The Naqshabandis |
The Naqshabandi Tariqah Unveiled |
Author: Al-Hidaayah, Colombo Sri Lanka |
Article ID : GSC090001 |
Verily all Praise is for Allaah, we praise Him, seek His aid and
ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves
and the evil of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides then there is none
who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allaah misguides then there is none
who can guide him. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allaah alone, having no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad
(sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) is His slave and Messenger. May the peace
and blessings of Allaah be on the final Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam), his family, his companions and all those who follow in their
footsteps until the last day. To proceed:This little booklet is a modest attempt to analyse and expose the teachings
and practices of the Tariqat ul Naqshbandi in the light of the Glorious
Qur’aan and Sunnah, and is done purely in fulfilling our obligation to
enjoin the right and forbid the evil. Over the years many deviant movements
have arisen in the Muslim world bent on corrupting the teachings of Islaam
and thereby mislead the Muslims. One of the most dangerous of the contemporary
movements is the group known as the Naqshbandi Tariqat.
Like most deviant groups, they claim that the Muslim masses are ignorant
and are therefore in need of a Sheikh (leader) who is supposed to possess
the secret knowledge of the unseen. They also claim that all religious
texts have an obvious outer meaning known to the masses and a hidden meaning
known only to the Sheikh, and that the masses are unable to contact Allaah
on their own and hence are in need of a intermediary (Sheikh) who will
get them close to Allaah if given unquestionable and unconditional obedience.
The greatest danger of this group lies in the fact that they, while
wearing the cloak of Islaam, are striving to destroy it from within, in
a vain attempt to extinguish the light of Islaam and divert the Muslims
from the reality of the religion.
Realizing the grave threat posed by this group, we have undertaken the
task of exposing the falsity of this group, seeking only the pleasure of
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa), we hope that the absurdities, fallacies,
and the extremely deviant nature of this group would be clearly exposed
to those trapped in its clutches and as a timely warning to those contemplating
to join them.
The simple method we have adopted in exposing the group’s deviant beliefs
is to quote what Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan and
what His truthful Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) has
said in the authentic Ahadith, and then to quote the group’s beliefs or
position vis-a-vis the same issue, taken from their own publications printed
by ‘Arafat Publishing House’, and where necessary commented upon.
In all firmness to this group we have given the names of the books,
along with the page number from where we have taken these quotes. Reference
to the Qur’aanic Aayaat and authentic Ahadith too have been provided.
Due to lack of space we are compelled to deal with only some of the
serious issues of the group’s beliefs and teachings which are directly
in conflict with the pure Islaamic teachings as revealed in the Glorious
Qur’aan and authentic Sunnah.
This booklet is by no means a complete exposition of the entirety of
this group’s deviant beliefs and teachings and all Qur’aanic Aayaat quoted
are only translations of the meanings of the Qur’aan.
We pray this little booklet serves to remove the confusion and ignorance
that the people are suffering from regarding this important issue and that
it will save all those sincere seekers of truth from falling in to Shirk.
1. THE ISLAAMIC BELIEF:
Allaah is the Only Truth
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan -
"That is because Allaah - He is the Truth and it is He who gives
life to dead." (Qur’aan, Chapter 22, Verse 6)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Aba
Yazid al-Bistami is the Truth
On page 15 of the book ‘The Naqshbandi Way’ it reads -
"Whoever recites this Ayah even a single time will attain a high
rank and a great position, … he will get what the Prophets and saints
could not get, and will arrive at the stage of Aba Yazid al-Bistami,
the Imam of the order who said: "I am the Truth (al-Haqq)."
The above statement ‘I am the Truth’ - is a clear example of Shirk (association)
in the aspect of the Names and Attributes of Allaah, since Al-Haqq in the
definite form, is one of Allaah’s unique attributes and is not shared by
any created being or thing unless preceded by the prefix `Abd meaning "Slave
of" or "Servant of". (In fact the Mystic al-Hallaaj was
publicly executed as an apostate for daring to openly claim divinity in
his infamous pronouncement "Anal-Haqq"- I am the Truth.)
