Albani and his Friends : A concise guide to the Salafi Movement

[faqir]

Just wondering if anyone had come across the following book yet and what they thought of it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...079800-9426201

Mod note:
[WARNING: The book contains some clear lies and slanders]

[Mariah]

hmm no, it seems interesting though.
You read Albani Unveiled?

Wassalam

[Yusuf]

Just wondering if anyone had come across the following book yet and what they thought of it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...079800-9426201

MashaAllah, another brilliant piece by Sheikh Gibril. Can be read at www.livingislam.org

[Abul Hasan]

Just wondering if anyone had come across the following book yet and what they thought of it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...079800-9426201

The book has just been released into some UK based bookshops this week. A quick review:

i) It has taken over 2 years to see this work in its final printed format. On p. 129 the author, Dr Gibril Fouad Haddad mentioned that he had completed it on the 9th of August 2002.

ii) Looking through it I have noticed that much of the material with in the book is already available via various articles placed here and there (like sunnah.org, aqsaonline, livingislam etc)

iii) It is printed in paperback by Aqsa Publications (Birmingham, UK) in 163 pages. I will provide the details of how one may obtain a copy at the end Insha'Allah

iv) There are extensive end notes between pages 131 to 159

v) The actual contents of the book deal with the following individuals by name in various degrees of length (the comments in brackets are mine):

a) Nasir al Albani (d. 1999 CE)

b) Abdar Rahman Abdal Khaliq (living in Kuwait and hated by the likes of spubs.com, salafitalk, troid)

c) Muhammad Ahmad Abd al Salam

d) Bakr Abu Zayd (one of the big timers in Saudia, but hated by spubs.com and their allies, as well as by other "Salafi's" in Saudia)

e) Abdar Rahman al Dimashqiyya (from Lebanon, the Ahbash have also refuted him on some websites. Subhanallah, I once heard a tape recording that the Ahbash played on paltalk where this individual admitted that he was booted out of an Institute in Lebanon for homosexual activities!! When he was quite young)

f) Muhammad Khalil Harras (deceased)

g) Abdal Aziz ibn Baz (d. 1999 CE)

h) Abu Bakr al Jaza'iri

i) Mahmud al Madkhali

j) Muhammad al Qahtani

k) Mashur Hasan Salman

l) Muhammad al Shuqayri

m) Hamd al Tuwayjiri (I think the "Salafi's" usually call him: Hamud, not Hamd, d. 1992)

n) Muhammad Salih al Uthaymin (died around Jan. 2001)

o) Muqbil al Wadi'i (Yemeni, died around July 2001 if i recall)

p) Muhammad Jamil Zaynu (based in Makka)

q) Salih al Fawzan (a major player alive in Saudia and a member of the Saudi Fatwa commmittee: Lajna al Da'ima)


Amongst the topics interspersed by the author mention may be made of the following:

a) The term Salaf accoring to the classical Ulama and the Pseudo Salafi movement

b) The Attributes of Allah

c) Issues connected to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), like: Mawlid, Mi'raj, Ilm al Ghayb, Tawassul, Intercession

d) Doctrinal issues like: The name of the angel of death, Asha'ira, Maturidiyya, Tabarruk, Abdal

e) Fiqhi issues like: Wiping the face after Du'a, Dhikr beads, permissibility of gold jewellery for women (Albani was against it based on his use of abrogated narrations), I'tikaf in Masajid besides the 3 Holiest Masjids of Islam, number of rak'ahs in Tahajjud, carrying a staff, kissing the hands of Ulama, after burial Sunna's, donating the reward of actions to the deceased (Ithal al Thawab), Rak'ats of Tarawih, use of ruqya and Ta'wiz in healing

f) Regarding the Mutashabihat in the Holy Qur'an, dealing with the Kursi, The story of the "Satanic Verses", The baring of the Shin etc

g) Miscellaneous stuff like: The term Madina al Munawwara, the alleged Tawba of Imam al Juwayni, "Salafi" alteration of major books, Ibn Abdal Wahhabs Kitab al Tawheed, Isma'il Dehlawi and his Taqwiyat al Iman, Sufi's and Jihad, Qasida al Burda


The book is available from:

Knowledge and Wisdom
844 Stratford Rd
Birmingham
B11 4BS

Tel: 0121 777 7999

website: knowledgeandwisdom.net

Price: £5-99


That's all for now, and just in case someone thinks i am getting some sort of financial gain for posting the above then rest assured that is non-existent. I have put these brief snippets up for interested readers to know what fitan the pseudo-Salafiyya have been involved in and continue to be on.

