FOLLOWING THE SUNNAH, THE PIOUS PREDECESORS AND REJECTING BID’AH

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
was-Salaatu was Salaam 'alaa Rasullulah
Innal Hamdulillaah .. ..

 Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) reproaches a group who changed the Method of Dhikr.

Abu Nu’aim (RA) reports in Hilya (Vol.4 Pg.381) from Abil Bakhtari (RA), who says, “Someone informed Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) about a group of people who used to sit in the Masjid after Maghrib. A person from amongst thm tells the others, ‘Recite Allahu Akbar in such and such a manner. Recite Subhaanallah in such and such a manner. Recite Al Hamdulillah in such and such a manner.’

Hadhrat Abdulllah bin Mas’ood (RA) asked, ‘Do they then do as he says?’

 ‘Yes, replied the person.’

Thereupon, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) told him, ‘Inform me when you see them gathering again.”

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) then came to this group, wearing his high hat, and sat with them. When he heard what they were saying, he stood up (he was a stern man). He said,”I am Abdullah bin Mas’ood. By Allah, besides Whom there is none worthy of worship! Verily you people have certainly perpetrated a bid’ah most unjustly!” The narrator says that Hadhrat bin Mas’ood (RA) may have added the words, “Are you people superior than the companions of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasalam)?”

 Ma’dad said, “By Allah! We never intended to perpetrate a bid’ah unjustly, nor are we superior than the companions of Muhammad (sallalllahu alayhi wasalam) in knowledge.” Amr bin Utba said, “We seek forgiveness from Allah.”

Thereupon Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) told them,”It is compulsory for you to follow the path. Strictly adhere thereto. By Allah! If you will do so, you will have advanced far ahead. Verily, if you start going left and right, you will stray far off.”

The narration of Tabraani records, “The news reached Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) that a group of people were sitting in the Masjid between Maghrib and Isha…”

The rest of the narration is like the one above. The only difference is the following words:

“Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood(RA) said to them, “You people have certainly perpetrated a bid’ah most unjustly, otherwise we, the companions of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasalaam), must have strayed.”Amr bin Utba bin Farqad said, “We seek forgiveness from Allah., Oh Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA), and we repent to Him.”  Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) then  ordered them to disperse.

 Abul Bakhtari (RA) also says in the narration of Tabraani, “Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) saw two groups in the Masjid of Kufa. He stood between the two and asked, ‘Which of you two was before the other?’ When the one group said that they were first, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) ordered the other group to join them, thereby combining the two into one.

 An authentic abridged narration of Tabraani states that Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) approached them covering his face. He said, “Whoever recognizes me will have recognized me. As for those who do not recognize me, I am Abdullah bin Mas’ood. Are your people more rightly guided than the companions of Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam)?” The narrator says that Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) also may have added, “You people are definitely clinging to the tail of deviation.”

Tabraani has also reported the narration in his kabeer from Amr Ibn Salma (RA). He says that they were sitting at the door of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA)’s home between Maghrib and Isha, when Hadhrat Abu Moosa Ash’ari (RA) came to the house saying, “Come with me, Oh Abu Abdur Rahmaan (Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA))”. When Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (RA) came out from the house, he asked, “Oh Abu Moosa! What brings you here at this hour?” Hadhrat Abu Moosa Ash’ari (RA) replied, “By Allah! The only thing that brings me here is something that I have seen, which has fringthened me, yet seems good. There is a group sitting in the Masjid with a person telling them, ‘Recite Subhaanallah in such and such a manner. Recite Al Hamdulillah in such and such a manner.”

 Hadhrat Amr bin Salma (RA) says that they accompanied Hadhrat Abdullah bin mas’ood (RA) to the Masjid. When he arrived there, he told the people, “You have wondered astray so swiftly, even while the companions of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) are still alive in your midst, his wives are still young, and his clothing and utensils have still not changed!(have not gone old). Count your evil actions, for I stand surety onto Allah that your good actions will be counted.”

THE STATEMENT OF HADHRAT ABDULLAH BIN ZUBAIR (RA) WHEN HIS SON SAT WITH A GROUP WHO BECAME ECSTATIC AS THEY ENGAGED IN DHIKR.

Abu Nu’aim (RA) has reported the following narration in Hilya (Vol.3 Pg.167) from Hadhrat Aamir (RA), the son of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (RA). He narrates that he once came to his father, who asked him, “Where have you been?” The son replied, “I found a group of people. I have not seen anyone better than them. They engage in dhikr and one of them trembles and grows ecstatic till he falls unconscious due to fear of Allah. I was sitting with them.”

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (RA) instructed his son saying, “Never sit with them again!” When he detected that this did not make an impression on his son, he added, “I have seen Rasul(sallalllahu alayhi wasalam) recite the Qur’an, and I have seen Hadhrat Abu Bakr (RA) and Hadhrat Umar (RA) also reciting the Qur’an. Nothing like this ever happened to them. Do you think that these people fear Allah more than Hadhrat Abu Bakr (RA) and Hadrat Umar (RA)?” The son, Hadhrat Aamir (RA) says, “I realized that this was as he said, thus I left these people.”

Taken from Islam: The Balanced Way

By Mufti A.H. Elias

Home - Quran & Hadith – Charity - Family & Health – Islam – Miscellaneous – Matrimonials

Human Rights - Women – Newscenter – Boycott – Chechnya – Palestine - Links