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Post by SyedMuhammadIbnAlAfaq on May 8, 2017 13:21:19 GMT
‘Tis The Season…For Mawlid Wars? – Ustadh Salman Younas
To make things easier for everyone, I’ve mentioned a handful of leading classical scholars who permitted the mawlid in its institutionalized form and those who deemed it impermissible. What is this meant to teach us? That this is a *valid* difference of opinion. While we can cordially discuss the merits of each view, no one should be condemned, mocked, or looked down upon for engaging or not engaging in such a practice, since leading scholars throughout the past few centuries have differed on this issue.
Don’t Let Your Nafs Distract You
Instead of using this time to debate and argue, let’s use it to draw closer to the greatest of creation in a manner that we individually deem sound and acceptable. If that means gathering to sing poems in his praise and celebrating his birth, then wonderful. If it means you sit alone in your house to send some salawat upon him, then wonderful. The point is not to let your nafs and the devil distract us from doing good and puff us up with arrogance/anger by occupying us with argumentation on an issue scholars have differed upon for centuries.
Some of Those who Permitted the Mawlid
Imam Abu’l Khattab ibn Dahiya [al-Hawi li’l fatawa (ed. Ilmiyya, pp. 189)] Ibn al-Jazari [al-Arf al-ta`rif [ed. al-Kattaniya, pp. 13-43)] Imam Abu Shama [al-Ba’ith fi inkar al-bid`a wa’l hawadith (ed. Dar al-Raya, pp. 95-96)] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani [al-Ajwiba al-murdiya (ed. Dar al-Raya, pp. 1117-1118)] Imam al-Sakhawi [Ibid., pp. 1116-1120)] Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti [al-Hawi, (pp. 189-193)]
Some of Those Who Did Not Permit the Mawlid
Imam Taj al-Din al-Fakihani [al-Mawrid fi amal al-mawlid (ed. Maktaba al-Ma`arif, pp, 19-27)]
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya [Majmu` al-Fatawa (ed. al-Najdi, 25:298)] Imam al-Haffar [al-Mi`yar (ed. al-Awqaf, 7:99-100)] Imam Abu Amr ibn al-Ala’ [al-Hawi, (pp. 192)] Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi [al-I`tisam (ed. Maktaba al-Tawhid, 1:46)]
Methodological Differences Underlying These Positions
When it comes to the issue of innovation, we can identify two broad approaches:
(a) The dominant approach adopted by many jurists of the Shafi`i school that allowed for a general principle or text to be applied in practice in a particularized manner despite there being no specific precedent for said practice. An early example of this is the position of Imam al-Shafi`i that it is recommended to recite blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) after uttering the tasmiya while slaughtering an animal. This is deduced from the general command in Surat al-Ahzab (33:43) of sending blessings on the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). In other words, Imam al-Shafi`i used a general command to legislate a particular practice despite there being no explicit precedent for this practice. Since such a practice could be validly subsumed under a general principle, it would not be an innovation to put into practice in an unprecedented form.
(b) Another view, which was held by a number of Maliki scholars, argued that there must be specific evidence in order to permit persistence (iltizam) on a particularised form of a general command. This is termed by al-Shatibi as takhsis al-umum bi-la dalil (specifying a general text without evidence). Those scholars agreeing with al-Shatibi would not allow reciting blessings on the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) after saying the tasmiya while slaughtering because no specific evidence exists to establish such a practice. As for the general command to send such blessings, it is alone insufficient to evidence permissibility in this case.
Therefore, the first view lends itself to being utilised to institutionalise or invent specific forms of devotional practice so long as they do not oppose the broad principles of the law.
The second view is not “open-looking” in this manner as it restricts itself to the existence of past precedent without which a devotional act cannot be invented or institutionalised. The only exception is when a devotional act is is done spontaneously or due to free-time without it being institutionalised.
