Why ‘Umar b. Abdul Aziz Successor diverted from his path

“When ‘Umar b. Abdul Aziz was appointed [a Caliph] he made apparent [and widespread] from the Sunnah and the Justice that which was hidden.

 

When he died, [his successor] Yazid b. ‘Abdul Malik sought to follow in his footsteps, until 20 scholars from among the ‘Uthmani scholars came to him and swore to him by Allah, who there is no God but He, that when Allah appoints a Caliph, he accepts from him the good, and forgives for him the shortcomings [and faults], until he swayed from the path of ‘Umar b. Abdul ‘Aziz.

 

That is they have an absolute obedience to whoever is appointed over their affairs, and that Allah does not hold him accountable for his sins. It had not reached us that anyone from among them believed that the [rulers] were infallible, rather they only held that: They will not be held accountable for sins …” [1]

 

وهلْ أفسدَ الدينَ الملوكُ وَأحبــارُ سُوءٍ وَرُهبانُهـــا

فباعُوا النفوسَ ولمْ يربحَوا ولمْ تغلُ في البيعِ أثمانهُا

Reference:

[1] Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiya (6/200) – Ibn Taymiyah

[2] Original Arabic: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=190058715228035&id=100026717234303

A Chinese Prophet and his Miraculous Chinese Book?! – Sh. Amr Basyouni

Q: What would it mean to you if a Chinese Prophet comes and says that the evidence of his Prophethood is a miraculous book in the Chinese language, and challenges you to bring a book like it?!

A:

If you looked at his life and saw that he is a truthful, honest, and pious man, who was never accused of lying or immorality, and reached the highest levels of worship and asceticism in this Life. Thereafter you looked at the meanings in that book which he says was revealed to him by God, and saw that it is a book calling to virtuous manners, wisdom in legislation, and purity in Belief, in line with the true Fitrah and the rational mind, then [you saw that] he spoke about matters of the unseen which occurred [as he said]. You then saw that he challenged his Chinese nation, who were plenty in number and held animosity towards him, to bring a Book like the one he brought, yet they remained incapable of doing so, and chose instead to fight him and wage wars against him. You also found that with all that, his followers remained increasing in number as the time passed, and not decreasing, and that the proofs he brought are continuous, the evidence of his Truthfulness remain, and the miraculous nature of his challenge and the inability of [his people to meet that challenge] are still established, then he is undoubtedly a Prophet, for the Truthful does not lie, and the delusional does not remain in that state of delusion, and Allah does not support with the unseen and with miracles except whom He entrusted with His Revelation, otherwise he would be luring the people.

And the Prophethood of a Prophet could not be established by clearer than this, otherwise, there wouldn’t have been Prophethood, and Allah would have left the people in vain and with no purpose. Therefore, all what preceded should be considered, since there is no other way to realize the truthfulness of he who is transmitting Revelation from Allah, with whatever tongue [that revelation] was done in, for whoever is transmitting revelation ought to do it in the tongue in which he speaks. Now asking about a specific language rather than another is merely futile argumentation, since there is no substitute to this in this worldly life (i.e. for Allah to send a truthful Messenger with a Message which he transmits to the people with the tongue in which he speaks), unless Allah chooses to reveal Himself to His creation, and that is contrary to the wisdom behind the test for which Allah created Man, which is meant to reveal the evil doers from the doers of good, and consequentially would result in the reward or punishment [of the Hereafter].

Reference:

http://ask.fm/BasionyAmr/answers/141371314343

 

ماذا يعني لك أن يأتي نبي صيني يقول: أنّ دليل صدقه هو كتاب معجز باللغة الصينية ويتحدّاك أن تأتي بمثله ؟!.

إذا نظرت في سيرته ووجدته صادقا تقيا ورعا، لم يرم بكذب ولا فجور، وهو إلى الغاية في العبادة والزهد في الدنيا، ثم نظرت في معاني كتابه الذي يقول إن الله أوحى به إليه فوجدت فيه الفضائل الأخلاقية والحكمة التشريعية والاعتقاد الصافي الموافق للفطر والعقول، ثم قد أخبر بالغيب الواقع، ثم وجدته تحدى أمته الصينية كثيرة العدد متوافرة العداوة على أن يأتوا بمثل كتابه، فلم يقدروا، واستعاضوا عن ذلك بقتاله وحربه، ثم تابعه فئام عظيمة من الناس، دهرا طويلا يزيدون لا ينقصون، وبرهانه مستمر ودلائل صدقه قائمة ولا زال إعجازه وتعجيزه مستمرا = فلابد أنه نبي إذن، فإن الصادق لا يكذب، والمتوهم لا يستمر وهمه، والله لا يؤيد بالغيوب والمعجزات إلا من أمنه على وحيه وإلا أغرى بالناس. ولا يمكن الاستدلال على نبوة نبي بأبلغ من ذلك، وإلا لم تكن نبوات، وكان الله ترك الناس سدى وعبثا، ولكان أجدى ألا يكون الله موجودا إذ لا يصح أن يكون على هذه الصفة من العبث والإهمال والظلم، ولكن الله قطعا موجود، فيجب أن يصح كل ما سبق لأنه لا سبيل غيره لمعرفة صدق من يبلغ عن الله، بأي لسان كان، فلابد للمبلغ من لسان يتكلم به، والسؤال عن لسان دون لسان معاياة ومكابرة لأنه لا بديل لذلك في دنيا الناس، إلا مشافهة الله للخلق بربوبيته، وهذا خلاف حكمة الابتلاء الذي يترتب عليه ظهور المفسد من المصلح وترتب النعيم والعذاب.