I was surprised to see that Dr Haddad left the following contemporary individuals out who have their supporters amongst the various shades of "Salafiyya": Rabi al Madkhali, Abul Hasan al Ma'ribi, let alone the students of al Albani who often visit the West (and are due in Luton this weekend): Ali Hasan al Halabi and Salim al Hilali.

Conclusion: Though it is a concise work where many of the topics or individuals listed in it can be dealt in multi volume works if need be, it is generally a professional job of a high literary calibre; hence recommended as a good buy for the avid Sunni reader.

And Allahu a'lam

Wassalam

Abul Hasan

[faqir]

JazakAllah khair Akhi.

InshaAllah I will order the book on the net soon or wait for it to come down into London bookstores.

[Ansari]

MashaAllah, another brilliant piece by Sheikh Gibril. Can be read at www.livingislam.org

I thought it wasnt available online and you must order it, like abdul just said?

[Yusuf]

Bits and pieces, i guess.

[zulfiqaar_ali]

salamu alaykum

I was reading on http://www.*********/phpBB forums about this. Pl. don't confuse me with the person posting with same name over there.

I remember a brother by name of Rabita was posting on GF Haddad's shaykh Nazim Haqqani on various forums. Has GF Haddad ever had the time to answer that ?

shouldn't GF Haddad spend more time correcting the blunders of his shaykh than going far out to Salafees and Wahhabies trying to explain to them that they are on the wrong path. Are we going to see Nazim Haqqani and His Friends: A Concise Guide to the Haqqani Naqshbandi Movement


Please see about GF Haddad's shaykh

1. http://groups.google.com/groups?q=au...40hotmail.com+

2. http://www.*********/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=976
(search for "abir" in ahya forum )

3. http://www.aicp.org/IslamicInformati...gatesIslam.htm

4. see bewleyupdates and al-zawiya site for more on GF Haddad's problem.

Interesting new article....

-----------------

September 2002

OBSERVATIONS ON HISHAM KABBANI'S AND GF HADDAD'S METHODOLOGY AND CREED

PREAMBLE

Below are nineteen observations (some already available on the
Internet, some new) on the creed of one of Sufism's modern day
exponents, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani. Also described are teachings
promoted by Kabbani's spiritual mentor, Shaykh Nazim al-Qubrusi, from
whom Kabbani has a "license to teach Islamic spirituality". Both are
adherents of the Naqshbandi Sufi sect. At the naqshbandi.org site,
founded by Kabbani, Nazim is known as the "Owner of the Throne of
Guidance" and that "Seekers circle the Kabah of His Light". At least
one of the works cited below was co-edited by GF Haddad, who writes
extensively for Hisham Kabbani's sunnah.org web site and describes
Kabbani as "my teacher and the light on my path" and Nazim as "our
teacher Mawlana al-Shaykh Nazim".

There will always appear in the actions of those who have strayed from
the Prophetic way something which acts as a clear indicator that all
is perhaps not right. This is so that Allah may allow us to
differentiate between His true allies and those who mimic some of
their characteristics. One should not, therefore, be duped by the
apparent orthodoxy of some of what Hisham Kabbani and GF Haddad
preach. Such orthodoxy is rarely found in other works they've
authored. Kabbani's work Mercy Oceans Shore of Safety is littered with
outlandish beliefs (see below) and fabricated hadith. This work was
co-edited by GF Haddad. Haddad turns a blind eye and has no qualms
about his own teachers citing spurious and baseless hadith and
presenting bizarre ideas in the name of Islam yet he can't help but
lambast (through his Internet articles and newsgroup posts) anyone and
everyone, young or old, that happens to disagree with their views.

1. KABBANI BELIEVES ALL SUFIS, INCLUDING HIMSELF, ACCOMPANIED THE
PROPHET (S) AND ABU BAKR (R) DURING THEIR MIGRATION FROM MAKKAH TO
MADINAH.

In a work co-edited by GF Haddad, Kabbani teaches that all Sufi groups
were in the presence of the Prophet (s) and Abu Bakr (r) when they
stopped in the cave during their migration from Makkah to Madinah; all
Sufi saints and their followers were called spiritually to that cave
(Ali ibn Abi Talib [r] was also summoned). Among other things Allah
commanded the Prophet (s) to order each saint to put his hand over the
hands of his followers; Abu Bakr (r) and Ali (r) placed their hands
over all the Sufis; the Prophet (s) then placed his hand and finally
Allah placed His Hand last of all! This, Kabbani claims, is the secret
meaning of Surah al-Fath, verse 10, and that in fact Allah Himself
recited this verse at the time of this incident and all of them were
"hearing God's own words".