Both views have support in the actions of the early Muslims:
(i) The first view is supported by the narration of Abu Hurarya who stated that Khubayb ibn Adi initiated the practice of performing two cycles of prayer before being executed. Here, Khubayb had no specific precedent but took a general recommendation of performing prayer and applied it in a particular manner to a specific time and situation. [Sahih al-Bukhari]
(ii) The second view is supported by the actions of some Companions who opposed practices that could reasonably be subsumed under general principles/text. One example is Ibn Mas’ud’s opposition to those who were engaging in group dhikr in the mosque despite the general command in the Qur’an to, “remember God.” (3:191)
Both these approaches return to ijtihadi differences and preferences. Consequently, the choice scholars make to argue for or against certain practices should be respected as an exercise of valid ijtihad based on sound methodological divergences.
And God knows best.
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Post by Zameel on May 8, 2017 20:50:36 GMT
Merely because scholars of high calibre have differed on an issue does not mean the disagreement is valid. In order for a disagreement to be “valid”, it must have been articulated by a mujtahid or be directly traceable to the principle of a mujtahid, and there must not have been widespread condemnation of it. In the particular case of Mawlid, the scholars who upheld its permissibility are not mujtahids, but muqallids; so the claim that this is a “valid” difference of opinion cannot be simply asserted based on the fact that historically there were multiple opinions. There is no evidence in this that al-Shāfi‘i allowed it in an institutionalised form. That is, if it became a widespread, public, practice that when Muslims slaughter an animal, they recite ṣalawāt along with tasmiya, to the point that this becomes a salient feature ( shi‘ār) of the religion, would al-Shāfi‘ī have allowed this? It does not seem so. (See below). Yes, a spontaneous or individual practice is not in question, as the act itself is permissible. This is not true. Imām al-Shāṭibī would allow such a practice if done individually and spontaneously, as it is in itself permissible and an established devotional practice. (See: al-I‘tiṣām, 2:313) When a new/unprecedented devotional practice becomes institutionalised and starts to take on the veneer of a shi‘ār of religion, the Shāfi‘ī jurists, just like other jurists, have considered it a reprehensible innovation. Here are some quotes demonstrating this principle: Imām al-Shāfi‘ī said: “I regard it reprehensible that a man adopts the fast of a month that he completes just as he completes Ramaḍān, and likewise a [specific] day from amongst the days [of the week]. I only regard it to be reprehensible because an ignorant man may follow [him] and think that to be necessary or a good deed [in that specific time].” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 48) Al-‘Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam said: “When a learned man prays [ṣalāt al-raghā’ib], he will make it seem to the common people that it is from the sunnahs; and thus he will be lying about the Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) with the tongue of his state, and the tongue of one’s state often stands in place of the tongue of one’s speech.” He further states: “Ṣalāt al-Raghā’ib with its particular features makes it seem to the common people that it is amongst the sunnahs of the Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace), as is the reality.” (p. 33) In response to his opponent who said that there are ḥadīths which show the Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) led some of his companions in nafl congregational ṣalāh, he says: “As for the ḥadīth of Anas and ‘Itbān ibn Mālik (may Allāh be pleased with them), there is a difference between them and ṣalāt al-raghā’ib, because being led in ṣalāt al-raghā’ib makes it appear to the common people that it is a sunnah and a symbol of the religion, as opposed to what occurred in the ḥadīth of Anas and ‘Itbān (may Allāh be pleased with them), as it is rare, so would not make it seem to the common people that it is sunnah but will make it [only] seem to be permissible.” Abū Shāmah explains: “ What is warned against and condemned is specifying some nights with a specific ṣalāh in a specific manner, and publicizing that, in like manner to what is established in the laws of Islām, like Jumu‘ah ṣalāh, ‘Īd and Tarāwīḥ ṣalāh, such that it is popularized amongst the people, and its basic structure grows, and young children are nurtured on it, and are accustomed to their parents observing it diligently just as they observe the obligations, and in fact more stringently [than them], and giving attention to making this symbol manifest by adornment, lighting and spending, just like the attention given to the two ‘Īds of Islām, and in fact even more emphatically than what is customary from the practice of the common people. In doing so, they mix the light of truth [i.e. the excellence of ṣalāh] with the darkness of falsehood [i.e. the innovated time and manner of performing the ṣalāh].” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 35-6) He quotes a fatwā on ṣalāt al-raghā’ib (a specific prayer observed on the first Friday of Rajab), and a specific prayer called Alfiyya observed on mid-Sha‘bān. Part of the fatwā states: “The night of [the first Friday of Rajab] has no superiority over other nights of Friday. As for the night of mid-Sha‘bān, it has excellence, and reviving it with worship is desirable, but individually not in congregation. People treating [the first Friday of Rajab] as the ‘Night of Raghā’ib’, as a [religious] season and a symbol [of religion], is an abominable bid‘ah. And what they add on that [occasion] beyond need and norm, in terms of lighting and so on, is not in accordance with Sharī‘ah. The Alfiyya which is prayed on the night of mid-Sha‘bān, neither it nor its like have any basis. It is strange how eager the people are in [performing] this innovation on these two nights, while they fall short in the strongly emphasised practices established from the Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace)! Allāh is asked for help.” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 42) In refuting ṣalāt al-raghā’ib, and those who viewed it as a “good innovation”, Abū Shāmah quotes ‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salām who said: “ From that which proves this ṣalāh is innovated is that the scholars who are the landmarks of the religion and the imāms of the Muslims, amongst the ṣaḥābah, tābi‘īn and tābi‘ī al-tābi‘īn and others from those who authored books on the Sharī‘ah, in spite of their intense eagerness to teach people the obligations and the sunnahs, it has not been recorded from any of them that he mentioned this ṣalāh, and nor did he record it in his book, and nor did he hint at it in his gathering, and it is impossible by norm that such a thing would be sunnah and yet it would be hidden to these people who are the landmarks of religion and the exemplars of the believers, and they are the ones who are turned to in all rulings, whether obligations, sunnahs or ḥalāl and ḥarām.” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 44) Abū Shāmah then says: “This is the clearest evidence that this ṣalāh, with its particular features, has no basis in the religion. The opposition accepts this, but claims the practice is permissible on the grounds of the inclusion of this ṣalāh under the general command transmitted in the Book and Sunnah of ṣalāh in general, and thus it is recommended based on the generalities of the texts of Sharī‘ah, from which are: ‘ṣalāh is a light’, ‘the best of your deeds is ṣalāh’ and the like of these, and thus it is like the rest of the voluntary practices which people initiate from themselves. The answer to this is that it is said: ṣalāt al-raghā’ib is not so, because the ṣalāh about which the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said that it is light and that it is the best institution, is the one that does not clash with the Sharī‘ah in any way, while this ṣalāh does clash with the Shārī‘ah in the three ways.” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 44-5) While giving a lengthy explanation of these three ways, he say: “A second detriment is that a learned man, that is taken as an authority, and seen with the eye of piety, when he practises it, he will make it seem to the common people that it is from the sunnahs – as is the reality; and thus he will be lying about the Messenger of Allāh with the tongue of his state, and the tongue of one’s state often stands in place of the tongue of one’s speech.” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 52) He continues: “The fourth detriment is that the learned person, when he offers this innovated ṣalāh, he will become an instrument for the masses lying about the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam), claiming that this is a sunnah from the sunnahs, and being an instrument to lying about the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) is not permissible…Hence, it is incorrect for a learned person to do something that as a result of his action the masses will fall into believing something in a manner contrary to the Sharī‘ah; and indeed a multitude of the ṣaḥābah refrained from doing things that are necessary or emphasised for fear that the masses will regard them to be contrary to what they in fact are.” ( al-Bā‘ith ‘alā Inkār al-Bida‘ wa l-Ḥawādith, p. 54) Imam al-Nawawi was asked about the persistent practice of some people of reading Sūrat al-An‘ām in the last rak‘ah of Tarāwīḥ on the seventh night of Ramadan. He replied: “This is not a sunnah but a detestable bid‘ah and for its detestability are reasons: from them is the impression of it being sunnah...Thus, every worshipper should refrain from this practice and should relay its condemnation, for indeed it is established in authentic hadiths that newly-invented matters are prohibited and that every bid‘ah is misguidance, and this practice has not been transmitted from any of the Salaf.” ( Fatāwā al-Imam al-Nawawī, 1:25-6) Based on such a clearly articulated principle, any unprecedented devotional practice given institutionalised status is an abominable bid‘ah. The Mawlid, defined as the annual institutionalised devotional celebration of the birth-anniversary of the Beloved Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) in the month of Rabī‘ al-Awwal, is undoubtedly such, and is thus an abominable bid‘ah. The first to institute this practice were Shī‘ah Rawāfiḍ. (See: ahlussunnah.boards.net/thread/556/mawlid-conclusive-fatwa) Some of the very things said about the innovations mentioned by earlier scholars could be said about the Mawlid, particularly, how many people are eager in adhering strictly to this innovation, but are lax when it comes to well-established sunnahs of the Beloved Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam), which surely are far more virtuous and far more blessed, regardless of what position one takes on the innovated Mawlid.