 

Beware who you follow, for you might perish, while they attain salvation!

Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid ibn Nawfal al-Asadi became an apostate and claimed to be a Prophet. Thousands of people followed him in his claim. He set up an army to fight the Muslims, but was defeated and the majority of his army were killed upon the state of apostasy they were upon.

He, however, managed to escape, and later repented from his claims and accepted Islam once again. He strived to perfect his Islam and fought for the sake of Allah in the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah and later in the Battle of Nahavand, where he attained martyrdom and his performance was pivotal in the victory of the Muslims in this battle.

Moral of this story: Always be careful about who you choose to follow.

For they perished … But he was saved!

References:

[1] Benefited from: https://www.facebook.com/alazhary12/posts/1087432327991384

ارتد طليحة بن خويلد الأسدي وتنبأ وتابعه الألوف فجهز جيشا لحرب المسلمين فهزم وقُتل غالب جيشه على ردتهم حتى فر ثم أسلم وحسن إسلامه وجاهد في القادسية واستشهد في معركة نهاوند
هلكوا ونجا

 

al-Shaykha Zaynab bint al-Kamal (d. 740 H)

The Handwriting of Imam Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioning his listening to the recitation of the Muwatta of Imam Malik from his Shaykha Zaynab bint al-Kamal al-Maqdisiya al-Dimashqiya (may Allah have mercy on her) in the Hanabilah Mosque near Mount Qasioun in Damascus [1].

سماعٌ لموطأ مالك بخطِّ الحافظ ابن كثير على شيخته زينبَ بنتِ الكمال المقدسية الدمشقية، وذلك بجامع الحنابلة في سفح قاسيونَ بدمشق:ـ

She is: Um Abdullah Zaynab bint Ahmad b. Abdulraheem al-Maqdisiya al-Dimashqiya, better known as Bint Al-Kamal [2].

She was born in the year of 646 of Hijra

From her students and those who took knowledge from her are Imam al-Dhahabi author of Siyar A’laam al-Nubala, in which he said when speaking of her father:

“And in this year the Muhadeth, Faqeeh, Kamal al-Din Ahmad b. Abdulraheem, the father of our scholar (i.e. meaning her) passed away” [3]

She had many students and students of knowledge would travel to take from her knowledge. She was known for her gentleness, great manners, and patience with her students.

She died in 740 of Hijra.

Hanabilah Mosque in Damascus can be seen above (with its minaret center-right)

 

Reference:

[1] Benefited from Sh. Muhammad b. Wael al-Hanbali (Link)

[2] Biography (ahl alhdeeth forum post)

[3] Siyar A’laam al-Nubala 23/307

[4] Mount Qasioun (Wikipedia)

[5] Pictures from the Hanabila Mosque in Damascus (Pictures – Pictures 2)

Shaykh Ali Haydar Efendi (d. 1380 H)

Sh. Muhammad b. Wael al-Hanbali said:

When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk waged his war on the scholars and Islamic schools in Turkey, the scholar of our scholars, Shaykh Ali Haydar Efendi d. 1380 H (may Allah have mercy on him), said:

"If the books of the four Madhahib [1] were to perish, I could dictate them back from my chest (i.e. from memory)".

This was narrated to me by one of his students who heard it from him [2].

Reference:

[1] Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence

[2] Benefitted from Sh. Muhammad b. Wael al-Hanbali (Link)

عندما حارب أتاتورك العلماءَ والمدارسَ الشرعيةَ بتركيا قال شيخ مشايخنا علي حيدر أفندي ت١٣٨٠هـ: لو فنيتْ كتبُ المذاهبِ الأربعة لأمليتُها مِن صدري !ـ
حدثني بذلك: أحدُ طلابِه عنه

 

Imam Ibn Jareer Al-Tabari

The Mujtahid, the Mufasir, the Imam Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (224-310H) -may Allah have mercy on him- said:

I memorized the Quran when I was seven years old, and
Led congregational prayers when I was eight years old, and
Started recording Prophetic traditions when I was nine years old. [1]

Sh. Muhammad b. Wael al-Hanbali said: "These texts and its likes should be a mean to motivate us and to make us realize the caliber of our scholars" [2].