2. THE
ISLAAMIC BELIEF: None shares with
the command of AllaahAllaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan -
"Verily, His (Allaah’s) command, when He intends a thing, is only
that he says to it, "Be! And it is!" - (Chapter 36, Verse 82);
and in another place in the Qur’aan, Allaah says =
"They have no protector other than Him (Allaah); nor does He
share His command with any person whatsoever." - (18:26)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
shares with the command of Allaah
On page 33 of the book ‘Mercy Oceans - Part 1’, it reads "The
Power of the wali is such
that he only needs to say Kun (be) and that will be."
The above is another example of Shirk (association) in the aspect of
the Lordship of Allaah, since the Islaamic principle of the Lordship of
Allaah states that no created being can share in God’s attributes and infinite
qualities, and any attempt to give the Divine attributes to creation is
referred to as Shirk (association), the antithesis of Tawheed (singling
out Allaah alone for worship).
3. THE ISLAMIC BELIEF:
None could attain the Rank of the Prophets or their Companions
The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) has said in a well
known Hadith that,
"The best of people are those living in my generation, and then
those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter…"
(Saheeh Bukhaaree, Vol 5, Hadith #3, Arabic-English Trans.)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Certain
people could attain a Rank higher than the Prophets and their Companions.
On page 1 of the book ‘The Naqshbandi Way’ it reads,
"Our master the Sheikh says that a person who manages to act on
these principles in our times will achieve what earlier generations did
not achieve … he who attains an exalted stage and a great rank, such a
rank which the Prophets themselves and the companions were unable to attain."
On page 4 of the book ‘the Naqshbandi Way’ it reads,
"Especially those who hold to the Prophet’s Sunnah, will attain
special stations that weren’t opened to earlier people - not even to
the Prophet’s companions.’
The deviant claim of attaining the rank which the Prophets could not
is a major deception of the Naqshbandiya as any Muslim with even the basic
knowledge of Islaam will confirm. As regards the companions (May Allaah
be pleased with them all), the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam)
in a hadith narrated by Anas bin Maalik (Radhiallaahu Anhu) said -
"After me, you will see others given preference to you, so be patient
till you meet me."
(Saheeh Bukhaaree, Vol 5., Hadith #137, Arabic-English Trans.)
He (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) also said in reference to his Companions
(May Allaah be pleased with them all),
"For by Him in Whose hand is my soul, if you were to spend the
like of Uhud or of the mountains in gold, you would not reach
their actions." (Saheeh Bukhaaree)
4. THE ISLAMIC BELIEF:
Allaah is above the heavens
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan -
"Do you feel secure, that He (Allaah), who is above the heavens,
will not cause the earth to sink with you." (Qur’aan, Chapter 67,
Verse 16).
And in a long Hadith found in Saheeh Muslim, it is narrated that the
companion Mu`awiyah ibn al-Hakam, (Radhiallaahu Anhu) slapped his servant
girl who used to tend his sheep, and as a result when to the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) and asked what should be done as an atonement for having
slapped her. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) replied, "Bring
her to me" so Mu`awiyah brought her to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) then asked her,
"Where is Allaah?" and she replied "Above the Sky"
then the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam ) asked her, "Who
am I?" and she replied, "You are Allaah’s Messenger", so
the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said, "Free her, for verily
she is a true believer." (Saheeh Muslim, Vol 1, Hadith #1094, English
Translation)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Allaah
is Everywhere
On page 13 of the book Haqiqat ul Haqqani it reads,
"Allaah Almighty is everywhere but specially in the Baitullaah
as He has Himself called it the house of Allaah. For it to be called the
house of the Lord, the Lord of the house must be in it."
The concept of Allaah being everywhere is not Islaamic as the above
Qur’aanic Aayah and the authentic hadith confirm. Indeed if Allaah was
everywhere then there would be no need for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam) to go up through the seven skies on the night of Mi`raaj to
meet Allaah - he would have been in the direct presence of Allaah in his
very own house.
5. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: None has the knowledge
of the Last Day except Allaah
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan,
"Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allaah (alone)."
(31:34)
And according to the well known Hadith, where Angel Jibreel (`alaihis
salaam) came in the guise of man, we quote the part of the Hadith that
is relevant to our matter, after asking about Islaam, Imaan and Ihsaan,
Angel Jibreel (`alaihis salaam) asks Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi
wa sallam) "then tell me about the hour (meaning the last day)",
the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) replied, "The
one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner."
(Saheeh Muslim, vol 1, Hadith #4, English Translation)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
has the knowledge of the Last Day.
In the beginning of page 19 of the book ‘Mercy Oceans - part one’,
it reads -
"These signs have been given us indication that the Last Day is
coming is nearly exactly now …we shall witness that great event within
two years."
The above book (Mercy Oceans) was published in 1987 and it I almost
nine years since its publication, but the last day is still not witnessed.
How could it be when indeed Allaah has clearly stated in the Qur’aan,
"Say None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen
except Allaah." (Qur’aan, Chapter 27, Verse 65)
6. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: Believers and disbelievers
are not equal.
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan - the likeness of
the two parties (disbelievers and believers) is as the blind and the deaf
and the seer and the hearer. Are they equal when compared? Will you not
then take heed?" (Qur’aan, Chapter 11, Verse 24)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Believers
and disbelievers are equal
On page 12 of the book ‘the Naqshbandi Way’, it reads ,
"Allaah does not distinguish between the non-believer and the faasiq
(wrong doer) or between a believer and a Muslim. In fact they are all
equal to him."
Furthermore, on page 16 of the same book it reads, "Allaah does
not distinguish between a kaafir or a hypocrite or between a saint and
a Prophet."
7. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: No intermediary between
Allaah and Man
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan,
"And when My servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then
(answer them), I am indeed near (to them in knowledge), I respond to the
invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." (Qur’aan, Chapter
2, Verse 186)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
is intermediary between Allaah and Man
On page 23 of the book Haqiqat ul Haqqani it reads,
"If there wasn’t Mowlana Sheikh Nazim between us and Seyyidina
Mahdi (Alai), or between us and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sal), or between
us and Allaah Almighty, no one would be able to reach to Divine knowledge…
this is because Mowlana Sheikh Nazim is the intermediary between
us and these stations."
[It should be known that the practice and belief of having an intermediary
between man and God is a pagan practice, borrowed directly from other religions
like Christianity which believes the Pastor or the church priest to be
an intermeidary between man and God and hence confession of one’s sins
is done to them and not directly to God.
8. THE ISLAMIC BELIEF:
No spokesman between Allaah and Man on the Day of Judgment.
Adi bin Hatim (radhiallaahu `anhu) reported that the Messenger (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) said,
"There is none of you but his Lord will certainly talk to with
him without any Spokesman between him and his Lord."
(Sunan Ibn Maajah, Vol 1, Hadith #185, English Translation)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
will be a spokesman between Man and Allaah on the Day of Judgment
On page 11 of the book Haqiqat ul Haqqani it reads,
"When a person takes Bayyat from Mowlana, Mowlana will be with
that person. Even until he reaches in front of Allaah Almighty will Mowlana
be with him, when Allaah Almighty questions this person Mowlana shall
answer all questions instead of him."
9. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: (For anything to happen)
it is only what Allaah wills
Once a companion of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) concluded
his statement to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) with the phrase
"It is what Allaah wills and you will." The Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) immediately corrected him saying - ‘Are you making me
an equal with Allaah? Say it is what Allaah alone wills.’ (Collected
by Ahmad - Arabic)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: It
is what Allaah and the saint wills.
On page 23 of the book "Quthub us Sailan" which is
written by the local head of the group, it reads
"One morning in the newspapers, I read that the wakf board had
taken over the Dewatagaha Mosque seeking the chief trustee at the time,
chairman of the welfare committee and chief trustee, M.I.M. Shaukat came
to my place a couple of days later to find out what he could do in that
matter as chief trustee, I told him that if it was the will of Allaah and
the saint, well nothing could be done on his part."
10. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: Allaah is in charge of
creation.
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan -
"And Allaah is a Wakil (Guardian) over all things." (Qur’aan,
Chapter 11, Verse 12)
And in another place, Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says,
"He (Allaah) arranges (every) affair from the heavens to the earth."
(Qur’aan, Chapter 32, Verse 3)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
is in charge of creation
On page 15 of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ it reads,
"Every thing that you know of is under the spiritual control of
the Sultan al Awliya, he is the one who is in charge of all mankind
in this universe, he is also in charge of all the world of Jinns and Angels."
Again the above belief is one of Shirk (association) in the aspect of
the Lordship of Allaah, as has been explained before.
11. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: None can change a bad situation
except Allaah
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan,
"And if Allaah touches you with harm, none can remove it
but He…" (Qur’aan, Chapter 6, verse 17)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
can change a bad situation.
On page 26 of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ in the 2nd paragraph
it reads,
"If a bad situation is to come to a mureed of his, Sheikh has the
power to change it."
12. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: None can make anyone enter
paradise or save from hell, except Allaah.
The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said in an authentic
Hadith -
"O People of Quraysh, secure deliverance from Allaah (by doing
good deeds). I cannot help you at all against Allaah. O sons of Abdul-Muttalib,
I cannot help you at all against Allaah; O (my uncle) Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib,
O (my aunt) Safeeyah, I cannot help you at all against Allaah; O Faatimah,
daughter of Muhammad, ask me whatever you like, but I have nothing which
can help you against Allaah."
(Saheeh Muslim, Vol 1, Hadith #402, English Translation)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
can make one enter paradise and save one from hell.
On page 30 of the book Haqiqat ul Haqqani, in the 3rd paragraph,
it reads -
"Sheikh will not allow any of his mureeds to enter hell, … Sheikh
Nazim will make all the followers to enter into this paradise."
13. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: The Angel of death will
take the soul of the dying.
Allaah (Subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) says in the Qur’aan,
"Say the Angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls,
then you shall be brought to your Lord." (Qur’aan, 32:11)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
will take the soul of the dying
On page 35 of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ under the heading
‘No questioning in the grave’, it reads -
"As for anyone who is related to Mowlana Sheikh Nazim as a mureed,
the Angel of Death Israel (Alai) will have nothing to do with him, the
soul of this mureed at the time of his death will be taken by Mowlana
Sheikh Nazim, he shall look at the mureed and immediately the soul
of that mureed will leave his body. There is nothing for either the Angel
of death or for the Angels of the grave to do with the mureeds of Sheikh
Nazim."
14. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: No hidden knowledge in
Islaam, everything is given in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said in an authentic
hadith -
"I have not left anything which Allaah ordered you with,
except that I have ordered you with it, nor anything that Allaah
forbade you, except that I forbade you from it." (Saheeh, al-Baihaqee
7:76, Arabic)
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh
has hidden knowledge.
In spite of the above clear hadith, the deviant Naqshbandi claim that
there is ‘secret knowledge’ with the Sheikh, for example on page 60-61
of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ in the 3rd paragraph
it reads -
"Vast amounts of hidden knowledge have been communicated to his
mureeds by Mowlana Sheikh Nazim in this manner. Questions by these mureeds
regarding day to day life, or questions relating to religion … and also
many other subjects have been answered by Mowlana Sheikh Nazim. When this
type of communication has been granted to a mureed, he no longer needs
to resort to books to further his knowledge."
15. THE
ISLAMIC BELIEF: When Allaah loves a person…
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said as narrated
by Abu Huraira (radhiallaahu `anhu) that,
"…Allaah said…the most beloved things with which my slave comes
nearer to Me, is with what I have enjoined upon him, and my slave keeps
on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra
deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense
of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees,
and his hand with which he grips…"
(Saheeh Bukhaaree, Vol 8, Hadith 509, Arabic - English Trans)
[The above hadith should not be misinterpreted by the reader. What it
simply means is as has been explained by the Scholars of Hadith is that,
when Allaah becomes his sense of hearing means the servant will only hear
Halaal speech and will keep away from hearing forbidden speech. And regarding
sight, then it means he will only see that which is permissible to see
and keep away from seeing that which is Haraam and in the case of the hands
then it means he will only touch and use his hands in that which is Halaal
and will refrain from touching and doing Haraam with it.]
