Postby The Law26 » Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:44 am
MM and his side kick.
Everyone knows who the Wahabis are except the Wahabis themselves.
This is what our Prophet pbuh taught as a life lived that will get you into heaven as a Muslim. Tell me if you object to it, and would you like to label (like the Wahabis aka neo-salafists) other Muslims, kufr, heretic or Bida?
A Bedouin came to the Prophet and said, "Tell me of a deed such that if I were to do it, I would enter Paradise (as a result)." The Prophet said, "Worship God (Allah) without worshiping anything along with Him, offer the (five daily) prescribed prayers, pay the compulsory alms (zakat), and fast the month of Ramadan." The Bedouin said, "(I swear) by Him in whose hands my life is, I will not do more than this." When he (the Bedouin) left, the Prophet said, "Whoever would like to see a man of Paradise should look at this man."
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah in the Sahih of Bukhari, Volume 2, p. 272-73, book 23, #480.
I think that it's an often-ignored Hadith by your ilk, and in particular people like you who also share an unhealthy tribalist attitudes with their Somali tribal brethrens and hold prejudices against their own Somalis, who discount it only for their own hypocritical self-interests. Doesn’t that sound hypocorism? But to be honest, doing just those things is very difficult for many Somali Muslims and Allah SWT knows that, so why do people try and make Islam more difficult than need be? Just like the Saud family, to preside a placid nation. You will find the answers in the divisiveness of Muslims and especially the emergence of the Wahabis. What is the need for all these divisions in Islam?
Off-course, we all know that there are many competing groups of Muslims today in the ideological wars. There are the Saudi-funded Wahabis aka neo-salafis, the many different groups of Sufis, the Iranian funded Shia ones, the Egyptian/Syrian Brotherhood groups, the Tablighi Jamaati people, the mysterious Hizb at Tahreer, the Jamaci Islami groups, the Ahlu Sunna wal jaamaci groups, the African American Muslim groups, the secularist Indo-Pak groups and many, many others. Each group has its own scholars who "prove" to their faithful that the other groups are inferior. Since the advent of wahabis, their "scholars" often issue "Fatwas" or religious edicts concerning the slaughter other Muslims in the mosques and markets like in Iraq and Pakistan in the name of happy dreamland sectarian exclusive truth. Isn’t that Haraam?
These Wahabis have been distorting Islam over many decades because of their many un-Islamic cultural and patriarchal innovations, which have been accepted as valid. These so called Wahabi" authorities" like Bin-Baz and co., have no sanction in Islam, and ignorant Muslims like you have developed dependencies on them. Separating out the distortions is often looked down upon, despite the necessity. Because the history of Islam among Somalis included a legacy of illiteracy among most of us, a tradition of scholars rose up to interpret the Quraan and Sunnah to the masses. Now, the Wahabis fill that role. This tradition has usurped the individual responsibility of each of us to learn, study and grow in Islam.
So this leads us to ask ourselves what is Sufism? Beenlow has given an accurate synopsis about Sufis, and let me add few others in accordance to their own views.
They view it to be ONE of the main branches of Islamic Knowledge. The first and foremost is `Ilm ul-Kalam/Tawhid (Islamic Theology). This knowledge deals with the Scriptural and rational proofs of the Muslim doctrine. According to them, this knowledge takes precedence over everything else because its subject matter, that is, knowing what does and does not befit Allah SWT is the most important after the Islamic theology, it is the science of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) that is the knowledge of knowing what is and is not permissible according to Islamic Law. Now a person may have lots of knowledge in the area of Theology and Jurisprudence, but his heart is corrupt and filled with insincerity, hatred, arrogance, and other moral/character defects. It is here that the science of Sufism comes into play. Its objective is to render the heart pure and sincerely obedient to the Islamic Law. Now there are two groups of extremes you are likely to encounter when talking about the Sufism. One, are those who claim that Sufism is not a part of Islam. This is the doctrine promoted by the Saudi/Wahabi regime and their followers like you. The other extreme are those pseudo-Sufis, who claim that Sufism is a separate religion altogether and only incorporates some aspects of Islam.
