'Allamah 'Abd al-Hayy al-Laknawi on the Common 'Urs Celebrations

[Muzzammil Husayn]

'Allamah 'Abd al-Hayy al-Laknawi wrote in his Ibraz al-Ghayy (a book in refutation of an advocate of Nawab Siddiq Hasan):


أما الزيارة البدعية والسفر بقصدها المشتمل على أمور محرمة ومكروهة كالسفر بقصد الشركة في مجالس الأعراس المعهودة في زماننا المشتملة على جعل قبور المشايخ عيدا وعلى أمور كثيرة غير مشروعة كالغناء مع المزامير والرقص وجعل القبور أوثانا تُعبد فلا كلام في عدم جوازه

"As for the visit that is innovated, and the journey with that as its objective, comprising of matters that are prohibited and reprehensible; like travelling with the objective of participating in gatherings of 'urs (death anniversaries) that are commonly known in our time that consist of making the graves of the pious scholars into a place of celebration and of many unlawful activities like singing with musical instruments and dancing and making the graves into idols that are worshipped, then there is no argument regarding its impermissibility."

(Ibraz al-Ghayy from volume six of Majmu'at Rasa'il al-Laknawi, Intisharat Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad Jam, p. 47)

'Allamah Laknawi, therefore, believed the common 'urs celebrations of his day, and what was commonly recognised (ma'hud) as 'urs in his time, consisted of sinful, innovated and polytheistic practices. This is sufficient reason to understanding why the Deobandi scholars issued a general verdict of innovation and prohibition for 'urs celebrations.

[Ahmad_shakeel]

thanks for wonderful job ur doing

[Mubid al-Majus]

'Allamah Laknawi, therefore, believed the common 'urs celebrations of his day, and what was commonly recognised (ma'hud) as 'urs in his time, consisted of sinful, innovated and polytheistic practices. This is sufficient reason to understanding why the Deobandi scholars issued a general verdict of innovation and prohibition for 'urs celebrations.

salam `alaykum,

Is there any evidence that suggests when the `urs celebrations in the sub-continent unfortunately introduced the innovations and polytheistic practices? Apparently, Shaykh `Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi (d. 1052) does not object to `urs celebrations in the sub-continent, rather mentions them positively. But when exactly did it turn into what Shaykh `Abd al-Hayy (d. 1304) mentions, and under whose influence; is there a way to find out?

[Saad]

Assalam o 'alaykum,

Imam Lakhnawi is not alone in opposing the 'urs celebrations. Some other scholars who were opposed:

[1] Imam Shah Waliullah Dahlawi writes,

“The truth in my opinion, (traveling to) visit the grave of any wali or the Tur, all fall within the ambit of the same prohibition.” (Hujjat Allah al-Balighah, 1:192)

Shah Sahib further writes, “I say regarding the Hadith, ‘Do not make my grave a place of 'Eid’, that it is a means of preventing Tahrif (changing in the Din), just as the Christians and Jews have perpetrated where they made the graves of their Ambiya' seasonal venues of festivity.” (Hujjat Allah al-Balighah, 2:77)

And he states further,“Amongst the great acts of bid`ah are the great excesses which the people have perpetrated at the gravesides and made them venues of festivity.” (Tafhimat-i-Ilahiyyah, 2:64)

[2] Qadi Thana’ullah Panipatti writes, “That which the ignoramuses do with the gravesides of the awliya and Shuhada' is impermissible. They prostrate there, circumambulate around them, place lamps thereupon, perform sajdah towards them and gather their annually for a festival, which is called 'urs.” (Tafsir Mazhari, 2:65)

[3] 'Allamah Muhaddith Muhammad Tahir Patni also refutes the practice of 'urs and considers it an act that resembles the practice of Ahl al-Kitab.

[4] Similarly, Shah Ishaq Muhaddith Dahlawi also mentions in Arba'in Masa'il that to specify a day for 'urs is not permissible.

[5] Beside that many early Ottoman scholars have also spoken against 'urs. See Majalis al-Abrar of Shaykh Ahmad al-Rumi and Ziyarat al-Qubur of Imam Muhammad Birgiwi.

[6] And here is what 'Allamah Khadimi says in Sharh Tariqah Muhammadiyah,


بريقة محمودية في شرح طريقة محمدية p.221
أقبح البدع عشرة أولها تلاوة القرآن بالأجرة سيما بغلة النقود فإن وقفها باطل وكذا الذكر والدعاء والصلاة ومنه التسبيح ونحوه لترويج المتاع ونحوه ويدخل فيه القراءة بعد الصلاة لسؤال المال وثانيها طعام الميت وإيقاد الشموع في المقابر والجهر بالذكر أمام الجنازة والعروس ونحوهما والبناء على القبر وتزيينه والبيتوتة عنده ثالثها الجماعة في النفل ويدخل فيه صلاة الرغائب والبراءة والقدر والتسبيح بالجماعة سابعها التغني وسماع الغناء ومنه اللحن في القرآن والأذكار والرقص والاضطراب .

