Attacks on Tassawuff by Hamza Yusuf & others???

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#1 [Permalink] Posted on 5th February 2013 12:39

http://mybeliefs.co.uk/2012/06/29/neo-sufi-conservatism/

Basically he belives that western cultural values are Islamic!

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#2 [Permalink] Posted on 5th February 2013 20:15

As salaamu alaykum respected brother with all due respect..in the first vid what is your opinion of what the shaykh said. My opinion is he is correct because in tasawwuf you must search for a kamil e shaykh dont make promises to just anyone and as we both know there is true shuyukh of tasawwuf and there is imposters I seen nothing wrong in his statements from what I understood I didnt appreciate people laughing when he mentioned the people of pakistan even though im american my teachers arr from indopak area. Just look at youtube and you will see whats real and fake about tasawwuf this is only commenting on the first vid...and his voicing of one of his teachers OPINIONS of the time for bayah has passed I do not agree with this statement because as time goes on corruption will spread so bayah to a kamil e shaykh of tasawwuf is needed even more wallahu `alam

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#3 [Permalink] Posted on 5th February 2013 20:21

The Silsilahs of Tasawwuf and the Reality of Bay'ah
By Mufti Mahmud Ashraf al-'Uthmani

Translated by Bilal Ali

Question:

Respected and honorable Hadrat Mawlana Mufti Mahmud Ashraf 'Uthmani,

Al-Salam 'alaykum wa rahmat Allah!

I sincerely enjoyed the article you wrote in the monthly Al-Balagh magazine on tasawwuf. In fact, I read it thrice. It was very comprehensive, demonstrative, and authentic, and it covered all the necessary aspects of the topic.

After reading the article, three questions came to mind, which I have written below:

(1) How many silsilahs exist in tasawwuf? Only two silsilas, the Chishti and Naqshbandi silsilahs were mentioned in the article.

(2) Who founded these silsilahs and when?

(3) What is the method of performing bay'ah (the pledge) according to the shari'ah? Is it possible to give bay'ah from afar (without being present in front of the shaykh)?

Thank You,

A seeker of your du'a

........ .........

Peshawar Cant

Reply:

Respected brother,

Al-Salamu 'alaykum wa rahmat Allah!

I received your letter in which you mentioned that you read my article. I ask Allah that He makes it a means of benefit for both its author and its readers. Amin.

The answers to your questions are as follows:

(1,2) The silsilahs of four mashayikh (shaykhs) are more well known and recognized (in the Indian sub-continent).

1. The Qadiri silsilah: which is attributed to Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (470-561 A.H.)

2. The Chishti silsilah: which is attributed to Khwaja Mu'inuddin al-Chishti (527-633 A.H.)

3. The Suhrawardi silsilah: which is attributed to Shaykh Shihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi (539-632 A.H.)

4. The Naqshbandi silsilah: which is attributed to Khwaja Baha' al-Din al-Naqshbandi (718-791 A.H.)

The silsilahs of these four pious saints (may Allah enlighten their graves) became more well-known because Allah used the four of them extensively for the task of spiritual purification (tazkiyah). Their influence not only spread very far but was also pure and complete (in its adherence to Islamic principles). These mashayikh, in terms of both knowledge and practice, served tasawwuf and suluk so magnificently that all later-day mashayikh openly accepted their greatness and spiritual excellence and they took pride in attributing themselves to and understood the protection of their deen to be in their noble silsilahs. At the same time, one cannot forget that aside from these four saints, other great shaykhs also existed and served the deen with their knowledge and action.

The chains of these four particular silsilahs, after passing through many well-known and pious walis of Allah eventually reach the Tabi'in and Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and the chain of ba'yah (pledge) of the four silsilahs end at the pious khalifahs (may Allah be pleased with them). The Pious Khalifas (may Allah be pleased with them) pledged allegiance at the hands of the Noble Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) (bay'ah of faith, jihad, leaving sin), a manifest fact for which no evidence is needed.