You will find this on pp.39-40 of Kabbani's book Mercy Oceans Shore of
Safety.

The next day when the Prophet (s) and Abu Bakr (r) continued the
journey to Madinah, all of them, Kabbani and all other Sufi followers,
migrated with the Prophet (s) and Abu Bakr (r)! (ibid, p.41).

2. SUFIS HAVE ACCOMPANIED 124,000 PROPHET ADAMS (AS)

Kabbani believes there have been 124,000 Adams (as) and that the Adam
(as) we know of is the last of the 124,000. Likewise there are 124,000
Sufi saints presently on earth and along with their followers they
have accompanied each of these 124,000 Adams (as)! (Kabbani, Mercy
Oceans Shore of Safety, p.46)

3. ALI IBN ABI TALIB'S (R) OUTER-SPACE ADVENTURES

Kabbani teaches that the Prophet (s) ordered the Companion Ali (r) to
project himself outside of the earth's atmosphere to combat alien life
forms! He writes:

"There are powers that stand outside human nature... Imam Ali was the
only one permitted to use these powers. He was ordered by the Prophet
(s) in every given period of time to project himself outside the
limits of our earth. If such a power had not been in existent in
Sayyidna Ali, the earth would have been erased from existence because
of other creatures existing out of the limits of this world and
desiring to bring our planet under their control... Sayyidna Ali was
ordered to defeat these creatures by using miraculous powers he was
given and conquering the other planets so that they would not bring
their tyranny to this earth. Were it not for him, we would have been
in the powers of other planets a long time ago." (Kabbani, Mercy
Oceans Shore of Safety, pp.86-87)

4. ALI IBN ABI TALIB (R) HAS SECRET KNOWLEDGE WHICH 'UMAR IBN
AL-KHATTAB (R) DID NOT HAVE AND WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND

Kabbani's and Haddad's teacher, Nazim, writes: "Grandsheikh told me
that one day Sayyidina Ali said to Sayyidina Omar, regarding the
secret knowledge that had been opened to him: 'Oh Omar, if i would
speak to you from the secret knowledges which have been opened up to
us, you would instantly cut my head off with your sword; you wouldn't
be able to let me get up from my seat if i told you from the secrets
of the Way, the creation, the religion, prophethood and the secrets of
Allah Almighty - you can't even listen.'" (Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Hidden
Treasures, p.36)

5. DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN THE KHULAFA AR-RASHIDIN (CRITICISING 'UMAR
[R] AND 'UTHMAN [R])

About Uthman ibn Affan (r), their spiritual guide, Nazim, says:
"Grandsheikh was saying about the third Khalipha, Othman, that he was
of a very high degree among the Sahaba and was the most modest of the
Prophet's companions... In spite of this, Othman didn't attain the
spiritual ranks attained by Abu Bakr and Ali because he sometimes held
firmly to his own desires instead of putting them completely in line
with the Prophet's. This was also one reason for his martyrdom:
misfortunes befell him as a result of his not being able to totally
leave his own desires behind." (Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Hidden Treasures,
pp.38-39)

Concerning Umar ibn al-Khattab (r), they say: "Yet, despite these most
admirable characteristics of Sayyidina Omar, he did at times set his
will against the will of the Prophet. Often Omar would be quick to
unsheathe his sword and ask permission to decapitate hypocrites, but
the Prophet would say: 'No. Omar, put away your sword.' This sort of
thing may happen a few times, but the effect is that the soul is kept
from awakening, it remains passive." (ibid, pp.43-44)

So we are told that Uthman ibn Affan (r) didn't attain the spiritual
ranks of Abu Bakr (r) and Ali (r) because "he sometimes held firmly to
his own desires instead of putting them completely in line with the
Prophet's" and that Umar ibn al-Khattab (r) "did at times set his will
against the will of the Prophet" and as a result the soul is "kept
from awakening, it remains passive".

Perhaps this is why out of the four Khulafa Kabbani mentions only Abu
Bakr (r) and Ali (r) when he said: "We ask Allah to guide all Muslims
in their belief and to bring all who have strayed back to the truth...
back to the guidance of Abu Bakr and Ali..." (Kabbani, Islamic Beliefs
& Doctrine According to Ahl al-Sunna, Vol.1, p.3).

What happened to the guidance of Umar (r) and Uthman (r)?

