Associating With Deviant Sects?

Fatawa al Haramayn Ala Hazrat radi Allahu anhu writes regarding associating with deviant sects, “Their behaviour is haram and heretical”.

He further writes, “it is intended to estrange Muslims with little knowledge from their law schools. Such Muslims, upon seeing heretical men of religion in cooperation with Ahlus Sunnah scholars all sitting in the same row of chairs, think of those heretics also as respectful and beneficial”.

 

Imam Ahmed Rida Khan states, “they begin to show respect to them which is sinful. Islamic religion commands humiliation and severe treatment of men of innovation and forbids showing respect to them. In books of doctrine, like ‘Sharh Maqasid’, the Scholars of Islam wrote “It is necessary to treat severely, to humiliate, to refute and to expel men of bid’a (innovation).” When Muslims see them at high ranks, their hearts incline to listen to them, and through the deception of Satan, begin to love them. These so called scholars who cooperate with the men of innovation cause Muslims to go astray, and cause them to lose their faith. Gathering of people with different beliefs results in the destruction of Islam. Those who claim to be waking up Muslims in fact try to poison them and lead them to disaster.”

Ala Hazrat radi Allahu anhu said, “When an innovation is spread, it is obligatory to refute it and spread knowledge of its evil, harmfulness and wickedness. It is unanimous, i.e. there is ijma (consensus) that this is obligatory by the scholars of Islam. The pious ancestors and the scholars of Islam always opposed innovation in this way. One who does not show rejection of the people of innovation and rather leave them alone to their innovation will have gone against the consensus, we cannot just leave them alone, and it is the same as liking their innovation. Ibn Hajar Makki wrote in the preface to Sawaiq al Muhriqa, “I was compelled to write this book by the hadith recorded in al Jami’ by Khatib Baghdadi which stated, “When seditions and innovations spread and the Companions are slandered, those who know the truth should declare what they know. May those who do not declare what they know be damned by Allah, the angels and all people. Their righteousness and worships are unacceptable. The Nadwi, syncretist propaganda that, “telling what one knows is sinful, causes disunion and self-destruction” is a slander against Allah and the Islamic Scholar. This is a denial of an important obligation.”

Imam Ahmed Rida Khan radi Allahu anhu states, “The Sharia commands enmity and prohibits friendship and alliance with deviants. A hadith in Sahih Muslim even shows that we should run from them to avoid hearing their speech. The hadîth reported from ‘Âbdullah ibn ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) by Abu Dâwûd says, “Do not visit them when they get sick!” The hadîth reported from Jâbir by Ibn Mâja (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) states, “Do not greet them when you encounter them!” The hadîth reported by ’Ukailî from Anas ibn Mâlik (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) says, “Do not keep company with them! Do not eat or drink with them! Do not intermarry with them!” This hadîth forbids friendship, eating and marrying with ahl al-bid’a. It is written in Hindiyya and Bahr ar-râiq, “Zindîqs, Bâtînîs, Ibâhîs and all the groups with beliefs that cause Kufr are mushriks (polytheists) like idolaters and worshippers of stars. Marriage with such Mushriks or intercourse with their females as jâriyas is harâm.” After giving many examples of how it is necessary to show enmity towards the people of innovation, and mentioning how he was writing a booklet on how to deal with the deviants, the Imam states clearly that “the aim of Nadwatul Ulema is the same as that of the damned Satan”, i.e. that their line of work was exactly in line with the Masonic agenda for that land, and corrupting the faith of Muslims so that they would no longer agree on the norms that ruled the state and would have to adopt secular rule. He outlines one of their key tactics, which is to introduce a new heretical faith, under the disguise of ‘Muslim unity, “they introduce a new religion with their statement, ‘It is fard to unite Muslims’”. He mentions that it was a belief of Nadwa, like all cults similar to them, that all no believer would escape damnation except if he held their sectarian views, i.e. that it was not correct to have theological debate with deviants, and whoever disagreed would not have their worship accepted and nor would attain blessings and happiness.” Imam Ahmed Rida views this statement of their’s to be deviance on account of the implied denial of the Quranic verses which describe the forgiveness of Allah. For the reason that they regard an essential of faith (i.e. disputation with deviants) to be unlawful, Imam Ahmed Rida rightly views them to have dissented from Ahlus Sunnah, especially seeing how many hadiths there are about hostility towards deviants, “Their words, “Dispute with and hostility towards men of bid’a are sinful. This sin will not be forgiven. Pardon of it is impossible,” show that they have dissented from the right path of Ahl as-Sunna wa ’l Jama’a” (fatawa al haramayn, p.16). His advice to the believers was that there should be disassociation and enmity with the people of innovation as their existence was a sin, and he said that they should not be forgiven, they were outside the folds of forgiveness as they have exhibited clear exit from the folds of Sunni orthodoxy and because of their clear denial of the fundamental Sunni beliefs, and they could not be simply ignored on the basis of this, and that they needed to repent. They also changed the meanings of the words of the hadith that says, “Servants of God, be brothers to one another”, and they interpreted it to mean that anyone who recites the testimony of faith should not have argument and disagreement with another reciter of the same formula, i.e. all deviant sects should unite and Ahlus Sunna should also join with them. The Imam says, “As for the meaning of the words in the hadith, it is that you should become brothers by abandoning innovation and accepting the Sunni way, and this way, you (i.e. deviants) can earn the honour of becoming brothers to the People of Truth, instead of the opposite, which is that these people may remain on their innovations whilst ordering the People of Truth to tolerate them and sink to their level.” (fatawa al haramayn, p.17)