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Post by sunniseeker on May 9, 2017 15:18:32 GMT
salaam 'alaykum,
Isn't the above a very specific definition designed to fit your argument, and not one that necessarily reflects the actual perception of proponents of the mawlid in general?
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Post by Zameel on May 9, 2017 18:48:02 GMT
Wa 'alaykumussalam
It is not a question of "perception" but a question of the reality of the action. As explained in some of the quotes above, the perception of some individuals that Salat al-Ragha'ib or the prayer known as "Alfiyya" that it is merely "nafl salah prayed in congregation" (which is fine according to the Shafi'i school) was not accepted; since the reality of the action is something very different, as it is something given a fixed time with fixed features.
In the very same way, "Mawlid" may be perceived as merely an innocent commemoration of the birth and life of the Beloved Prophet, but the reality is a fixed ritualized celebration of the birth-anniversary in Rabi al-Awwal. There is no question that people treat the occasion as an "Id" and that, for many, specifically marking the month of Rabi for a devotional celebration has become a symbol (shi'ar) of religion. There is also no doubt that some regard the practice as holding extra merit and religious virtue.
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faqir
Junior Member
Posts: 64
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Post by faqir on May 12, 2017 18:46:09 GMT
Says the muqallid!
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Post by Zameel on May 13, 2017 10:36:41 GMT
A muqallid, or more precisely one who is presenting the view of a mujtahid he follows, does not freeze his mind. A qualified muqallid is capable of investigating and researching the view of the mujtahid/s to ascertain that it is accurately transmitted and correctly applied. On another issue, Mulla Ali al-Qari laments: "Amongst the greatest oddities and most manifest peculiarities is that some people in this time, despite claiming to be learned, are content with following some muqallids without any evidence or proof in religion, ignoring clear transmissions from the mujtahids, bolstered by authentic narrations...This is nothing but reflective of what Allah, the Exalted, said about them: 'They say: We found our ancestors on a way, and we a surely guided in their footsteps.'" ( Majmu'ah al-Rasa'il, 3:294)
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Post by SyedMuhammadIbnAlAfaq on May 13, 2017 16:27:03 GMT
The practice of using definitions like "Wajib, "Fard", "Sunnat al-Mo'akda" etc started after our Nabi and These definitions are also given importance. They are prevalent. They are also considered salient features (shi‘ār) of the religion. So if giving importance makes some Bid'ah impermissible, then using these definitions are Bid'ah too. Similarly, Islamic Schools, Khanqahs started after the Prophet. But they are given importance too as if they have some religious importance. Why are these not stopped? Writing tafsirs of Qur'an is also famous in our age. One should have knowledge about the Tafsir of Qur'an. But there was no tafsir book at the time of the messenger, not even at the time of mujtahids. There were no Hadith collections at that time of our Prophet. But now the use of these Hadith collections is prevalent. But they are not stopped, Why? Different Islamic conferences are held on specific days. So if specifying was wrong then why date is fixed for the conferences. Hakim ul-Ummah Ashraf Ali Thanawi divided Takhsees (specification) into two types: A'di and Deeni. He said that A'di takhsees is permissible and Deeni takhsees is impermissible. (Khutbaat e Milad al-Nabi)
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Post by SyedMuhammadIbnAlAfaq on May 13, 2017 18:46:48 GMT
So you accept that the scholars who have differed on this issue are of high calibre.
