The founder of the modernist Hizbut-Tahrir, like the 'Mutazilah before, also denied 'aqeedah in the Punishment of the Grave-explaining his position by saying:
"Indeed, from them (the aahaad ahaadeeth) are those
which require and action, so it is acted upon. So from Abu Hurayrah who said:The Mesenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) said: "When any of you finishes the last tashahhud,he should seek refuge with Allaah from the four things:from the punishment of the Hellfire,from the punishment of the Grave,from the trials of life and death from the evil trials of the Dajjal" And from 'Aishah:from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) , that he used to make supplication in the prayer: "O Allaah!I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the Grave,I seek refuge in You from the trials of the Maseehud-Dajjal, I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death.O Allaah! I seek refuge in You from debt and sin" So these two ahadeeth are 'aahaad narrations and they contain the requirement of an action, to carry out this supplication after finishing the 'tashahhud'. So it is recommended to make this supplication after finishing 'tashahhud and it is permissible to make 'tasdeeq (attestation) of what is contained in them. However,"what is 'haraam (forbidden)' is to hold it with certainty-meaning: to have it as part of ones 'aqeedah - as long as it only been reported in the aahaad hadeeth, a dhannee (non-mutawaatir) proof. However, if it occurs in 'mutawaatir form, then it is obligatory to make it part of one 'aqeedah" (34) .
This saying contains a number of shortcomings:
1) Differentiating between the 'aahaad and 'mutawaatir' ahadeeth in matters of aqeedah is an innovation of the 'Qadariyyah' and the 'Mutazilah' as has alredy been explained.
2) Making 'tasdeeq' of the Punishment in the Grave,
whilst forbidding a person to have 'aqeedah'(belief) in it,is a contradiction in terms.Since-as has preceded in the words of al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr- tasdeeq' is attesting the truth of something in the heart, which is the same as 'aqeedah' and which thereby necessitates 'eemaan'. However, differentiating between 'tasdeeq' and 'aqeedah' is innovated speech; opposing the way of our 'Salaf'. Unfortunately, the likes of this innovation has been clearly stated by the present leader of 'Hizbut-Tahrir in Britain, when he said: "We trust it;and I encourage all of you 'an tasaddiqoo bi 'adhaabil-Qabr(to have 'tasdeeq in the Punishment of the Grave). I encourage all of you 'antasaddiqoo bi awdatil-Mahdee(to have 'tasdeeq' in the coming of the Mahdee). I encourage you for that."But whoever believes in that, he is sinful" (35)
3) How is it possible to affirm Punishment of the Grave with the tongue, whilst forbid 'aqeedah'(belief) of it in the heart is this not but 'nifaaq' (hypoccrisy)?! Rather, eemaan in the Punishment of the Grave necessitates as a foundation -'aqeedah in the heart!! May Allaah have mercy upon Imaam Ahmad when he said:"You should beware of speaking about an issue in which you are not preceded by a scholar" (36)
4) Along with all this it must be remembered that: "It is not permissible to invent an interpretation about an 'Aayah, or about a Sunnah,which was not there in the time of 'Salaf'; nor did they have any knowledge about it; nor explain it to the Ummah. Since this would imply that the ' Salaf' were ignorant of the truth in this matter and failed to reach it, whereas the late coming opponent is somehow guided to the truth!"(37)
Imaam al-Awzaee(d.157H) (rh)-said:
"Hold fast to the narrations of the 'Salaf', even if people were to abandon you.Beware of the opinions of the people,no matter how much they beautify it with their speech"(38)
Abu Haneefah(d.159H) (rh) -said:
"Stick to the 'athar'(narration) and the way of the 'Salaf' and beware of newly invented matters, for all of it is innovation"(39)
So denying 'aqeedah' in the Punishment of the Grave,declaring this to be somwthing sinful and forbidden, declaring also that it is not matter which will definitely occur, but it is a matter which may possibley occur-is speech in oppostion to that of the Salafus-Saalih -the like of which was previously uttered by only the 'Khawaarijj and a group from the 'Mutazilah' and there is no doubt in its being a deviation from the straight path.
Likewise,outwardly affirming 'tasdeeq' and [apparently] affirming emaan in the punishment of the Grave, whilst denying 'aqeedah' in it, is a contradiction in terms-since tasdeeq, eemaan and aqeedah in the opinion of the Salaf, all imply certainty and being definite-even if modernists dislike this!
Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) (rh) said:
"Punishment of the Grave is a true fact;and no one denies it except who is misguided and misguiding others" (40)
An-Naasiree(d.652H) said in 'An-Noorul-Laami (no.110):
"We have "eemaan' in the Punishment in the grave and its bliss....this is the madhab of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaah.So it is obligatory to have 'aqeedah' in this.
An-Nawawee(d.676H) said in Sharh Saheeh Muslim(5/85):
"This chapter shows the excellence of seeking refuge-between the tashahhudd and the tasleem -from these (four) matters; and in it is an affirmation of the punishment of the Grave, and it is the position of the people of the truth-as opposed to the Mutazilah"
Imaam al-Qurtubee(d.671H) (rh) said:
"To have eemaan in the Punishment in the Grave and its trials is obligatory, due to what the most truthful(the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) ) has mentioned. This is the belief of 'Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaah"(41)
References
(34) Ad-Dawsiyyah (p.6) of Taqeedu-Deen an-Nabahaanee-the founder of Hizbut-Tahrir-may Allaah forgive him.
(35) From an available taped lecture entitled:'Punishment of the Grave(Regents Park Mosque,2nd May 1992 CE] by Omar Bakri Muhammad.
(36) Quoted by Ibn al-Qayyimin A'laamul-Muqieen (4/266)
(37) As-Saarimul-Munkee (p.247) of al-Haafidh Ibn 'Abdul-Haadee.
(38) Related by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadee in his excellent book Sharafu Ashaabul-Hadeeth (p.7)
(39) Related by as-Suyootee in Sawnul-Mantaq wal-Kalaam (p.32)
(40) Tabaqqatul-Hanaabilah (1/174) of Ibn Abee Yalaa.
(41) At-Tadhkirah bi Ahwaalil-Mawtee wa Ahwaalil-Aakhirah (p.137) of Imaam al-Qurtubee (d.671H)