Thursday, April 26, 2007

Islam Yang Bermanhaj Salaf as-Salih


SILATURRAHMI AKBAR
@ Masjid Abd Hamid Kg Pasiran (Gentle Rd)

Ulama' dan Umara' bersama Umat

Ceramah berjudul

"Islam Yang Bermanhaj Salaf as-Salih"

Oleh Ustaz Abu Farouq Rasul Bin Dahri (hafizahullaah)

Sabtu 5hb Mei 2007

Selepas Solat Isya'

Semua dipersilakan hadir.

Datanglah bersama ahli keluarga, saudara-mara dan sahabat-handai.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Ask him: Where does he take his manhaj from?


It is really strange for a person to claim to be a Salafee when he doesn't contact his fellow Salafee brothers.

So ask him, where does he take his manhaj from?

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Salafiyyah: A Leftist Movement?

(In reply to "Brother"'s comment in my previous entry, "Something to think about..")

Brother said:
i think the fact of the matter is in general the Salafi movement brings in a reformist mentality which is refreshing viz a viz the kind of taqlid mentality which unfortunately have befallen the community.

Brother is giving the impression that the taqleed mentality is a recent phenomenom. A point to note is that the taqleed mentality is something that has been going on for ages, such that even the four imams (Aboo Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafi'ee and Ahmad rahimahumullaah) worried about it.

We can read the words of the 4 Imams opposing taqleed such as "wa laa tuqallidoonee" (and do not blindly follow me), or in other words that advise us to abandon their opinions in the presence of authentic hadeeths. We can read about it in Shaykh al-Albaanee's book, Sifaat Solaat an-Nabee.

However, if it is being raised to our parents or grandparents (I'm referring to Singapore context.. probably it refers to Malaysia and Indonesia as well.. I'm not too sure..), we would hear them say, "But in the past, my teachers said that if we follow (the madhhab of) al-Shaafi'ee, we should only stick to it and not take from others (i.e. other madhhabs)."

SubhaanAllaah.. it is as though the Deen is only based upon one madhhab! Whereas the Deen is based upon al-Kitaab and as-Sunnah (of course, as understood by the Sahaabahs as they were the Prophet's students, followed by Taabi'een and Taabi' at-Taabi'een radiyAllaahu 'anhum).

Brother said:
however the issue here is - how does this movement position itself in a way that it does not break away from the mainstream or be seen as a leftist which if you look at it rationally is the case today or the perception which surrounds us.

Salafiyyah is a leftist movement? SubhaanAllaah... even if it is true that the Salafiyyah or Salafiyyoon is perceived as a leftist movement, we should know how this perception came about in the first place.

Scenario: A Salafee caller comes to a group of Muslims and inform them that what they are practising is against the Sunnah. He then presented the evidences to the Muslims. Not being able to accept that what they have been practising all these years are incorrect, they oppose the caller, label him a "Wahhabi". And when they are asked "What is Wahhabi?", they'd say, "Oh, Wahhabi is Wahhabi" or they'd say, "Wahhabi is not from Ahlus Sunnah."

So who is being leftist here? Or has it been an effort to marginalise the truth from the people?

Thus, do the Salafiyyoon purposely break away from the mainstream or people who claim to be from the mainstream break the Salafiyyoon away from the mainstream? That is, the Salafiyyoon are being marginalised by people who simply could not accept that what they have been practising is incorrect.

What's more unfortunate is when these people are influential in the community, thus influencing the community to marginalise the Salafiyyoon.

Brother said:
the challenge which we face today is to integrate with the rest of the muslims and showcase to everyone the truth in a matter which would be wildly exceptable and not otherwise.

In addition to what I've mentioned earlier, I believe we all know that integration is a two-way traffic. Take the scenario of a new student coming into class. The class should make him feel welcome while he makes the effort to blend in with his new classmates.

The same goes with the issue of integration into the community.

Didn’t Hasan al-Banna said that “we should come together upon common grounds”?

What is our common ground? Al-Kitaab and as-Sunnah.

But how do we know we are adhering to them the way it should be? Follow the understanding of the Sahaabah, Taabi’een and Taabi’ at-Taabi’een radiyAllaahu a’nhum.

This is the manhaj of the Salaf and this is how we as Muslims should unite, especially if we claim to be Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Ja’maa’ah.

But many Muslims who “call for coming together upon common grounds” do not adhere to this manhaj, including Hasan al-Banna himself.


To conclude, whatever the issue is, it goes back to manhaj, that is, referring to the manhaj of the Salaf.

Wallaahu a'lam.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Something to think about...


"You see me as one who likes to debate just because I raise a different opinion. In actual fact, you disagree with me and are arguing your point as though you are right and I am wrong."

Something for my Salafee brothers and sisters to think about.. This is one of the main obstacles and challenges that we face in spreading and conveying the Salafee Da'wah.

We are labelled as people who like to debate just because we bring out an opinion or a practice that is contrary to what the common Muslims are holding onto (like placing the hands on the chest and moving the forefinger in tashahhud in prayer) and we affirm it to be true and correct.

Or because we affirm something to be from the Sunnah of the Prophet but the common Muslims are practising contrary to it.
One of the harshest comments that a Salafee would receive is that Salafees think that they are the only ones who are correct while others are wrong.

SubhaanAllaah.. Muslims should read the hadeeth of al-Irbaad bin Sareeyah whereby the Prophet advised us to adhere to his Sunnah and the sunnah of the Rightly-guided Caliphs when we face differences of opinions. (This hadeeth is hasan, reported by Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhee)

Hence, the Prophet taught us to judge by using his Sunnah.