Reference:

[1] Mu’jam al-Udabaa 6/2446

[2] Benefitted from Sh. Muhammad b. Wael al-Hanbali (Link)

 

قال الإمام المجتهد المفسِّر المؤرِّخ ابنُ جريرٍ الطبري:ـ
حفظتُ القرآنَ ولي سبعُ سنين، وصليتُ بالناس وأنا ابنُ ثماني سنين، وكتبتُ الحديثَ وأنا ابنُ تسعِ سنين !ـ

هذه النصوصُ وأمثالُها نقرؤها لنرفعَ عزيمتَنا، ونعرف قدرَ علمائنا، ولا نُقارنَ تقصيرَنا بهممهم !ـ

مقولةُ ابنِ جرير في معجم الأدباء: 2446/6

 

Your speech is being transmitted!

Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said one day to his companions:

"Tell me,

If among you was someone who transmitted whatever you said to the Sultan, would you have spoken out about anything?”

They said: No

So he said:

Then [know that] indeed with you are those who transmit your speech to Allah -Glorified and Exalted is He-!

{Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).} [Qaaf 50:18]

Reference:

[1] Al-Tabsera by Ibn Al-Jawzi 2/237

[2] Benefited from: https://www.facebook.com/ALBaQeLLany/posts/1121370304624134

[3] Just as one would be watchful about speaking of matters that would cause him to be imprisoned or punished if with him was someone who would transmit that speech to the people of authority, similarly they should be more fearful and watchful of Allah as all what is said and done is raised to Him, and He knows all that occurs.

قال سفيان الثوري يوما لأصحابه: أخبروني لو كان معكم من يرفع الحديث إلى السلطان، أكنتم تتكلمون بشيء؟
قالوا: لا.
قال: فإن معكم من يرفع الحديث إلى الله عز وجل!ـ

A God from Stone?!

Imam Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer, under the verse:

{But the chiefs of those who disbelieved among his people said: "He is no more than a human being like you, he seeks to make himself superior to you. Had Allah willed, He surely could have sent down angels; never did we hear such a thing among our fathers of old} Al-Moeminun 23:24

Ibn Juzayy said: {He is no more than a human} They thought it far fetched that Prophethood could be in a human, so how astonishing of them that they believed that divinity could be in a stone!

Reference:

[1] Al-Tasheel Li Uloom al-Tanzeel Chapter 24, 1/1170

[2] Benefited from: https://www.facebook.com/ALBaQeLLany/posts/994195667341599

[3] More on the author (Arabic): http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=125015

فَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ مَا هَذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَأَنْزَلَ مَلَائِكَةً مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا فِي آبَائِنَا الْأَوَّلِينَ (24)

قال ابن جزي رحمه الله:{ مَا هذا إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ } استبعدوا أن تكون النبوّة لبشر؛ فيا عجباً منهم إذ أثبتوا الربوبية لحجر!ـ

 

If he finds someone in dire need of water …

Sh. al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah shower him with Mercy) said:

"And if he finds someone who is in dire need of the water that is with him, then he should give it to him to drink and perform Tayamum instead,

And whoever performs Ghusl or ablution and there is someone who is in dire need [of this water] from the people of the Millah (our Religion) or from the people of the Dhimmah (non-Muslims), or [even] their animals whose sanctity is preserved, yet does not quench their thirst then he is a disobedient sinner!"

Reference:

[1] Majmou’ al-Fatawa ​4/392​

[2] Benefitted from: https://www.facebook.com/ALBaQeLLany/posts/992283064199526?pnref=story

 

قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية : "لو وجد غيره مضطراً إلى ما معه من الماء فعليه أن يسقيه إياه ويعدل إلى التيمم، ومن اغتسل وتوضأ وهناك مضطر من أهل الملة أو الذمة أو دوابهم المعصومة فلم يسقه كان آثما عاصيا!".ـ

Who among them is best?

A person of worship was asked:

Is The one who elongates his Qunoot (prayer supplications) better, Or the one who elongates his prayer, or the one who elongates his prostration?

So he said: The best among them is He Who does it with sincerity.

Reference:

[1] Al-Basaaer wa Al-Zakhaer 1/45

[2] Benefitted from: https://www.facebook.com/mahmoud.salem.3576/posts/10153400486399133?fref=nf

قيل لعابد : أَمَنْ أطال في القُنوت أحسنُ ؟ أم مَن أطال في الصلاة ، أم مَن أطال في السجود؟ فقال : أحسنهم مَن أخلصَ فيها