Elsewhere, Kabbani unnecessarily draws attention to how Umar (r) and
Uthman (r) were excluded from certain key events. He writes:

"Before leaving Mecca for Madina, the Prophet (s) put someone in his
bed because the ignorant people came to his door intent on killing
him. He put Sayyidna Ali in his bed, which means that he made Sayyidna
Ali his representative. He did not put Sayyidna Umar, he did not put
Sayyidna Uthman, none of the sahaba, but someone of his own blood and
his flesh. And he took with him as company that other image, sayyidna
Abu Bakr, to the cave." (Kabbani, Mercy Oceans Shore of Safety, p.32).

Is it really necessary to keep repeating what Umar (r) and Uthman (r)
didn't attain?

6. THEIR SUFI GROUP HAS POWERS WITH WHICH TO COMPLETE THE SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPHET'S (S) COMPANIONS IN THEIR GRAVES BECAUSE
SOME OF THE COMPANIONS WERE 'INCOMPLETE'

Nazim wrote: "This lecture about Satan and Adam, and about the Sahaba
was given by Grandsheikh after the morning prayer, and in the
afternoon on the same day Grandsheikh told me: 'Oh Nazim Efendi, this
morning's lecture has been heard by the companions of the Prophet in
their graves, and they were very pleased with it, as we have been
given a miraculous favour from the Lord that if we notice an
incompleteness on the part of anyone, and point it out, it will become
complete. When i was pointing out that some of the Sahaba were
sometimes using their own wills and not putting their desires in line
with the Prophet's thus causing their incompleteness, at that moment
Allah Almighty completed for them their development there in the
grave, and so, they are very happy indeed." (Nazim, Mercy Oceans'
Hidden Treasures, pp.66-67)

7. THE PROPHET'S (S) EGO!

Nazim has said: "As we know of the Holy Prophet himself, his ego
appeared to him as 'Buraq', the heavenly winged steed that bore him
from Earth to Heaven." (Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Endless Horizons, p.61).

Apparently, Nazim's and Kabbani's teacher, Grandsheikh, also rode the
same Buraq that carried the Prophet (s). In his biography Grandsheikh
is quoted as saying: "Then I sat in meditation, connecting myself
through my Shaykh, my uncle, to the Prophet. I saw the Prophet coming
to me with 124,000 Sahaba (Companions)... Then I saw the Prophet
hugging me and I saw myself disappearing in him. As soon as I
disappeared in him I saw myself ascending from the Dome of the Rock,
the Bait ul-Maqdis, from which the Prophet ascended in the Night
Journey. I saw myself astride the same Buraq which carried the Prophet
and I saw myself carried up in a true vision, to the Station of Two
Bow-lengths, where I could see the Prophet but not myself. I felt
myself to be a part of the entirety of the Prophet. Through that
Ascension I received the Realities that the Prophet poured into my
heart from what he had received on the Night of Ascension... I heard a
voice coming from the Divine Presence saying, "Approach, O my servant,
to My Presence." As I approached through the Prophet, everything
disappeared, even the spiritual reality of the Prophet disappeared.
Nothing existed except Allah, Almighty and Exalted... Then I felt my
uncle shaking my shoulder, saying, 'O my son, it is time for Fajr
prayer.'" (see biography below)

8. NAQSHABANDI'S REACHING THE LEVEL OF THE PROPHET (S)

Nazim says: "The Naqshabandi Order teaches the very highest good
manners, manners which make its followers lovely to their Lord and to
all good people. It gives them subtle and exact perception which
enables them to arrive at the very essence of any matter; that is the
level of the Holy Prophet himself." (Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Endless
Horizons, pp.85-86).

9. MANKIND IS UNCREATED

Nazim says:

"Allah Almighty is greatest. He is timeless, ever ready, without
beginning. He is king. And yet you cannot find a king without a
kingdom. Without subjects his kingship has no meaning. Just as there
can be no meaning for a prophet without an ummah (nation). Therefore,
Allah was ready without beginning, and his servants also were ready
without beginning. If there were no people, to whom was He Allah? Was
it to Himself? No! A hadith relates: 'I was a secret treasure and
wanted to be known.' His people were part of this treasure... When
people come to this world, they have the appearance of beginning, but
in reality they were with Allah always, without beginning." (Nazim,
Mercy Oceans: 1980, p.13)

What Nazim cites here as a hadith (see also Kabbani, Mercy Oceans
Shore of Safety, p.23), namely, "I was a secret treasure and wanted to
be known...", is not at all from the words of the Prophet (s) as ibn
Hajr, az-Zarkashee and as-Suyuti confirmed centuries ago. Ali al-Qari
al-Hanafi includes it in his collection of fabrications (al-Asrar
al-Marfu'a, #353) and says its meaning is correct based on Qur'an
51:56 but he was opposed by Muhammad as-Sabagh in his footnotes to the
same work. Al-Ijluni adds: "This saying occurs often in the words of
the Sufis who have relied on it and built upon it some of their
principles." (Kashf al-Khafa, #2016).

