Religion Misunderstood (Poem)

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد 

This is a poem about the mental condition and the understanding of the religion by many who claim to be practicing Islaam. This is based on an Urdu poem by the prose writer, Altaf Hussain Haali. His book, “Mussadas-e-Haali” was the most famous book of the 20th century in Muslims of India during the reign of the British. The book examines the state of social and moral degradation prevalent in the contemporary Muslim society, for it contained the mistakes and the reasons for the downfall of the Muslim empire in India. This book was used for upraising the morale of Muslims. But in our age this is not limited to India alone, this can be widely applied everywhere, throughout the world, wherever the Muslims live. (Disclaimer: This is not an exact translation but I relied on that extensively with a few additions and modifications).

Poem:

(Please also read the notes for the explanation)

 

Whoever worships an idol – is a Kaafir

…whoever attributes a son to Allaah – is a Kaafir

…whoever prostrates to the fire – is a Kaafir

…whoever seeks blessing through the stars – is a Kaafir.

 

But as for the “Believers”, the paths for them are wide open,

…worshiping whatever they desire, and whomever they’ve chosen.

 

Whoever so pleases turns the Prophet ﷺ into God,

…while the level of the Qutub is one with the Lord.

 

Allaah is just there to fulfill the Prophet’s ﷺ request,

…and the status of the Imaams is greater than his ﷺ is what they suggest.

 

Presenting the offerings at the shrines – days and nights,

…and beseeching the dead and the martyrs devotedly for their rights.

 

This neither corrupts the Tawheed nor harms their Islaam - is their claim,

…nor does it diminishes their Imaan - is what they proclaim.

 

The Qur’aan, in which there is guidance, healing, and Noor,

…has been left on the bookshelves for the dust while they daydream for a Hoor.

…the Prophet ﷺ will complain against them on the Day of Judgment,

…what excuses will they give and what lies will they invent?

 

Those lamps through which Islaam spread throughout the lands,

…by Allaah’s permission, illuminating the paths wherever they went,

…have now become only a footnote in the people’s thoughts and minds,

…for the people about their own knowledge are proud and confident.

 

The Treasure, the Shahaadah, for which Islaam was always full of pride,

…the teaching of which these “Believers” could not abide.

 

 

Explanation:

*Their confining the meaning of Shirk*

Whoever worships an idol – is a Kaafir

…whoever attributes a son to Allaah – is a Kaafir

…whoever prostrates to the fire – is a Kaafir

…whoever seeks blessing through the stars – is a Kaafir.

 

Note: Many do not learn about Tawheed and Shirk and show no interest in learning and their knowledge about Islaam is limited. Many of them know that idol worship is Haraam, yet they still worship the ones in the graves, do Tawaaf around them, offering sacrifices near the graves with the belief that the one in the grave will answer their prayers, while they hang amulets as protection from evil and Harm. And on the other hand, we have those who belittle the matters pertaining to `Aqeedah, saying that it can be learned in a matter of a few minutes, even though the Prophet ﷺ taught Tawheed and warned against Shirk for ten years, before the five daily prayers were made obligatory.

 

 

*All paths lead to one*

But as for the “Believers”, the paths for them are wide open,

…worshiping whatever they desire, and whomever they’ve chosen.

 

Note: Another misconception that most of them have is that they can worship Allaah in whatever way they want. They do not know that when it comes to `Ibaadah, the actions are Tawqeefiyah, i.e. one should not worship Allaah except as mentioned in the Qur’aan and as taught by the Prophet ﷺ. Another falsehood which many people follow is that all religions are equal and that all the paths lead to the same destination; this is clear misguidance. In the Qur’aan [Surah al-An`aam, (6): 153; and Surah Yusuf (12): 108] and in many Ahaadeeth we have been informed to follow only one path, the path of the Prophet ﷺ, and we have been warned not to tread the other paths because on every path there is a devil who invites people to follow it and thus mislead and misguide them [Sunan al-Tirmidhee and Sunan Ibn Maajah]. There are people who are slaves of wealth - worshiping wealth day and night; then there are those who have taken their desires as their gods; then there are those who have made the Auliyaa into gods, others made the “saints” as their gods, making Halaal what they said is Halaal, and making Haraam what they said is Haraam. Even among the Sufees there are many sects – the Chishti, Naqshbandi, Qadiree, Qalandaree, etc, and every sect has a different set of Auliyas, each one trying to outshine the other. They have no criteria to judge who is a Walee and who is not. Fornicators, drug addicts, those who do not pray, those who blaspheme, dogs, parrots, etc. - anyone can become a Walee.

