence, many Deobandi scholars (like Maulana Nu'mani and Mufti Taqi Usmani, etc) also dont agree with the concept of Bid'at al-hasanah. Wallahu A'lam.

Wassalaam

[zU8KbeIU]

for the excellent read. Just one point. Can someone clarify in clear terms, in terms of theology, the meaning of Bid'a.

I was always under the understanding that bid'a means that to introduce something new into Islam and then take that as an essential part of Islam, and to think without that new action, Islam would be incomplete.

So,if someone were to participate in mawlid for the blessings etc then it would be fine but to take Mawlid as an essential part of Islam, and to think of someone who does not take part in Mawlid as not being on complete Islam, then that would be classed as Bid'a.

But let me get this straight. If somethign was not done in the time of the Prophet(s.a.w) but was done in the time of any of the 4 Khulafa e rashideen, then this is not a bid'a,as they were rightly guided, and it seems hadhrat has the same view,no?

But reading the quotes, it seems that Hadhrat thought anything new was a bid'a regardless.

Im here to learn and will appreciate the input of the knowledgable people here.

[KernJetenue]

Assalaamu Alaikum

I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to Alf-e-Thaani but what I can say is that certain scholars do not accept the concept of bidah hasanat, but instead they do not even call it as a bidah. Meaning what one might call a bidah hasanat, another might not call bidah at all. So it doesn't necessarily mean that a certain scholar is against the practices, but that he chooses to use another termanology.

[Zarekylin75]

Assalaamu Alaikum

I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to Alf-e-Thaani but what I can say is that certain scholars do not accept the concept of bidah hasanat, but instead they do not even call it as a bidah. Meaning what one might call a bidah hasanat, another might not call bidah at all. So it doesn't necessarily mean that a certain scholar is against the practices, but that he chooses to use another termanology.

Yeah, these scholars call these practises Sunnah Hasanah, I think.

[drgshmcm]

salamu `alaykum

Hakim al-Ummat has a good, yet concise, verdict on this in his Imdad al-Fatawa, and the crux is what Sidi Baqir stated that it is a difference in terminology.

In essence, something can only be called a bida` hasanat if it has some basis in the methodology of Sunni jurisprudence.

Wasalam
Salman

[zttrftwsq]

I asked shaykh naeem abdul wali about this topic.
(his site http://www.naeemabdulwali.com/)

He said the discussion is academic and complex and not like what is necessarily presented.
Very few people realise what the shaykh was referring to, and also the shaykh is not the tariqa, many men of tareeq in between who explain what his words signified.

He's a nice shaykh , studied the naqshi tareeq in Turkey under the Effendis.
And he loves shaykh ahmad sirhind, and has translated many of his letters

[BeaseHoca]

salamu `alaykum

Hakim al-Ummat has a good, yet concise, verdict on this in his Imdad al-Fatawa, and the crux is what Sidi Baqir stated that it is a difference in terminology.

In essence, something can only be called a bida` hasanat if it has some basis in the methodology of Sunni jurisprudence.

Wasalam
Salman

Well, yes, Maulana Manzur Nu'mani was also saying the same that Imam Sirhindi, etc make use a bit diff terminologies--I forgot to state that above.

Jazakallah n sorry


Wassalaam

[Haibundadam]

Yeah, these scholars call these practises Sunnah Hasanah, I think.

What is the definition of "sunnah hasanah" and who coined this term please?

[N1bNXuDb]

I am also currently reading the 3rd volume of 'Saviours of Islamic Spirit' on Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (Rahimahullah). I can confirm that there's a section in the book titled 'Rejection of Bid'ah e Hasanah' and also that he was against the Mawlid celebrations (the quote is the same as in the original post by SeekerofGuidance).

InshaAllah, if I get time I will try to post some other quotes from the book (if any) which clarify his position further.

Wassalam

That would be much appreciated

[Sleflanna]

Salam
I am baffled as to why some ulema say that there is no such thing as 'bida hasanah' when they are part of tariqah's, have people take bayah with them, hand out awrad, none of which were practised in this exact same form at the time of the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace).

The argument in reply to this that: 'No these acts have a basis in the shariah and are jaiz' is exactly what the proponents of the concept of 'bida hasanah' are arguing anyway. They just define it as bidah hasanah, whilst you may refer to it as sunnah.

It should be noted that Imam al-Sirhindi (Allah be pleased with him) instructed students with the dhikr known as the 'lataif', and 'nafi wa ithbat' (as far as I am aware). None of which is related in hadith to have been practised by the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) in this specific manner. Then there is the mention of fana and baqa and other detailed spiritual states, none of which have been mentioned in the sunnah in the exact same way as in the Maktubat.

The point is, when people say there is no bida hasanah, and use as a standard argument: 'Did the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) or the Sahabah practise this? When at the same time they quote scholars like Imam al-Sirhindi, and maybe are members of tariqah themselves raises more questions than it answers. Not least the incongruity of their reasoning and proof.