Nazim goes on to say on p.82 of the same book:

"A disciple commented, 'You gave us a good lesson, Maulana, when you
told us that there is no king without a kingdom, no prophet without an
ummah, no creator without creatures. Allah is uncreated, and servants
are also uncreated. But when we come to this life, we forget.' 'Yes',
replied the Shaykh. 'It is enough. You cannot go too deep without
sinking!'"

Mankind is uncreated? Without subjects Allah's kingship "has no
meaning"?

10. ULAMA DON'T HAVE ANYTHING

Well, according to Kabbani they don't: "In Montreal, Muslims are now
taking their names out of directories, because tablighi people come
knocking at their doors! Ulama like to run after people to bring them
to their classes because they don't have anything. But saints have
everything and therefore come one time." (Kabbani, Mercy Oceans Shore
of Safety, p.57)

11. GF HADDAD AND HADITH

Haddad unashamedly passes over hadith fabrications in Kabbani's works,
yet attacks with a vengeance any hadith that might support an
opponent's point of view. But why does he even bother to ascertain the
authenticity or weakness of any hadith ascribed to the Prophet (s)?
His teacher, Nazim, has already declared that:

"If a trustworthy Alim says or writes in a book that such and such is
a hadith, you must believe... If you find any learned man in whom your
heart believes and trusts, you must believe any hadiths he tells you.
This is the way of students and also of common people. But Awliya, to
whom Allah Almighty has given light, are different... when Awliya are
reading, they may see those hadiths which are exact, shining from the
page. They are the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him), coming
with light, filled with light. When a man can see this, he is not in
need for the opinions of another as to which hadith is strong and
which is weak. So many Alims are denying this or that hadith while
Awliya say that those hadiths are all right... Also, if any book has
hadiths from the Prophet (peace be upon him), we accept it out of
respect for the Prophet (peace be upon him). If it is an incorrect
hadith, there is no responsibility for us if we accept it. This is a
high adab, or good manners. If someone says, 'This is a hadith', we
believe it out of respect to our Prophet (peace be upon him)." (Nazim,
Mercy Oceans, p.117).

The approach that Haddad's teacher outlines is devoid of any objective
reasoning and reduces hadith science to personal whims, having no
principles and reference points. Perhaps this is why Haddad's own
articles are often supported with baseless and questionable hadith.
But then why, when defending his own and his teacher's creed, does
Haddad highlight that his adversaries have used, in his opinion, weak
or fabricated hadith or that their chains contain discredited
narrators? By his teacher's own standards Haddad is not respecting the
Prophet (s) if he questions the validity of any hadith, since even if
the hadith happens to be incorrect it should still be believed and
accepted.

12. THE 'GOLDEN' NAQSHBANDI CHAIN

This is the chain of shaykhs through which the Naqshbandi secrets and
tariqat have supposedly been handed down from one generation to the
next. It is often mentioned at the back of most of Nazim's books and
can also be seen at the naqshbandi.org site.

The chain is actually broken in at least two places. Jafar as-Sadiq is
listed as the 5th shaykh in the chain. We are told that he lived
between 83-148 A.H. and that he "passed on the Secret of the Golden
Chain to his successor, Tayfur Abu Yazid al-Bistami." The
naqshbandi.org site mentions that Abu Yazid al-Bistami was "over
seventy years old" when he died in 261 A.H. (actually, from
al-Bistami's statement at the end of his biography it is clear that he
was 74 years of age when he died). This means that al-Bistami wasn't
born until around 187 A.H., some 39 years after Jafar as-Sadiq had
already passed away.

The other break relates to al-Bistami's successor, Abul Hassan
al-Kharqani. We are told that the "secret of the Golden Chain was
passed from Bayazid al-Bistami to Abul Hassan al-Kharqani".
Al-Kharqani died in 425 A.H. and we have already seen that al-Bistami
died in 261 A.H. Their dates of death are therefore separated by 164
years. It is impossible that al-Kharqani physically met al-Bistami
unless al-Kharqani himself lived for over 164 years.

The Naqshbandi's attempt to gloss over these defects by suggesting
that the secrets were passed on beyond the grave in the world of
spirits.