 

 

*Equating the creation with the Creator*

Whoever so pleases turns the Prophet ﷺ into God,

…while the status of the Qutub is one with the Lord.

 

Note: This is so rampant among the Sufees, it is like Sufism is here to take the people back to paganism - from the worship of the Creator to the worship of the creation. Some of them directly supplicate to the Prophet ﷺ for their every need, and sometimes they beseech Allaah by saying: “O Allaah! By the rights that the Prophet has on You…” Then the Sufees have in their hierarchy of their “Auliyaa” who are Abdaal (controlling the continents of the world), then the Awtaad (the pegs – those who are holding the four corners of the world), the head of them all is Qutub (the pole or axis, sometimes also known as Ghawth (source of help), and he is the one who is running the affairs of the entire realm and without whom the whole system would collapse). This is utter blasphemy. Glory be to Allaah, He is free of what they ascribe to Him. He is not in need of any help in running His affairs.

 

 

*Depicting Allaah as a punisher and the Prophet ﷺ as a savior*

Allaah is just there to fulfill the Prophet’s ﷺ request,

…and the status of the Imaams is greater than his ﷺ is what they suggest.

 

Note: Many people indirectly belittle Allaah, and portray Him as someone who does not see, or hear, or has mercy. They always say that one cannot supplicate to Allaah directly, one needs a Waseelah (intermediary) between him and Allaah. They give pathetic examples to support their claim, none of which is supported by the Text (Qur’aan and Sunnah). They depict Him as someone who is full of vengeance and that He is only there to punish His creation, while they depict the humans as more merciful than Him and that is why they supplicate to others than Him. What they forget is that from the Hundredth part of Allaah’s Mercy is that He sent Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a mercy for us, and as for the remaining ninety-nine parts of His Mercy He has stored for His creation on the Day of Judgment. Moreover, when it is said to them to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, they reject the Ahaadeeth saying that it goes against their Madhhab, or that their Imaam said to the contrary, or that it goes against their logic. Taqleed (blind following) is the worst excuse for not following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

 

 

*Many do not know the meaning of worship*

Presenting the offerings at the shrines – days and nights,

…and beseeching the dead and the martyrs devotedly for their rights.

 

Note: Many only consider the Salaah (prayers) as an act of worship. Other than that, they do not mind bowing or prostrating to other than Allaah, or sacrificing for other than Allaah or at the altars or near the shrines. They deem it completely permissible to supplicate to the dead and ask them for help in the hours of need. They are worse than the Mushriks of Makkah in their `Aqeedah because when calamities struck, the Mushriks would leave off all the other deities and would turn to Allaah alone for help, but these people turn towards Tijaanee, Jilaanee, Dusookee, etc. for help during calamities. There are three conditions that should be fulfilled when we seek help from someone: “He is alive, he is able to hear (or see), and he has the means to help.” But as for those who are in their graves, they are dead, cannot hear or see, and are not able to help or remove a calamity, rather they themselves are in need of help and our supplications.

 

 

*The dangerous affair: the `Aqeedah of the Murji’ah*

This neither corrupts the Tawheed nor harms their Islaam is their claim,

…nor does it diminishes their Imaan, this is what they proclaim.

 

Note: One of the most dangerous affairs facing the Ummah is that knowingly and unknowingly, a lot of people are treading the path of the Murji’ah. They are living a life of sin and disobedience, yet dream about attaining the highest station in the Jannah without ever repenting for their sins. Like the Murji’ah, they say that having intension is sufficient or they say: “you don’t know what is in the heart”. The Murji’ah hold the view that Imaan is nothing but to affirm it with the heart only. They claim this acceptance of the heart never wavers, so according to them, the wicked and the just are both at the same level of Imaan, concluding that the level of Imaan of the Prophets and the common Muslims is the same. It is from the `Aqeedah (Creed) of the Murji’ah who believe that: (a) Imaan is nothing but a belief of the heart only, (b) the actions of the limbs and statement of the tongue are not a part of Imaan, (c) Imaan neither increases with obedience nor decreases with disobedience, (d) and that it remains constant. Whereas the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah believe that Imaan is to believe in the articles of Faith with: (a) firm conviction of the heart, (b) statement of the tongue (saying the Shahaadah), (c) and actions of the limbs. (d) it increases with righteousness and obedience and decreases with sins and disobedience. Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah worships Allaah based on love, hope, and fear. They pray to Allaah out of love for Him and to seek His pleasure, they abandon sins out of fear of Him and His punishment, and they repent to Him full of hope that He will accept their repentance and admit them into Jannah.