Below the four mashayikh of the famous silsilahs, many branches later came into existence and the branches of these spiritual chains still exist today (like the lineal family trees of ancestral heritage). Fourteen branches of tasawwuf are more well-known, but Shaykh Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah have mercy on him) once wrote in a letter:

"...and there are four families: the Qadiri, Chishti, Naqshbandi, and Suhrawardi. A family lineage is that which consists of branches. The branches are numerous. Those who have mentioned fourteen did so because at the time only fourteen branches existed. Later more came into existence. In other words, the spiritual lines are many and fourteen were only at a particular time. Now, it is not correct to say fourteen. It is old terminology." (Makatib Rashidiyya pg.79 Mirath edition)

In the silsilas of some of the mashayikh of the near past, such as Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki, Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, and Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (may Allah enlighten their graves), the salik was instructed to give bay'ah in all four silsilahs so that all the saints be respected equally and to avoid any discrimination between them.

(3) All the mashayikh unanimously agree that complete salvation can only be achieved through sincere repentance and the purification of the nafs. For this, bay'ah is not absolutely obligatory, but because when a murid gives bay'ah at the hand of his shaykh that he will repent from all his sins and make a firm intention to purify his soul, both of these things become much easier and the shaykh's attention therefore becomes fixed upon him. This is why the bay'ah has become in vogue in every silsilah of tasawwuf.

In explaining the process of bay'ah, Mawlana Masihullah Khan Sherwani (may Allah have mercy on him)[1] writes:

"Bay'ah is a pledge to strive to adhere to and execute the esoteric and exoteric actions of Islam. This pledge is also called bay'ah tariqah, which has been in vogue by authoritative transmission from generation to generation from the earliest era of Islam.

The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) had enacted the bay'ah of the Companions not only on jihad, but on Islam and the adherence to all the injunctions and practices of Islam. This is established by numerous hadith...

The bay'ah is enacted by the shaykh by placing the right hand of his disciple into his own right hand. If the group contracting the bay'ah is large, the shaikh uses a length of cloth which each member of the group clasps with his right hand. Women who perform the bay'ah do so from behind a screen. A mahram of the female should be present at the bay'ah ceremony. A length of cloth is spread from the shaykh to the lady behind the screen and the pledge is taken verbally, just as it is proven by the hadith...

This is the method of bay'ah when one is in the presence of the shaykh. Those who are not able to be present themselves personally to the shaykh may contract the bay'ah by means of a letter or through the agency of a responsible and trustworthy person. This form of bay'ah is called bay'ah 'uthmani. The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace), on the occasion of the Pledge of Ridwan, took the bay'ah of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) in his absence. He (upon him blessings and peace) placed his right hand on his own left hand and announced that he had made the bay'ah of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)." (Shari'ah wa Tasawwuf pg.100-102)

And Allah the Glorified knows best.

Mahmud Ashraf 'Uthmani (may Allah forgive him his sins)

Darul Ifta', Jami'ah Dar al-'Ulum Karachi #14

7/4/1414 A.H.

The answer is correct.

Muhammad Taqi 'Uthmani

7/4/1414 A.H.

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#4 [Permalink] Posted on 5th February 2013 20:29

The need of a Sheikh

It has always been the divine scheme of things that perfection cannot be attained without a teacher or an expert instructor. In the same way, a person needs guidance in the beginning of a driving course so to a person needs guidance in Tasawwuf.

The companionship of a pious person will include piety in you. Similarly, the companionship of a evil person will induce evil in you. To gain the nearest rank to Allah, one has to have a guider i.e. Sheikh who has reached that level as well. A short while spent in the companionship of the pious is more superior to a century of ordinary obedience. Companionship with the pious for even a moment can be superior to a century of abstention and worship. The best of creations, the Messenger also had a teacher, his teacher was the Angel Jibraeel. If the leader of mankind, Muhammed was in need of a guider then we are more in need of a guider and a Sheikh.