The Naqshbandi tariqat gets its name from the 17th shaykh in the
chain, Muhammad Baha'uddin Shah Naqshband. According to the
naqshbandi.org site he died 791 A.H., yet his successor, Ala'uddin
al-Bukhari al-Attar, apparently wasn't born until 18th of Rajab, in
the year 802 A.H. Even more confusing is that the sites gives
al-Attar's date of death as "20th of Rajab, 802 A.H." a mere two days
after his birth. No doubt this is an oversight.

See the chain here http://www.naqshbandi.org/chain/names.htm

13. NAZIM CLAIMS TO RECEIVE SPIRITUAL TRANSMISSION FROM ALLAH, VIA THE
PROPHET (S) AND HIS GRANDSHEIKH

On one occasion, Nazim claimed: "I was intending to speak on a
different subject altogether but this lecture came instead. This is
proof that i don't speak as i would like to but as inspiration comes
to me from Allah by means of spiritual transmission. He Almighty
instructs His Prophet, the Prophet instructs Grandsheikh and
Grandsheikh relays the message to me - even now from the other world.
Yes, my Grandsheikh directed me to deliver such a talk and it contains
what is not to be found in books. It is 'new news'." (Nazim, Mercy
Oceans' Endless Horizons, p.91)

Elsewhere, Nazim writes: "Now i shall speak, God willing, as my
Grandsheikh inspires me to speak upon this topic; and he and his
Grandsheikh bring me these inspirations from the heart of the
Prophet..." (ibid, pp.33-345)

If Kabbani's and Haddad's teacher's lectures are directly inspired by
Allah through the "heart of the Prophet" does this mean that Kabbani
and his ilk are beyond reproach? Apparently so, since Nazim wants from
his followers that: "... the Murid shall put his belief in the one who
is his Shaikh and Guide, and should proceed as indicated by him. The
Murid may not ask his Shaikh any question referring to anything which
he may order him to do." (The Naqshabandi Way: A Guidebook for
Spiritual Progress [Preface and Commentaries by Sheikh Nazim] 2nd
Edition, p.19).

14. BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE SPIRITS OF THEIR FOLLOWERS

Kabbani wrote concerning Nazim: "Mawlana Sheikh Nazim can control you
from where he likes because he received custody of your spirit when
you took initiation from him." (Kabbani, Mercy Oceans Shore of Safety,
p.113).

15. HOW TO GET HOLY PEOPLE TO VISIT YOU

Nazim teaches: "You may take a shower. Then pray 2 rakats, clear your
heart and ask for the presence of a holy person. If you do this
excercise for 40 days, one of them must reach to you. Don't be afraid
if they touch you!" (Nazim, Star from Heaven, pp.41-42)

16. SEEKING SUPPORT FROM KABBANI'S AND NAZIM'S TEACHER

Nazim wrote: "May He Almighty cause us to benefit from Grandsheikh's
blessings and teachings, and from his spiritual care for us even from
his grave. We derive our spiritual power from his heart center. If he
cuts us off we are stranded. Every breath that our Grandsheikh turns
towards us from his spiritual breaths is like a warm breeze which
blows on the bare branches of trees, causing buds and blossoms to
burst forth... Therefore, we seek our Grandsheikh's support by saying:
'Meded Ya Sayyidi, Support, oh my Master.' You must call upon your
Grandsheikh in such a manner when you are in need of support, then
that support may reach to you. The more you feel yourself to be weak
and in need of support, the more support he will extend to you."
(Nazim, Mercy Oceans Divine Sources, pp.9-10)

17. CAN WE SEE INTO PEOPLE'S HEARTS? NAZIM: 'NO.' KABBANI: 'YES!'

Nazim was asked: "So do you think that the outside appearance is more
important than the condition of the heart?" He replied: "We are not
prophets, so we cannot look at what is going on inside, but we see the
outside and it does not make me happy..." (Nazim, Power Oceans of
Light, p.94)

Nazim rightly affirms that humans are unable to see into people's
hearts (though he makes an exception for Prophets). This is
contradicted by Kabbani: "There are one-hundred and twenty-four
thousand saints on this earth, running here and there to look into
people's hearts, to bring them back to God." (Kabbani, Mercy Oceans
Short of Safety, p.4)

18. SAINTS ARE THE SAME AS PROPHETS

In some specific instances, Kabbani and Nazim have placed Saints and
Prophets on the same level.