Just like the Wahabis, and the reasons of divisions that I stated above, they strongly believe that it is critical that a person learn from qualified teachers. And it is critical that a person understand the correct Islamic Doctrine before embarking on the path of Tasawwuf (Sufism). Also, they mention that it is impossible that a person would become a pious Muslim if he does not abide by the Islamic Law. Among the most well known Sufis is Al-Ghazali. He was a Scholar in Islamic Theology and reached a high level in Jurisprudence. He demonstrated that authentic Sufism is the fruit of what the Muslim should pursue. Al-Ghazali's book, "Faith and Practice" can give you a general sense of what Tasawwuf is (it also has a section on Islamic Theology and a refutation of Greek philosophy).
The fact is Sufis were very prominent and still are very popular in most Muslim countries. Yes, they had their tension with other groups of Muslims who think differently. But of course we have Wahabism gaining ground and accusing everyone of Bida’ and Shirk including the Sufi Muslims. But still Sufis are popular, and in light of this, it is a much more complex issue, deserving more than a simplistic answer.
Not so long ago, I was surrounded by the Wahabi aka salafi Bida' Brothers (they see bida' everywhere). Considering that Hadith above, it seems to me that they are often very narrow in how they interpret Sunnah. Isn’t it wrong interpreting some our Prophet's pbuh actions in this manner? This takes the focus away from what we as Muslims are supposed to be doing. What about how our prophet pbuh served Allah SWT? How he treated his wives? How he treated the believers and people in general? This is where the Wahabi’s go astray, and I'm more concerned with our prophet’s spiritual practice and the way he served Allah SWT and how he maintained balance and justice by following what was revealed to him in the Quraan. As followers of an individual called Abdiwahaab, let me remind you that this is what Allah SWT told our prophet pbuh.
"Say (O Muhammad), 'I do not bring anything new that is different from any other messenger. I have no idea what may happen to me, or to you. I simply follow what is revealed to me. I am no more than a manifest warner.'"
Qur'an 46:9
"Say (O Muhammad), 'I possess no power to benefit or harm even myself, except in accordance with God's will. Had I known the future, I would have increased my wealth, and no harm would have afflicted me. I am no more than a warner, as well as bearer of good news for those who believe.'"
Qur'an 7:188
"Say (O Muhammad), 'I am no more than a human being like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is ONE GOD. Therefore, you shall observe Him ALONE, and ask His forgiveness, AND WOE TO THE IDOLWORSHIPERS."
Qur'an 41:6
My practice of Islam is not filtered through layers of unsanctioned Wahabi authorities or others, nor given to me with permission from those who enjoin themselves with Allah SWT. They have no power over me, only my Lord Allah SWT Does. More Muslims should be this way, for Islam was never meant to be controlled by an elite who determines, in Allah SWT's name, what is Islam and who is or not a Muslim, who is bida’, heretic or kufr. That is the sole judgment of Allah SWT.
Beenlow.
We have to keep in mind that our deen is a holistic one and not one based on a single Ayat or a Hadith. While oppression may be worse than death we are not governed by vigilantism. The same way we can condemn acts of terrorism as being not only morally repugnant but Islamically impermissible is the same way we can condemn assassinating rulers even if they are tyrants. It's still murder. No matter what we must use should be HALAL means to enact positive change. When it comes to geo-politics this most certainly cannot be done by a rogue Muslim or group of Muslims that Arabman and his company here are a mouth-piece for, and who only read an Ayat or two from the Quraan and miss-intrepret it and say, "Give me my gun!"
Do the benefits outweigh?
MM
Since you are well aware of debates that took place here over 3 years ago and your nick is kind newish, isn't that a trait of deceit like the Wahabis, or will you like to act like a decent man and reveal your identity?
*This Ummah will divide into 73 sects all of which except 1 will go 2 Hell and they (the Saved Sect) are those who are upon what I and My Companions are upon (those who follow My Way and the Way of my Companions)*. This Hadith acknowledge us that *Sunni* is the precise sect, and all the other sects are heretical doctrine, that ppl came up with after the death of our prophet (PBUH).
. Apparently, Sufism is closer 2 the mystic doctrines of Christianity, Hinduism, Taoism and other religions, than 2 Islam. In fact, Sufism is never characterized under *Islam* in any system of category, but rather under *Mysticism*.