The Prophet then became the teacher of the companions and the Sheikhs of the nations of their time. He diagnosed the spiritual diseases of the companions and created the quality of Ihsaan in their lives. They reached the highest level in all aspects of their lives. There is, therefore, always need for a man to have another person as his guide and instructor, who can practically demonstrate to him whatever knowledge he wishes to learn or whatever aim he desires to achieve. This is the very same reason that Allah sent Messengers and Prophets who were made to instruct and practically demonstrate to all of Mankind.

Bay'at

The meaning if Bay'at comes from the word Bay' which means to sell. In this case a person sells himself to the Sheikh. The concept of Bay'at is proven through Hadith and Quran as well. Allah Taa'la states in the Quran:

"(O Muhammed) Verily those who take bay'at with you are (in actual fact) taking bay'at with Allah. The hand of Allah is above their hands. So whosoever breaks (the condition of the pledge), surely they break it to their own detriment: And whosoever fulfils the oath that may have taken with Allah, they will be granted great reward."

This ayat shows that there is an origin for bay'at. Here Allah has taken bay'at by the means of the Prophet Muhammed . After the demise of the Prophet, this pledge of oath was taken on the hands of the successors of the Prophet in religious instruction and teaching.

In a Hadith, Auf bin Malik Ashja'ee Radhiallaho anho says, "We were with the Prophet . There were seven, eight or nine (of us), when he said, "Will you not make bay'at to the Prophet of Allah?" He then said, "That you make the ibaadat of Allah, and that you associate no partners to him: that you perform the five Salaat and that you hear and obey." (Muslim, Abu Dawood, Nasai)

This Hadith is clear proof for the validity of the system of bay'at in vogue by the Mashaaik of Tasawwuf, like there are four schools of thought in Fiqh, Hanafi, Shafi'ee, Maliki and Hanbali. So too are there four schools of thought (silsilas) in Tasawwuf i.e. Chistiyyah, Qadriyyah, Naqshbandiyyah and Suharwardiyyah.

(1)The founder of the Chistiyyah silsila is Hazrat Khwaja Mueenudeen chisti Ajmeri. (2) The founder of the Qadriyyah order is Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. (3) The founder of the Naqshbandiyyah orders is Hazrat Sheikh Bahauddin Nakshbandi, and the (4) founder of the Suharwardiyyah order is Hazrat Shaikh Sahahabuddin Suharwardiyyah. (Rahmatullahi Alayhim).

The benefits of a Sheikh

(1) The noble and lofty qualities of the Sheikhs slowly devolve into the mureed.

(2) The mureed follows the Sheikh in character and habit.

(3) Attainment of joy and pleasure in the remembrance of Allah and worship.

(4) Increase in the desire to practise good deeds.

(5) The mureed's ability becomes manifest to him.

(6) Love for Allah increases.

These were few points showing the importance of Tasawwuf and the importance of a Sheikh. May Allah Taa'la give us the ability to reach the highest level of Ihsaan and have the correct intention to all actions we do.
www.inter-islam.org/faith/tassawwufshk.htm

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#5 [Permalink] Posted on 5th February 2013 22:36

"Abu Taalib Deobandi" wrote:

W-Salam,

Have you actually watched Hamza Yusuf's video & understood what he has said or simply read the blog and speculated and then started copy/pasting?

Jazakullah Khairun

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#6 [Permalink] Posted on 5th February 2013 23:33

Muadh_Khan wrote:

"Abu Taalib Deobandi" wrote:

W-Salam, Have you actually watched Hamza Yusuf's video & understood what he has said or simply read the blog and speculated and then started copy/pasting? Jazakullah Khairun

Well saheb I didnt speculate anything I ask you whatbyou understood I said I listened to the vid I didnt read ALL the blog and what a copied and pasted was in support of bayah so I dont understand why you responded they way you did oh I also clearly stated I disagree with the statement he re issued of his teacher

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#7 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 09:57

"Abu Taalib Deobandi" wrote:

"Muadh_Khan" wrote:

"Abu Taalib Deobandi" wrote:

W-Salam, Have you actually watched Hamza Yusuf's video & understood what he has said or simply read the blog and speculated and then started copy/pasting? Jazakullah Khairun

Asslamo Allaikum,

To my limited udnerstanding...