Saints, like Prophets, are able to speak about the future (Kabbani,
Mercy Oceans Short of Safety, p.25)

Only Saints and Prophets have "entered the ocean of knowledge of Allah
Almighty". (Kabbani, Mercy Oceans Short of Safety, p.89)

The Prophet Muhammad (s) said that he who saw him in a dream has in
fact seen him because Shaytan cannot assume the Prophet's (s) form
(Bukhari). In the same way, Nazim writes that: "The sheikh may give
his orders by dreams, as it is prohibited for jinns and devils to
appear in the form of the Prophet or the sheikh." (Nazim, Mercy Oceans
Book 2, p.20)

Allah has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of the
Prophets (Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i). Likewise, says Nazim: "The earth is
prohibited from devouring the bodies of the Prophets and Saints."
(Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Endless Horizons, p.134). See also Kabbani's
Mercy Oceans Shore of Safety (p.54).

19. PREDICTING FUTURE EVENTS, INCLUDING THE TIME OF THE DAY OF
JUDGEMENT

Nazim said on April 22nd 1978 in London: "Allah Almighty will send to
each camp a head, a leader. In our books we call one of them (one of
such leaders) Mahdi, who will lead man to Allah Almighty... Before
this camping will be a great war... The greatest war that history will
witness will ensue... These signs that have been given us indicate
that the last day is coming, is nearly exactly now. I don't know if
this will happen today or tomorrow, this month or next month, this
year or perhaps the second year. We shall witness that great event
within two years." (Mercy Oceans: Serendib Edition: Part One, pp.
18-19)

History was to prove otherwise. The greatest war that mankind would
witness, and during which the Mahdi would appear, did not occur
"within two years."

Some years later in 1986 in Cambridge, England, Nazim said: "There
must be a Great War between East and West... This year it will not be
because this year is not Hadj ul-Akbar... And 1988 will be the year
when Israel is 40 years. We do not think that they will be more than
40 years old. During the war Mahdi Alehi Salam will come... In these
next 2 years dangerous and big things are expected." (Nazim, The
Secrets Behind the Secrets, p. 142)

Nothing happened. Actually, Nazim believes the Mahdi has already been
born, sometime between 1930 and 1940 (ibid). That would already make
him between 62 and 72 years of age. Nazim tells us that he met the
Mahdi some years ago. The Mahdi, he says, presently resides in a "big,
deep cave" protected by jinn who electrocute to death anyone who
approaches that cave (ibid, p.132-133)

More dates were given years later. Nazim again said about the year in
which the War would occur: "It can come in 1996, or in 1997, or in
1998 or in 1999. It will not wait for the year 2000." (Nazim, Secret
Desires, p.116)

Later he sounded a little less certain and said: "Another world war
will maybe come before the 21st Century." (ibid, p.134)

When asked at which time Jesus (as) would come back, Nazim replied:
"He will come soon. In a few years. The year 2000 will not be
completed. It is impossible for the year 2000 to be completed. He will
be with us before then." (Nazim, The Secrets Behind the Secrets, p.
22)

Jesus did not come before the year 2000. Did he? Kabbani also draws
attention to the year 2000: "All saints now are waiting for the year
two thousand. The ones who have passed away knew that in two thousand
some great event would occur on this earth." (Kabbani, Mercy Oceans
Shore of Safety, p.11)

Finally, Nazim predicted that the Day of Resurrection would occur in
the 21st Century. He categorically stated: "The Day of Resurrection
will be in the 21st century." (Nazim, Secret Desires, p.42 and p.83)

CONCLUSION

Is there any justification for the beliefs outlined above? Is this
heterodoxy cloaked in an ultra-thin orthodox garment? Ask the people
of knowledge if you do not know (Qur'an 16:43).

----------------

Bibliography

Kabbani, Mercy Oceans Shore of Safety. Haqqani Islamic Trust,
Michigan, USA, 1993

Kabbani, Islamic Beliefs & Doctrine According to Ahl al-Sunna Vol.1.
As-Sunna Foundation Publications, California, USA, 1997

Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Hidden Treasures (Teachings of Sultan ul-Awliya
Sheikh Abdullah ad-Daghistani An-Naqshbandi), no date or publisher
given.
See here http://www.naqshbandi.org/library/hidden/index.htm

Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Endless Horizons. Sebat Offset Printers, Konya,
Turkey, 1982

Nazim, Mercy Oceans. No publisher given, 1980

Nazim, Mercy Oceans (Book Two). Sebat Offset Printers, Konya, Turkey,
1980

The Naqshabandi Way: A Guidebook for Spiritual Progress (Preface and
Commentaries by Sheikh Nazim). Sebat Offset Printers, Konya, Turkey,
2nd Edition, 1988