THE NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Directly
contradicts the above hadith.
On page 62 of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ in the last paragraph
it reads,
"Certain of the mureeds of Mowlana Sheikh Nazim experience that
Mowlana appears within them, when this happens, they are no longer conscious
of themselves as themselves, they lose their identity and are conscious
of themselves as their Sheikh. They see through Mowlana’s eyes when the
look, they hear through Mowlana’s ears when they hear, and they speak Mowlana’s
words when they speak.."
16. THE NAQSHBANDI
BELIEF: Sheikh can be in any place at the
same time.
On page 33 of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ it reads,
"Mowlana Sheikh Nazim can also be present in his shape and body
in several places at the same time."
Also on page 65 of the same book it reads in the 2nd paragraph,
"Sometimes, mureeds have been transported to other countries and
places. For example, they may be transported in a moment to London…some
are known to have visited Mecca, Medina, London and Baghdad in moments
by the power and the grace of Sheikh Nazim."
THE ISLAMIC POSITION on
the above Naqshbandi position
In a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said,
"There are three types of Jinn, one type flies through the air…"
(Transmitted by al-Haakim, Tabaraani and al-Baihaqi, Arabic)
And Allaah says in the Qur’aan,
"And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with
the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind)
in sin and disbelief." (Qur’aan, 72:6)
17. THE
NAQSHBANDI BELIEF: Sheikh has two faces.
On page 21 of the book ‘Haqiqat ul Haqqani’ in the first paragraph describing
Sheikh Nazim, it reads -
"He (Sheikh) now has a face towards the creatures and a
face towards Allaah Almighty, therefore he is with Allaah Almighty
all the time!"
THE ISLAMIC POSITION on
the above Naqshbandi belief
The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) rightly said, as
reported by the companion Abu Huraira (radhiallaahu `anhu) who said that
Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said,
"The worst amongst the people is the double faced one."
(Saheeh Muslim, vol 4, Hadith #6300 - English Translation)
Also, the companion Ammaar (radhiallaahu `anhu) reported the Prophet
(sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) as saying,
"He who is two faced in this world, will have two tongues
of fire on the day of resurrection."
(Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol 3, Hadith #4855 - English Translation)
From the preceding, concise presentation of the Naqshbandi group’s deviant
beliefs, in shaa’ Allaah, there should not remain even the slightest inkling
of a doubt in the mind of the sincere reader about the group’s deviant
nature and falsehood. It is only the ignorant, grossly biased and dishonest
sympathizers of the group who will still maintain the view that the group’s
teachings and beliefs are in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah, since
it has been clearly and decisively proven to be just the exact opposite.
In the foregoing article, the reader would have noticed that every thing
of the pure Islamic Belief mentioned has been contradicted by this deviant
group. In fact the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) had
warned us about the appearance of such deviant groups, when he said in
an authentic narration reported by Abu Amir al-Hawdani (radhiallaahu `anhu),
"Indeed those who were before you, from the people of the book
(Jews and Christians) split into seventy sects, and this religion will
split into seventy three; seventy two will go in to the hell fire, and
one of them will go to paradise, and it is the Jamaa`ah." (Abu Dawud,
vol 3, Hadith #4580, English Translation)
[The term Jamaa`ah was explained by the companion `Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood
(radhiallaahu `anhu) as meaning that which agrees with the truth. He said
in his famous statement, "The jamaa`ah is that which agrees with the
truth, even if it is a single person." (Reported by ibn Asaakir in
Tareekh Dimashq - Arabic)]
Then there is no doubt that each of these groups claims for itself that
it is the saved group, and that it is correct and that it alone follows
the Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), but the way of truth is
a single way and it is the one which leads to salvation, and any other
way is one of the ways of misguidance which leads to destruction as has
been clearly explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) in
another hadith, reported by the companion `Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood (radhiallaahu
`anhu), who said,
"Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) drew a line
with his hand and said, "This is the straight path of Allaah."
