Abuot Deobandis

About Deobandis

Salam alaykum, concerning the following remarks:

Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan [6] False ALLEGATIONS by WAHABIS

Thanawi accepted the compliments by his mureed that he was a rasul; he insulted Rasul; Khaleel said that shayTaan knew more than Rasul; Gangohi said that Allah could lie; Nanothvi said that a prophet can appear; Ismayil Dahalwi made atrocious remarks on Rasul and awlia if the shari`ah compels him to make takfeer, he as a mufti should. incidentally, these handful are everyone to the blind-followers of the dobs.

I must say I have not seen clarity or reliable precision in this series of posts, or even basic adab with the scholars of Islam.

All of the above allegations have to be very carefully and in conscience double-checked in the light of evidence and according to the procedure of Shari`a. At the very least one should quote the exact words of the authority or authorities who leveled those charges against these scholars, as well as the latter's exact original expressions under dispute, if they exist or if one has real knowledge of them.

To say: "he who doubts in their kufr (deobandis) is also a kaafir" is completely rejected. Ya hu, Dar al-`Ulum in Deoband is an Islamic university whose curriculum consists entirely in the mothers of books in Sunni `aqida, usul, and fiqh, and which has produced the greatest fuqaha' and hadith scholars of India since its inception. Are you throwing all these, their students (past and present), us, and the general public who has no idea of these divergences into the Fire with a few casual words?

Even if this condemnation did not apply to Deobandis, it is still unacceptable to say: "he who doubts in the kufr of X is also a kaafir" except in very, very clearcut cases such as idolatry -- we seek refuge in Allah. Even then, there is a difference between the kufr of X in saying a particular statement tantamount to kufr, and his being a kafir. There is a great difference. What about those who are unclear about it for various reasons, such as not ascertaining the exact meaning of X's words? Are we going to be like Abu al-`Ala' al-Bukhari who declared: "he who doubts in the kufr of Ibn `Arabi is also a kafir, and he who calls Ibn Taymiyya Shaykh al-Islam is a kafir"? Is it not better to be like Mulla `Ali al-Qari who said that in such cases the best course is silence?

The rule is: "We do not declare as disbelievers any of the People of the Qibla other than upon denial of a mass-transmitted article of Islamic Law."

The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- called Mu`adh a rasul. Shaytan knows more unbeneficial knowledge than anyone else, including the Prophets. Allah said -- in meaning -- "And they schemed, and Allah schemed, and Allah is the best of schemers." That is, He throws back the lies of liars upon them in their own terms. And Allah knows best what the above-named scholars meant in their original remarks.

What I know about the scholars of India listed above and below is that they are pure Sunnis. They defended tawassul and refuted Salafi innovations on the matter of ziyara of the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him:

- `Allama muhaddith Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi (d. 1905 CE) - `Allama muhaddith Khalil Ahmad al-Saharanfuri (d. 1927 CE) - `Allama muhaddith Shaykh Mahmud al-Hasan al-Deobandi - `Allama shaykh Mir Ahmad Hasan al-Husayni - `Allama muhaddith shaykh `Aziz al-Rahman al-Deobandi - `Allama murshid shaykh `Ali Ashraf al-Tahanawi - `Allama shaykh Shah `Abd al-Rahim al-Ranfuri - Shaykh al-Hajj al-Hakim Muhammad Hasan al-Deobandi - Mawlawi Qudrat Allah - Mawlawi mufti Kifayat Allah - `Allama shaykh Muhammad Yahya Saharanfuri

Their anti-Salafi fatwa on ziyara is available at www.sunnah.org if I remember correctly.

As for Abu al-Qasim Nanotwi, it is enough credit for him that he stood firmly in the face of the Ahmadiyya heresy.

As for `Abd al-Hayy al-Lucknawi (d. 1304) who apparently was insulted in another post, he and Ahmad Zufar al-Tahanawi (d. 1393) are the greatest hadith scholars that India has known in the last hundred years, and this Sunni Muslim is definitely innocent of anyone who attacks them. `Abd al-Hayy onziyara alone wrote three long fatwas in refutation of Ibn Taymiyya.

Said ashraf `Ali Thanawi listing matters of kufr and shirk in his book Bahishti Zeywar: to do meelad ash-sharif, to visit the graves, to seek help from them etc, are all shirk.

I do not remember reading the above in my English Bashishti Zewar and I doubt that Ashraf `Ali al-Tahanawi said that to celebrate mawlid or visit the graves is shirk. As for seeking help apart from Allah it is shirk whether from the living or the dead.

Ashraf `Ali al-Tahanawi wrote a treatise entitled "Nayl al-Shifa' bi Na`l al-Mustafa" (Obtaining remedy through the sandals of the Elect One) found in his book Zad al-Sa`id (Provision for the fortunate). The muhaddith of India Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya Kandihlawi said in his English translation of al-Tirmidhi's Shama'il:

"Maulana Ashraf `Ali Thanwi Sahib has written in his book Zaadus Sa`eed a detailed treatise on the barakat and virtues of the shoes of Rasulullah Sallallahu `Alayhi Wasallam. Those interested in this should read that book (which is available in English). In short, it may be said that it [the Prophet's sandal] has countless qualities. The `ulama have experienced it many a time. One is blessed by seeing Rasulullah Sallallahu `Alayhi Wasallam in one's dreams; one gains safety from oppressors and every heartfelt desire is attained. Every object is fulfilled by its tawassul (means, petition, request). The method of tawassul is also mentioned therein."

In his book Nashr al-tib (in Urdu, p. 6 and 215 of the Lahore edition) the same Ashraf Ali Thanwi cites among his evidence the hadith of Jabir: "The first thing that Allah created is the light of the Prophet, Allah bless and greet him" on the authority of `Abd al-Razzaq, and relies upon it.

Does all this strike the Sunni Muslim as the custom of one who condemns Mawlid or tawassul through the Prophet and awliya? La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.

May Allah have mercy on all of them, and may Allah teach us to realize the position of the ulamas of this Community in His presence.

Dr. GF Haddad