Ala Hazrat radi Allahu anhu says, “No it is not allowed. There is a hadith which states, “When the matter of teaching Islam is delegated to people not fit for the job, know the day of judgement is close”, this is recorded by al Bukhari and it is narrated by Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu. Another hadith states “Other than the Antichrist, I seriously fear for my nation the deceiving, misguided religious leaders”, this was recorded by Imam Ahmed and narrated by Abu Dharr al Ghaffari. Ibn Adi and ad Daylami narrate from Abu Amamah, “Sometimes you find an ignorant worshipper and transgressive, sinful scholars, so filter out the ignorants from the worshippers and the sinners from the scholars”. And from the same companion, Abu Nuyam mentions in ‘Hilya’, “In the end of times you will find the maggots of qurra’ (reciters of scripture/callers to Islam), so whoever reaches that time, let him seek refuge in Allah from them”. And al Hakim mentions in his ‘tarikh’ from Anas the hadith, “Woe to/ I feel sorrow for my nation from the evil scholars”, and from Ahmed and Ibn Adi from Umar Ibn Al Khattab, and at Tabarani in his ‘kabir’, and al Bazzar from Imran Ibn Husayn, the hadith, “Among all the things I fear for my nation, I fear those scholars among them with hypocritical tongues”.

Ala Hazrat radi Allahu anhu says “You can see the signs of the hypocrites clearly, as shown in the hadith, you can see him when he attempts to appear devout and shows off to people, and when he tries to extend his beard out, and lengthens his robe, and enlargens his turban, and claims to be a leader for the people, and he recites the Quranic verses and narrates the hadith among the ignorant and then whispers satanic thoughts into their minds, this is such a menace and the most important thing is to destroy his plans and deflect his evil and make his evil known among the people. This is what Ibn Abi Dunya narrated and ash Shirazi in ‘Al Alqab’, and Ibn Adi and At Tabarani in ‘kabir’ and Bayhaqi and al Khatib from Bahz Ibn Hakim from his father from his grandfather that the Holy Prophet said “If you abstain from talking about the transgressor, how would people find out? Discuss the transgressor in regards to the evil he possesses so that the masses may be warned”. Acceptance/tolerance of kufr is in itself kufr, and equally the same applies for any level of heresy, innovation or sin. Everyone who carries false beliefs must repent immediately, otherwise it is obligatory upon the believers to keep away and shun them, consider their company like sitting in fire. This is the way of truth and guidance for whoever loves his faith.