He is saying that the idea of having a Shaykh and devoting oneself to him exclusively is an idea which is “Eastern” and the Western idea is “Individual Sovereignty and Independence” which is Islamic in its nature.

He is obviously wrong because it doesn’t matter whether we are in congregational Salah or in the path of Allah (SWT) the obedience to an Ameer is vital to our Deen and the Ameer could be Imam, Khaleefa , Shaykh etc

[4:59] O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Then, if you quarrel about something, revert it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is good, and the best at the end.

The western idea is exact opposite of “Individual Sovereignty and Independence” so he is dead wrong!

We can’t even pray without submitting our ““Individual Sovereignty and Independence” to the Imam.

He is having a go at Tassawuff but its actually he is debasing the very foundation of our Deen!

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#8 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 10:15

Wa alaykumus salaam...I agree wit your explanation saheb...But what I got from it is he was saying becareful because there are people who consider themselves murshid but they are not kamil e shuyukh THIS IS PREVALENT saheb and people is being misguided and Tasawwuf is getting a bad rap...we make bayah over here in the U.S yes Im of the Deobandi maslak...but I know bros who are maliki shafi who are bayat in different turuq .......He is a Known Shaykh who is who has hisbteacher and guide in tasawwuf

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#9 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 10:31

"Abu Taalib Deobandi" wrote:

Asslamo Allaikum Brother,

I am also American by the way.

In the beginning he is saying to be careful and fair enough but then he destorys a very serious fundamental of Islam which is "Obedience to Ameer" and he actually believes in Tareeqa-less/Bayah-less Tassawuff and he continously speaks against it

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#10 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 10:38

Masha Allah ima send you a vid by him

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#11 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 10:45

"Abu Taalib Deobandi" wrote:

Masha Allah ima send you a vid by him

Its already included in the post to which you replied to.

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#12 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 12:16

@Abu Talib Deobandi and Muadh Khan, do you guys believe that without tasawwuf [the bayah kind) one's islah can't happen?

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#13 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 12:42

"Desi tadka" wrote:

@Abu Talib Deobandi and Muadh Khan, do you guys believe that without tasawwuf [the bayah kind) one's islah can't happen?

I don't and I am not Bay'at to anyone but another question can be phrased as

"Can Islah be done without being involved in Tassawuff and with a Shaykh?"

The answer from Deobandi Mashaykh is that yes it can be but being with a Shaykh makes it easier and less chance of things going wrong. Hamza Yusuf is going a step further then that though

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#14 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 13:17

"Muadh_Khan" wrote:

"Desi tadka" wrote:

@Abu Talib Deobandi and Muadh Khan, do you guys believe that without tasawwuf [the bayah kind) one's islah can't happen?

I don't and I am not Bay'at to anyone but another question can be phrased as

"Can Islah be done without being involved in Tassawuff and with a Shaykh?"

The answer from Deobandi Mashaykh is that yes it can be but being with a Shaykh makes it easier and less chance of things going wrong. Hamza Yusuf is going a step further then that though

My question is not related to Hamza Yusuf at all but its more of a general question, so should I open a new thread for this?

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#15 [Permalink] Posted on 6th February 2013 13:25

Like Colonel saab said it makes things easier and its not fard...Tasawwuf is a science like fiqh, hadith etc...EVERYONE claims dont take the do it yourself approach when it comes to Fiqh just look at some muslims of the past they study sciences by thereselves they are considered great shuyukh by some BUT when there work is examined one will find many errors WHAT is the difference in the science of Tasawwuf

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Attacks on Tassawuff by Hamza Yusuf & others???

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