He then drew lines to its right and to its left and said, "These are
the other paths, which represent misguidance and that at the head of each
path sat a devil inviting people to it (path)." He then recited, "And
verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other)
paths, for they will separate you away from His path." (Reported by
Ahmad, an-Nasaa’ee and ad-Daarimee and collected in Miskhaat ul-Masaabih,
Vol 1, Hadith #166, Arabic-English Translation)
So the path is to stick to the Book of Allaah and to the Sunnah of His
Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), as occurs in the following hadith.
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said,
"I have left you with two things, as long as you hold to them,
you will never go astray, they are the Book of Allaah and My Sunnah."
(Collected by Imaam Maalik, rahimahullaah, in his Muwatta, the Book of
Decree. Hadith #3, Page 434, English Translation)
So the criterion to judge the claim of any group or individual who claims
to be on the right path, is to see how close its beliefs and teachings
are in accordance to the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
The external deceptive claim of the Naqshbandi group, under the guise
of Islaam should not be a means of confusion to anybody, as to the reality
of its deviant nature. History is a witness to the well-known slogan, "If
you cannot beat them, then join them" - this is exactly what the group
is doing. Its aim is to destroy Islaam from within, wearing the cloak of
Islaam.
A serious effort should be made to enlighten those of the group’s followers
who may be genuinely seeking the light of pure Islaam, but as a result
of the group’s brainwashing have fallen into its clutches.
Whatever has been said in this booklet is not to be taken lightly, since
this is a matter that could take a person completely outside of the fold
of Islaam into Kufr (disbelief). This is not mere opinion of laymen but
the verdict of the Ulamaa’ of Islaam, who have pronounced anyone holding
such weird beliefs, which contradict the very fundamentals of Islaamic
belief, and continue to persist in such beliefs even after the evidence
has been clearly shown to them, risks falling outside of the fold of
Islaam. It should be kept in mind that the above statements are being made
for conveying knowledge only and not to make declaration of Kufr (disbelief)
of any people.
It is compulsory on the `Ulamaa’ to make an effort to inform the public
through all means available about the group’s deviant nature. Articles
exposing the group should be written and distributed. Many Muslims have
passively sat by for a long time, believing that the group would soon fizzle
out and disappear. Instead, its cancerous growth has continued unabated
and unchecked. As for those who in spite of what they have read, continue
to have misgivings about exposing the group due to their desire to maintain
an image of unity with respect to Islaam, then let them reflect on the
following incident, "When some people mentioned to Imaam Ahmad ibn
Hanbal (rahimahullaah) that they felt uneasy about criticizing people (who
had deviated in their beliefs), he replied - "If I were to remain
silent, how then would the masses know truth from falsehood?" (Reported
by Imaam Ibn Taymeeyah in Majmoo`ah ar-Rasaa’il wa al-Masaa’il, vol 4,
Page 10, Arabic). According to the unanimous agreement of Muslim scholars,
those who introduce deviant writings and religious rites, contrary to the
Qur’aan and Sunnah have to be exposed and the Muslm nation warned against
them. In fact, when Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah) was asked if
one who fasted, prayed and secluded himself in the Masjid was dearer to
him than one who spoke out against people involved in deviations, he replied,
when one fasts, prays and secludes oneself, he does so for himself alone;
but if he speaks out against deviations, he does so for Muslims in general,
which is more noble.
With this we end this article. After having read this article, if you
believe it is your duty and responsibility to Allaah, to warn your brothers
and sisters, then please do not be a silent spectator, spread the truth
to the best of your ability. Perhaps you may save a soul or two from the
deviant clutches of the group.
Finally, we ask Allaah to give all of us the towfeeq to recognize the
truth, to understand it, to implement it and to call to it.
Wal hamdulillaahi Rabbil `Aalameen