C. Pledge (Baiy) The Sufi sheikh takes covenant from the disciple (mureed) and takes its validity from the only verse, i.e., verse 10 of chapter 48, that the disciple will obey him in all religious and worldly affairs, and by this the mureed forfeits his own authority to exercise his will unto his own self. This is also contrary to the verdicts of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet due to the following reasons: i. The only verse by which the Sufi Sheikh pleads baiy to be the Sunnah of Prophet is the above-said verse 10 of chapter 48, Al-Fattah, which is not truly interpreted, since the said verse was revealed at the occasion of the pledge of Ridwan, when Othman-bin-Affan was sent to the leaders of the Quraish to have their permission to perform pilgrim of Kaaba. When his return was delayed considerably and a rumor came to the Muslim camp that Othman was martyred, at that occasion the Prophet of Allah took a pledge from his fifteen hundred companions that they will remain with the Prophet in any way to take revenge of Othman. So the pledge was commended by the Divine Authority in the Quranic verse quoted above: “Verily, those who pledge to you (O, Muhammad) they are giving pledge to Allah.” Thus, it is absolutely clear that the pledge of Ridwan was taken and given only for a specific purpose and occasion, and it has no general bindings or meanings. Also no such pledge for security of one’s faith and for following anyone else other than the Prophet is evident from the close deputies of the Prophet of Allah. The pledge for the deputies of the Prophet was taken only for their recognition to be the head of the Muslim state and of its community. ii. The most important factor being ignored is that each and every believer is already under pledge with Allah, the most high, to follow His and His Prophet’s commands and in no way is obliged to follow the command of anyone else. It may be and it had happened that in the Indian Subcontinent a Sufi sheikh by the name of Ghulam Ahmad Qadyani (a liar) claimed him self to be the recipient of revelation from Allah and claimed to be a prophet. Then what happened to the pledges given by his followers to him? They all were misled and became nonbelievers by believing him. A Muslim is, therefore, not supposed to follow anyone else other than the Prophet of Allah, who in fact is his leader, his murshad, his peer, his guide. Indeed we do need to have religious teachers who may guide us in understanding the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet. A person who pronounces to be a Muslim is supposed to have faith on Allah, His prophet, and the Day of Judgment publicly and from the core of his heart; and this is his pledge. It may also be pointed out that every Muslim is mandated to pledge with regard to his faith or Eman in accordance with verse 285 of chapter 2, Al-Baqara, which says that “the Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers,” and they say, “We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness Our Lord, and to You is the return (of all).” So when a Muslim pledges before Allah, then no one else is entitled to bring him under his command, and one should not submit himself before anyone else other than Allah in the matter of his faith. Only at the time of the Prophet, the persons entering the folds of Islam were obliged to acknowledge before him the unity of Allah and his prophethood. Also they were obliged to pledge to obey his commands in order to obey the commands of Allah. iii. Sufis also believe in the theory of Abu-Nasr-Farabi (AD 886-950) as he said, “After achieving the highest level of wisdom, a person enables himself to perceive the revealed knowledge.” This concept is also contrary to the divine verdict revealed vide verses 26-27 of chapter 72, Al-jinn, which say, “The All-Knower of the Ghaib (unseen), and He reveals to none, His Ghaib (revelation) . . . except to a Messenger whom He has chosen.” The knowledge about which Farabi has spoken cannot be the revealed knowledge; instead he may be talking of intuition because intuition is knowledge higher than the instinct. The only difference between the two is that instinct is bestowed even to the lower animals and is the outcome of the built-in knowledge, whereas intuition is the outcome of the thinking with a pure mind and is based on imagination but has no match with the revealed knowledge, which was only bestowed unto the prophets by the Divine Authority. D. Sufi Traditions Sufi school proclaims their specific traditions to attain wisdom in order to approach the nearness of Allah. In that they accept the help (Wathilah) of some saint or sheikh (murshad) and practice certain exercises that are not permissible under the verdicts of the Quran and the Sunnah, as is evident vide verse 153 of chapter 6 and verse 32 of chapter 3, which say in this regard, “And verily, this is My (Allah’s) path straight. So follow it and do not follow (others) ways, lest they lead you away from My path . . . Say (O, Muhammad)! If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is oft Forgiving, Most merciful.” Contrary to these verses, the followers of a particular Sufi school of thought keep their relations with Allah through their appointed sheikh or peer and a person known as a saint (may be alive or not). The saints set their spiritual links with Ali, whom they consider to be the chief of the saints, through whom they would approach Allah. The Prophet of Allah has also given his verdict in this regard; a popular and mostly recited saying on the pulpit proclaims, “Verily, the best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad and evil of all religious matter is their innovations (bidah), and every innovation (bidah) is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.” E. Asking for Help Some of the followers of Sufi thoughts ask for help to someone other than Allah. They have formulated an opinion that all worldly affairs are being administered by the Sufis or saints appointed by Allah and that their prayers are granted by Allah through them. This is the most unwanted belief before Allah being contrary to His orders. The topic is too vast to be explained here, but it can be made clear for the common understanding through the verdicts of Allah, the most powerful and the owner of sovereignty; the following verses of the Quran are referred in this regard: i. Verses 21-22 of chapter 72, Al-jinn, says that “say: (O, Prophet)! I have no power to cause to you harm or to bring you to the right path . . . Say: ‘surely none can protect (even) me against Allah, nor can I find refuge beside Him.’” Allah says that even if you invoke the Prophet (while he was alive), he could not help you, neither protect you, since he is not the partner of Allah; instead he is the most obedient slave (Abd) and the Prophet of Allah. Indeed he is extremely dear to Him, and indeed He has bestowed upon him His unlimited bounties and benevolences. ii. Verses 13-14 of chapter 35, Fatir, pronounce the might, the power, the ownership, and the lordship of Allah over everything that exists. The said verses say that “He (Allah) merges the night into the day and He merges the day into the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah, your Lord; His is the Kingdom, and those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmir (a thin screen over the date stone) . . . If you invoke them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it to you (your request). And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you like Him, Who is the All-Knower.” Most of the followers of the Sufi thought argue that the saints and the prophets are alive in their graves and that they are not dead and do hear them when they are called and are able to recommend their prayers before Allah. In this context, they refer verse 154 of chapter 2 and verse 169 of chapter 3, which say that “think not of those who are slain in the way of Allah that ‘they are dead.’ Nay, they are alive, though you perceive (them) not . . . Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay, they are alive, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.” Allah, the protecting friend, has clearly mentioned that such people are still alive and have their sustenance, but you cannot perceive their lives. This is why Allah has clarified in verse 14 of chapter 35 that even if they were to hear you (as you say), they could not grant anything that you ask them. In another verse 22 of chapter 35, Allah says that “nor are (alike) the living and the dead. Verily, Allah makes whom He Wills to hear, but you can not make hear those who are in graves.” .......(To be continued).
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:42:45 +0000