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Post by Zameel on May 13, 2017 19:01:00 GMT
Islamic Schools, Khanqahs started after the Prophet. But they are given importance too as if they have some religious importance. Why are these not stopped? Writing tafsirs of Qur'an is also famous in our age. One should have knowledge about the Tafsir of Qur'an. But there was no tafsir book at the time of the messenger, not even at the time of mujtahids. There were no Hadith collections at that time of our Prophet. But now the use of these Hadith collections is prevalent. But they are not stopped, Why? Different Islamic conferences are held on specific days. So if specifying was wrong then why date is fixed for the conferences. Hakim ul-Ummah Ashraf Ali Thanawi divided Takhsees (specification) into two types: A'di and Deeni. He said that A'di takhsees is permissible and Deeni takhsees is impermissible. (Khutbaat e Milad al-Nabi) You have answered your own question. These are non-ritualistic ( 'adi) specifications, not given any religious meaning in and of themselves. People understand madrasas, for instance, are means to an end and are not intrinsically meritorious. Mawlid, the celebration of the birth-anniversary in Rabi al-Awwal, however, is treated as an "Id" by many and is treated as though it has intrinsic religious merit, which amounts to a ritualistic ( ta'abbudi) restriction, as opposed to a non-ritualistic ( 'adi) one. This explains why there are some people, even scholars, who actually believe there is extra merit for carrying out certain good deeds specifically in the month of Rabi al-Awwal, but no one believes the transmission of religious knowledge is intrinsically more meritorious in madrasas. Yes, people might believe it is better for other (practical/organisational) reasons, but not for any intrinsic religious meaning. Al-Shatibi explains: “As for madrasas, there no ritualistic matter connected to it about which it will be said: it is bid‘ah, unless it were supposed that part of the sunnah was that religious knowledge is only studied in masjids, but this is not found – rather, religious knowledge in the early period was distributed in every place, whether masjid, house, travel or residence, or other than that, and even in the markets. Thus, if someone prepares a madrasa for studying religious knowledge, by preparing which he is assisting students, this is no more than him preparing it as a house amongst houses [in which knowledge is distributed]…so where does bid‘ah enter into here? If it is said that bid‘ah is in specifying that place over other places, then the specification here is not a ritualistic ( ta‘abbudi) specification…” ( al-I‘tisam, 1:346)
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Post by adam786 on May 13, 2017 20:52:41 GMT
Mufti Zameelur, it's ironic you quote Abu Shama to make your case against the practice of the mawlid considering he himself was supporter of the mawlid. In future, please read the work you are qouting properly as you have missed an important point in Abu Shama's work. The great imam states: “And among the best innovated actions in these times are those actions that take place every year coinciding with the birth of the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) such as charity, good deeds, personal beautification, joy, and so forth, as they speak of love and reverence for the beloved Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam)…” قال الإمام المحدث الفقيه أبو شامة في رسالته : ومن أحسن ما ابتدع في زماننا ما يُفعل كل عام في اليوم الموافق لمولده صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم من الصدقات، والمعروف، وإظهار الزينة والسرور، فإن ذلك مشعرٌ بمحبته صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وتعظيمه في قلب فاعل ذلك وشكراً لله تعالى على ما منّ به من إيجاد رسوله الذي أرسله رحمة للعالمين. With regards to the Shafi'i discussion on the Salat Ragahaib you would benefit from the writing of the erudite Dr.Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti. Explanation of Praying Salat al-Khayr on Mid-Shaban According to the Shafi'i Madhab sunnah.org/wp/2008/08/09/explanation-salat-al-khayr-mid-shaban-shafii/For those who want to know more about the Shafi'i position on the mawlid I suggest you refer to what a living Shafi'i scholar has written rather than relying on a Hanafi muqalid to explain to you another madhab's view on a matter. The Celebration of Mawlid in Light of the Shafi’i School islamqa.org/shafii/shafiifiqh/30192
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