Wassalam

[drgshmcm]

Salam

I am baffled as to why some ulema say that there is no such thing as 'bida hasanah' when they are part of tariqah's, have people take bayah with them, hand out awrad, none of which were practised in this exact same form in the time of the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace).

The argument in reply that: 'No these acts have a basis in the shariah and are jaiz' is exactly what the proponents of the concept of 'bida hasanah' are arguing anyway. They just define it as bidah hasanah, whilst you may refer to it as sunnah.

It should be noted that Imam al-Sirhindi (Allah be pleased with him) instructed students with the dhikr known as the 'lataif', and 'nafi wa ithbat' (as far as I am aware). None of which is related in hadith to have been practised by the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace). Then there is the mention of fana and baqa and other detailed spiritual states, none of which have been mentioned specifically in hadith. The name of Shah Walilullah has also been mentioned in support, whilst omitting to mention that he celebrated the mawlid.

The point is, when people say there is no bida hasanah, and use as a standard argument: 'Did the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) practise this?
When at the same time they are quote scholars like Imam al-Sirhindi and maybe are members of tariqah themselves raises more questions than it answers. Not least the incongruity of their reasoning and proof.

Wassalam

salamu `alaykum

Your point is well taken and it is exactly the bafflement people experience when they hear objections that "the prophet did not do it...", especially when it comes from those on the spiritual path.

Yet, as Mawlana Thanawi states, it is merely a khilaf lafdhi, and in essence, whatever is established from the sunnah - explicitly or implicitly - is sound and accepted. We are not like the Literalists who reject that the texts have levels of isharat, ibarat, dalalat, and so forth.

But this has become a catch phrase for people who want to label others as innovators, unfortunately, and those who are bent on rejecting sound positions of scholars who they do not agree with.

Wasalam
Salman

[Ekrbcbvh]

bro SeekerofGuidance,

After the above two posts, is there any benefit in my posting Mujaddid Alf Thani's other quotes on the topic?

For me, the name 'Bid'ah e Hasanah' doesn't strike the right chords... if a practice wasn't done by the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alayhi wassalam) or his companions or the early generations of Muslims AND it is done without making it a part of the religion i.e. Sunnah, Wajib, Fardh etc. etc. then it is fine provided the practice itself is not against the laws of Shari'ah.

That is what I have always learned about the concept of Bid'ah. In this way, you are not labelling every new thing as 'Bid'ah' but aren't accepting every new thing either. This, to me, is the middle path.

Now, if you want to call the above 'Bid'ah e Hasanah' then go ahead, but I would just call it permissible and virtuous in itself provided it's not regarded as part of the religion. Especially considering that the word 'Bid'ah' is used in a negative sense in more than one Ahadith (if I am correct).

Wassalam

[boiffrona]

bro SeekerofGuidance,

After the above two posts, is there any benefit in my posting Mujaddid Alf Thani's other quotes on the topic?

For me, the name 'Bid'ah e Hasanah' doesn't strike the right chords... if a practice wasn't done by the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alayhi wassalam) or his companions or the early generations of Muslims AND it is done without making it a part of the religion i.e. Sunnah, Wajib, Fardh etc. etc. then it is fine provided the practice itself is not against the laws of Shari'ah.

That is what I have always learned about the concept of Bid'ah. In this way, you are not labelling every new thing as 'Bid'ah' but aren't accepting every new thing either. This, to me, is the middle path.

Now, if you want to call the above 'Bid'ah e Hasanah' then go ahead, but I would just call it permissible and virtuous in itself provided it's not regarded as part of the religion. Especially considering that the word 'Bid'ah' is used in a negative sense in more than one Ahadith (if I am correct).

Wassalam

JazakAllah for claifying the issue.
What you say is completely correct.

Others stress on the literal liguistic meaning of the word bidah, whereas our scholars are talking about the figurative fiqhi meaning and conotation of bidah.

[N1bNXuDb]

bro SeekerofGuidance,

After the above two posts, is there any benefit in my posting Mujaddid Alf Thani's other quotes on the topic?

Wassalam

Yes there's always benefit in quoting Mujaddid's view on a particular matter. Where can I get that book from which you referred to?

[Ekrbcbvh]

Yes there's always benefit in quoting Mujaddid's view on a particular matter. Where can I get that book from which you referred to?

Ok InshaAllah I will do it.

As for the book, I got it from Pakistan 4 years ago. It was the version in the following link:

http://www.albalagh.net/bookstore/?a...view&item=0261

However, as you can see, it is out of stock. I heard White Thread Press are coming out with a new edition of the whole book.

http://www.whitethreadpress.com/forthcoming_titles.htm

You might have to wait for this one unless you can get the older version shown in the first link.

Wassalam

[adolfadsermens]

I bought the book from http://www.madania.org/english/index.php a month ago

[N1bNXuDb]

Are there any other scholars who are unanimously accepted by the Ummah (leaving out the Salafis), who have made similarly harsh statements against bidah hasanah?