Nazim, Star from Heaven. Zero Productions, London, UK, 1996

Nazim, Mercy Oceans' Divine Sources. Sebat Offset Printers, Konya,
Turkey, 1984

Nazim, Power Oceans of Light. Zero Productions, London, UK, 1995

Nazim, Mercy Oceans: Serendib Edition, Part One. Arafat Publishing
House, Sri Lanka, 1987

Nazim, The Secrets Behind the Secrets Behind the Secrets. Duru Offset
Print, Berlin, Germany, 1987

Nazim, Secret Desires. Zero Productions, London, UK, 1996

Ali al-Qari al-Hanafi (d. 1014 A.H.), Al-Asrar al-Marfu'a fi al-Akhbar
al-Mawdu'a. Maktaba al-Islami, Beirut, 1986

Al-Ijluni, Ismail ibn Muhammad, Kashf al-Khafa (2 volumes in 1).
Cairo, n.d.

Biographies

Hisham Kabbani
http://www.sunnah.org/about/shaykh_m...am_kabbani.htm

Nazim al-Qubrusi
http://www.naqshbandi.org/chain/40.htm

Grandsheikh, Abdullah ad-Daghestani
http://www.naqshbandi.org/chain/39.htm

[aMuslimForLife]

salamu alaykum

I was reading on http://www.*********/phpBB forums about this. Pl. don't confuse me with the person posting with same name over there.

I remember a brother by name of Rabita was posting on GF Haddad's shaykh Nazim Haqqani on various forums. Has GF Haddad ever had the time to answer that ?

shouldn't GF Haddad spend more time correcting the blunders of his shaykh than going far out to Salafees and Wahhabies trying to explain to them that they are on the wrong path. Are we going to see Nazim Haqqani and His Friends: A Concise Guide to the Haqqani Naqshbandi Movement

Wa alaykum salaam,

In short, I think the Salafi Dawah is more of a threat to the Muslim Ummah then Nazim's Branch of the Naqshabandi Tariqa.

More Muslims have been affected by the deviant doctrine of the Salafi Dawah then they have by naqashabandi branch of the Of Nazim.

So Al Albani and His friends has more importance then a book called Nazim and His friends.

From a practical point of veiw:

I don't anyone who follows Nazim.

But I know many people who follow deviant Salafi Dawah.

So GF Haddad choice of putting out Al ALbani and his friend was a good call.

Al Hamdullah.

And I ask Allah to give GF Haddad tawfeeq and baraka upon baraka for the works that he has done.

GF Haddad works has given me the ability to see the apparent mistakes of the Salafi Dawah.

I thank Allah that the works of GF haddad are out and made availble to the general public.

Al Hamdullah.

Maa salaama,

aMuslimForLife

[talib al-habib]

salaams

1. the book is excellent - I have read it masha-allah, and it is typical GFH. Well researched, easily readable english and informative. It is a critique of the Salafi movement as a whole, so don't go expecting sunshine and roses, but as usual the major difference between GFH and other (salafi) authors is the extent of research that goes into his work. He bases very little on his own judgement or interpretation, prefering to cite the opinions and conclusions of other (named) scholars, past and present. Some brothers may not like his (eight page) critique of Taqwiyat al-Iman, but again he is largely giving the views of other scholars - specifically those contemporary to Ismail Dehlawi.

2. Brother Zulfiqar, I am interested to know who exactly wrote the rather long and detailed litany of complaints against Shaykh Nazim. I am not his murid, but I have spent time with him. Other similar accusations (like one made my some apparently Naqshbandi 'Shaykh Samir') have turned out to be cut and paste slander by the Habashi's, who unfortunately seem to have a habit of making takfir rather too quickly. Almost invariably, the devil is in the quotation, but the truth is in the context. Shaykh Nazim certainly holds very firm beliefs about Imam Mahdi (as do many other shuyukh), but becuase he says it a lot more openly, he tends to get hammered for it.

Some advice for you: do not try to headbutt the rainclouds. Shaykh Nazim, Shaykh Hisham are not only alive but reachable. Ask them, or their learned muridin (like GFH) about what they belief before believing slander about the awliya-allah. Allah has said, 'whoever troubles one of my friends, I will bring a war against them; their harts are like candles of guidance.' I can personally testify that Shaykh Nazim is one of those people that, 'when you see him, you remember Allah...' The two of them follow the sunnah down to their finger-nails, and Shaykh Nazim is the murshid of several of the Grand Muftis of the near and middle east. If a good opinion is wajib about an ordinary, sinful believer like me, then what about someone of his stature. Allah has said, 'when a corrupt person brings information to you, then investigate it.'

May Allah protect us all from su az-zann.
was salam