 

 

*Deserting the Qur’aan*

The Qur’aan, in which there is guidance, healing, and Noor,

…has been left on the bookshelves for the dust while they daydream for a Hoor.

…the Prophet ﷺ will complain against them on the Day of Judgment,

…what excuses will they give and what lies will they invent?

 

Note: The Qur’aan is the speech of Allaah, from Him it originated, and to Him it will return before the Day of Judgment. It is a great miracle through which the Prophet ﷺ will have the most followers on the Day of Judgment, more than any other Prophet [Saheehain]. But it is a sad state of affair that the Qur’aan is the most read Book without understanding, this is one form of abandonment. Another form of desertion is to not read it at all, leaving it on the bookshelves for ages with dust piling on it. The only time many of them think about reading the Qur’aan is in Ramadhaan or upon the death of someone. The Prophet ﷺ will complain about such people to Allaah on the Day of Judgment [Surah al-Furqaan (25):30]. What excuses will people put forth, when Allaah is the Judge and the Prophet ﷺ will be bearing witness against them? In the Qur’aan, there is guidance for the misguided, healing for the sick soul, and light for the blind heart!

 

 

*Belittling the Sahaabah and the Manhaj of the Salaf*

Those lamps through which Islaam spread throughout the lands,

…by Allaah’s permission, illuminating the paths wherever they went,

…have now become only a footnote in the people’s thoughts and minds,

…for the people about their knowledge are proud and confident.

 

Note: From the falsehood which the people say is: “the Manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf (the first three generations) is safer and the Manhaj of the Khalaf (those who came after them) is more knowledgeable and more precise and wiser.” This is the means of opening the door for misguidance, misinterpretation, Kalaam (a discipline that searches for answers to creedal issues using logic), etc., and is used by the Jahmiyyah and Mu`tazilah (two deviant sects) and many have adopted this from them. Many of today’s celebrity speakers are trying to reinvent the wheel. They say that the Text (Qur’aan and Ahaadeeth) needs to be reinterpreted to suit modern times and that the old interpretations are outdated, obsolete, and not suitable for modern times. This principle in its apparent meaning is contradictory and in its profound meaning is heresy. Contradictory because saying “it is safer” necessarily means that it is also more knowledgeable and wiser. If not, then how can it be safer? And it is a heresy because it is vilifying the praises of Allaah تعالى and His Prophet ﷺ for the Companions. Did not `Umar’s statements agree with the Divine Revelations? And the Prophet ﷺ said to Sa`d Ibn Mu`aadh: ❝You have judged according to the King’s (Allaah’s) judgment❞ [Saheehain]. How can the inheritors of the Prophet ﷺ be less knowledgeable than those who came after them?!

 

 

*The meaning of the Shahaadah they know not*

The Treasure, the Shahaadah, for which Islaam was always full of pride,

…the teaching of which these “Believers” could not abide.

 

Note: Many people who claim to be Muslims regrettably do not know the meaning, the pillars, and the conditions of the Shahaadah (لا إله إلا الله – Laa Ilaaha Illallaah), and this is why they fail to implement its teaching in their lives. They do not know that worship belongs to Allaah alone. When a person does not understand the meaning, he can then neither accept what it implies nor can he act in accordance with its teachings. If one tries to teach the correct meaning, they say: {Has he made the Aalihah (gods) as One Ilaah (God – Allaah)?} [Surah Saad (38):5; See also Surah al-Saaffaat (37): 35-36]. Remember, the Prophet ﷺ clearly warned us when he said: ❝…The Last Hour will not come until some groups of my nation worship idols…❞ [Sunan Abu Dawood] Now you understand why it is important to learn Tawheed and warn against Shirk?!