"The worst bid’ah are ten:

First reciting the Qur'an on payment, specially with cash; since its endowment (waqf) is invalid. [2] And similar is the case with dhikr, du’a, and salah and tasbih, etc. due to prevalence of cash and kind. Also, it includes reciting after salah, as it is for requesting money. The second is the food of dead, burning candles on graves, performing dhikr with loud voice in front of janazah, celebrating 'urs, etc. erecting building on graves, decorating them and spending night near graves. The third is performing nafl (optional) salah in congregation (jama’ah) which includes salah al-raghayib, bara’ah, Al-Qadr, salah al-tasbih. The fourth is listening ghina (mystic song). Likewise, reciting the Qur'an and performing dhikr in musical tone, mystic dance and ecstasy."

[Mubid al-Majus]

salam `alaykum,

Is there any evidence that suggests when the `urs celebrations in the sub-continent unfortunately introduced the innovations and polytheistic practices? Apparently, Shaykh `Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi (d. 1052) does not object to `urs celebrations in the sub-continent, rather mentions them positively. But when exactly did it turn into what Shaykh `Abd al-Hayy (d. 1304) mentions, and under whose influence; is there a way to find out?

salam `alaykum,

I am not arguing for or against the `urs celebrations of the Indian sub-continent. The following comment is only for us to learn more about the history and condition of `urs in the Indian sub-continent and different views of Indian `ulama about them.

Here is what `Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi said in Ma Thabata bi al-Sunna:



فبهذه الرواية يكون عرسه تاسع الربيع الآخر وهذا هو الذي أدركنا عليه سيدنا الشيخ العالم العارف الكامل عبد الوهاب القادري المتقي المكي فإنه قدس سره كان يحافظ يوم عرسه هذا التاريخ إما اعتماداً على هذه الرواية أو على ما رأى من شيخه الشيخ الكبير علي المتقي ومن غيرهم من المشائخ رحمهم الله تعالى وقد اشتهر في ديارنا هذا اليوم الحادي عشر وهو المتعارف عند مشائخنا من أهل الهند من أولاده

“According to this tradition, the `urs of Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir should be on the ninth of Rabi` al-Akhar. This is what we have learnt from our Master, the Shaykh, the Scholar, the Complete Gnostic, `Abd al-Wahhab al-Qadiri al-Muttaqi of Makkah, for he maintained this date for the `urs of Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir, either because of relying upon this tradition or due to what he learnt from his own Shaykh, the Great Scholar, `Ali al-Muttaqi and other scholars -- may Allah have mercy on them. Today, the eleventh of Rabi` al-Akhar has become the well-known date in our homeland and that is commonly accepted by our Shaykhs of India from the progeny of Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir.”

[Ansari]

[
[5] Beside that many early Ottoman scholars have also spoken against 'urs. See Majalis al-Abrar of Shaykh Ahmad al-Rumi and Ziyarat al-Qubur of Imam Muhammad Birgiwi.

[6] And here is what 'Allamah Khadimi says in Sharh Tariqah Muhammadiyah,


بريقة محمودية في شرح طريقة محمدية p.221
أقبح البدع عشرة أولها تلاوة القرآن بالأجرة سيما بغلة النقود فإن وقفها باطل وكذا الذكر والدعاء والصلاة ومنه التسبيح ونحوه لترويج المتاع ونحوه ويدخل فيه القراءة بعد الصلاة لسؤال المال وثانيها طعام الميت وإيقاد الشموع في المقابر والجهر بالذكر أمام الجنازة والعروس ونحوهما والبناء على القبر وتزيينه والبيتوتة عنده ثالثها الجماعة في النفل ويدخل فيه صلاة الرغائب والبراءة والقدر والتسبيح بالجماعة سابعها التغني وسماع الغناء ومنه اللحن في القرآن والأذكار والرقص والاضطراب .

"The worst bid’ah are ten:

First reciting the Qur'an on payment, specially with cash; since its endowment (waqf) is invalid. [2] And similar is the case with dhikr, du’a, and salah and tasbih, etc. due to prevalence of cash and kind. Also, it includes reciting after salah, as it is for requesting money. The second is the food of dead, burning candles on graves, performing dhikr with loud voice in front of janazah, celebrating 'urs, etc. erecting building on graves, decorating them and spending night near graves. The third is performing nafl (optional) salah in congregation (jama’ah) which includes salah al-raghayib, bara’ah, Al-Qadr, salah al-tasbih. The fourth is listening ghina (mystic song). Likewise, reciting the Qur'an and performing dhikr in musical tone, mystic dance and ecstasy."

The Ottoman author al-Birgiwi was praised a lot by Ibn Abidin in his sharh of the manual of menstruation dhukhr al-muta'ahhilin :

وقد أثنى ابن عابدين رحمه الله تعالى على مؤلفات البركوي في مقدمة شرحه على رسالة البركوي في الحيض بقوله:
إني طالعت مع بعض الإخوان الرسالة المؤلفة في مسائل الحيض المسماة بذخر المتأهلين ، المنسوبة لأفضل المتأخرين الامام العالم العامل المحقق المدقق الكامل الشيخ محمد بن بير علي البركوي صاحب الطريقة المحمدية ، وغيرها من المؤلفات السنيّة ، فوجدتها مع صغر حجمها ولطافة نظمها ، جامعة لغرر فروع هذا الباب ، عارية عن التطويل والإسهاب ، لم تنسج قريحة على منوالها ، ولم تظفر عين بالنظر إلى مثالها ، فأردت أن أشرحها بشرح يسهل عويصها .... الخ