Which is why in Sharh as-Sunnah, Imam al-Barbahaaree stated that "Islaam is as-Sunnah and as-Sunnah is Islaam, one of the two cannot be uphold without the other (i.e. Islaam cannot be uphold with as-Sunnah and vice versa)."

Let us not be taken aback by their harsh comments.. People tend to be egoistic.. They can't accept that what they've been practising all this while is incorrect..

But we know for sure that the truth lies in the evidences.. the hadeeths and narrations.. which we always bring to support our hujjah..
Regardless of the situation, we bite onto the Sunnah of the Prophet and his Rightly-guided Caliphs with the stregth of our jaws, as advised by the Prophet in the hadeeth of al-Irbaad bin Sareeyah.
Shaykh Rabee' ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee advised us to call to the people with softness and lenience.

While Shaykh Ibn Baaz advised us that this is not the time for harshness.. this is a time for softness, patience and wisdom...

Wallaahu al-Musta'aan.

Narrations and principle to reflect and ponder upon...


إعلموا أن الإسلام هو السنة والسنة هي الإسلام, ولا يقوم أحدهما إلا بالآخر

"Know that Islam is as-Sunnah and as-Sunnah is Islam, and one of the two cannot be uphold without the other (i.e. Islam cannot be uphold except with as-Sunnah and vice versa)."
- Sharh as-Sunnah, al-Imaam al-Barbahaaree

صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي

"Pray as you see me pray."

- Hadeeth reported by Bukhaaree and Muslim

I say: Every Muslim should ask himself this question: "Have I been abiding by the above-mentioned hadeeth?" That is by striving to perform our prayers just like how the Prophet performed his prayers.

And how can we claim to be practising Muslims when we do not practise the Sunnah? What more upholding the Sunnah?


الجماعة, ما أنا عليه وأصحابي ...

"al-Jamaa'ah, what my Companions and I are upon."

- Hadeeth reported by at-Tirmidhee, al-Haakim and others

خير الناس قرني, ثم الذين يلونهم, ثم الذين يلونهم

"The best of people is my generation (the Sahaabah), then the generation that follows them (Taabi'een), then the generation that follows them (the Taabi' at-Taabi'een)."

- Hadeeth reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim

من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا وهو ردٌّ

"Whoever perfoms an act/deed that is not from our command (the religion) shall have it rejected."

- Hadeeth reported by Muslim (5/133), Abu Dawood (no. 4606) and Ahmad (6/73) from 'Aaishah

كل بدعة ضلالة و كل ضلالة في النار

"Every innovation (in religion) is misguidance, and every misguidance is in Hellfire."

- Khutbah al-Haajah, reported by Muslim

قال ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما: كل بدعة ضلالة وأراه الناس حسنة

Ibn 'Umar said (may Allah bless both of them): "Every innovation (in religion) is misguidance even though the people see it as good."

- Reported by Abu Shaamah with the status of hasan

I say: From the above narrations, how can we not walk upon the path of the Sahaabah in practising Islam? What reason do we have for introducing or practising innovations in religion?


Finally, a principle laid down by the scholars, one of whom is the renowned al-Imaam Ibn Katheer:

لو كان خيرا لسبقون إليه

"If an act/deed is good, then the Sahaabah would have preceded us in practising it."

Wallaahu a'lam.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Birthday celebrations: Bid'ah in religion or mu'amalah?


It has come to my attention that some people, in refuting the innovation of birthday celebrations, argue that birthday celebrations fall under the category of mu'amalah or worldly matters. Hence, they conclude that it's permissible to celebrate birthdays.

We know of the principle in fiqh which states that in matters of worship, the origin of it is haram unless there is Shari'i evidence that proves it to be halal.

Hence, if we refer to the fatwa of our mashayikh, they state that birthday celebration is an innovation in religion, as it has no basis in the religion.

"Whoever does something that is not part of the a part of this matter of ours (i.e. Islam), will have it rejected." [Reported by Muslim]

This is even more so if people gathered to recite some dhikr and supplications when celebrating a person's birthday.

However, as I mentioned earlier, there are some people who argue that birthday celebrations do not fall under matters of worship but under mu'amalah or worldly matters.

And they state the fiqh principle that states that in worldly matters (mu'amalah), the origin of it is halal unless there is Shari'i evidence that proves it to be haram.

Hence, they argue that birthday celebration is permissible.

Subhanallah.. didn't they read the fatwa of the mashayikh clearly? Didn't the mashayikh state that birthday celebrations is an imitation of the Jews and the Christians?

Thus, the daleel or Shari'i evidence which prove it to be haram is the hadeeth that states that whoever imitates a people, he is among them.

Hence, my advice to my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters.. abandon birthday celebrations.. we are in no need of it.

Wallahu a'lam.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Mawlid an-Nabee and birthday celebrations are bid'ah (innovations in religion)


This entry will be short.

Mawlid an-Nabee is bid'ah. It is a sunnah of the Shi'ites. (Refer to my entry on 24 March in Malay.)

It was started by the Fatimiyyah who were Shi'ites. This is as mentioned by Shaykh 'Ali Mahfooz, a major scholar of Al-Azhar, in his book "al-Ibda' fil Madari' al-Ibtida' "

Birthday celebrations is also bid'ah. It is not from the practice of Muslims. Rather it came from the Christians.

And we know of the hadeeth which states that "Whoever imitates a people is among them."

Hence, fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, reflect upon ourselves. If we've been celebrating birthdays and Mawlid an-Nabee, leave them.

Below is a link of my previous entries on Mawlid an-Nabee and birthday celebrations.

http://fikrahibnshamsuddeen.blogspot.com/search?q=birthday

Wallahu a'lam.