Arab scholars: A Monolithic group? Dr. Wahbah Zuhayli...

[Saad]

Assalam o alaykum,

هذه الاستغاثات في ظاهرها حرام‏،‏ لأنها استعانة بغير الله تعالى‏،‏ فالمدد بين الله وحده

Dr. Wahbah al-Zuhayli clearly mentions that istighathah from the creation is haram although tawassul is permissible. He mentions that we visit the graves as an admonishment and a lesson and not to seek their help.

He also defends Hafiz ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab from the accusation of tajsim. He says,

"It is impossible to ascribe anthropomorphism to ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) since he is not actually of that opinion. Accusing him of that is due to having a negative assumption and misunderstanding. The is no reason to stir up differences arising from partisanship, and we must maintain proper adab with all of the 'ulama. Likewise, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) did not believe in anthropomorphism."

[safinatun_naja]

That may be true of certain scholars, but by no means the majority. To think that Sh Adib al-Kallas or Sh AbdurRazzaq al-Halabi were forced to teach what they teach is absurd. It is the same with the Habaib in Yemen. The yemeni government actually supported the wahhabi jihadis, since they helped get the president the south of Yemen. Nowadays they are helping to crush the zaydi uprising. However, this does not effect its scholars. One of the prominent Habaib has still called for implementation of shari`ah and criticized democracy. I heard this in one of his talks in Makkah during the Hajj season.

Was-salam

Do the Haba'ib openly criticize the Yemeni government ?

[al-Kankohi]

There is an extreme element in the Arab sunni's similar to their counterparts in the Subcontinent. Perhaps those who were painting the Arab sunnis as a monolithic group of staunchly pro-Istighatha Ash'aris were doing so because of that element. This misunderstanding may also be due to the fact that certain individuals who have studied in Arab lands, and hailing from the Arab-Barelwi'ish camp, have given the impression that this is what the Arab sunnis believe and so forth.

[hope1]

There is an extreme element in the Arab sunni's similar to their counterparts in the Subcontinent. Perhaps those who were painting the Arab sunnis as a monolithic group of staunchly pro-Istighatha Ash'aris were doing so because of that element. This misunderstanding may also be due to the fact that certain individuals who have studied in Arab lands, and hailing from the Arab-Barelwi'ish camp, have given the impression that this is what the Arab sunnis believe and so forth.

Assalamu aliakum,

I agree. The idea we get on the internet is that the all the Arabs are the pro-istigatha type. What we can say is that the Arab ulema on the internet are like that. Personally my theory is that the ulema in the north are more conservative.

[Saad]

Assalam o alaykum,

Dr. Wahbah Zuhayli further says that 'ilm al-ghayb is restricted to Allah alone.

Q: If a person feels that he is affected by witchcraft, is it possible to go to those who are specialized in curing witchcraft to drive away and remove the affects of the witchcraft?

A: It is haram for one to go to a sorcerer, whether for the purpose of engaging in witchcraft or curing it, for all of that, as is stated in the hadith falls under ascribing partners to Allah, because it presumes the knowledge of the Unseen and seeking a cure from other than Allah. The one who goes to a sorcerer and does not believe in him, his prayers are not accepted for forty days, and the one who believes him has disbelieved in what was revealed unto Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), the one upon whom Allah revealed some of the affairs of the Unseen. Only Allah possesses knowledge of the Unseen.

[al-Kankohi]

Assalamu aliakum,

I agree. The idea we get on the internet is that the all the Arabs are the pro-istigatha type. What we can say is that the Arab ulema on the internet are like that. Personally my theory is that the ulema in the north are more conservative.

- North?

[Saad]

Assalam o alaykum,

Seems like he is also against hadrah.

Q: We have a group in western Algeria that attributes itself to tasawwuf and engages in certain rituals, such as dhikr by means of dancing and clapping whilst in a circle, one of them saying what is called sima'," and some of them shout and wail. They call this hadrah. We would like for you to clarify the Islamic ruling regarding this practice.

A: For your benefit, from amongst the most important conditions of accepted and certain dhikr are etiquette ('adab), reverence, and tranquility of the soul, and wakefulness of the heart. As for what these individuals do during hadrah, it is not permissible and contradicts the etiquette of dhikr, due to Allah's saying: "The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely" (8:2). That which takes place in these gatherings is from amongst the bid'ahs of the Sufis and their desires.

[Saad]

Assalam o alaykum,

Last two fatwas states:

Q: What is the ruling regarding prayer in a masjid in which there is a grave in the back?

A: There is no harm in praying in this masjid, with the condition that the grave is not adjacent to the qiblah such that it is faced. What is better is for the masjid to be void of graves absolutely, because their presence, even in the back, renders the prayer makruh.

Q: Is it permissible to pray in a masjid in which there is a grave. And this is if the grave was annexed to the masjid, and not vice versa. If there are exceptions allowing placing a grave in a masjid, then what are the conditions for placing the grave, such that Salah is valid in this masjid?

A: There is nothing preventing praying in such a place with the condition that one does not face the grave, and that the grave is placed in the back, behind those praying. The matter is not free from karahah (being detestable), and what is desired is refraining from making masjids containing graves, due to the authentic hadith:

‏أنه قال : لعن الله اليهود والنصارى اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجد ‏

May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians, they took the graves of their prophets as masjids.

[suleimanibnsalim]

BismiLlah...
As-Salamu `Alaykum wa RahmatuLlah...

1. Just like anyone else, Dr. Wahbah cannot represent the positions of all Arab scholars or even a majority.

2. Hope1, that is just ridiculous. Where on earth did you get the idea that those in the "north" are more "conservative"? What nonsense! or is that a slight on the yemeni scholars? You accuse us of generalization, yet you do the exact same thing.

3. Safinatun-Naja, could I speak to you seperately? Leave a comment on this post and I will email you:

http://seekerofthesacred.wordpress.c...al-awwal-1431/

The owner of this thread once mentioned that he was not comfortable with "kalam and tariqahs". I am still interested in what he means.

Was-salam

[ibnmalik]

BismiLlah...
As-Salamu `Alaykum wa RahmatuLlah...

1. Just like anyone else, Dr. Wahbah cannot represent the positions of all Arab scholars or even a majority.

2. Hope1, that is just ridiculous. Where on earth did you get the idea that those in the "north" are more "conservative"? What nonsense! or is that a slight on the yemeni scholars? You accuse us of generalization, yet you do the exact same thing.

3. Safinatun-Naja, could I speak to you seperately? Leave a comment on this post and I will email you:

http://seekerofthesacred.wordpress.c...al-awwal-1431/

The owner of this thread once mentioned that he was not comfortable with "kalam and tariqahs". I am still interested in what he means.

Was-salam

Well I think the point of the thread was to debunk that very idea that certain names can be brought and presented as representatives of the Arabs, and through them justifying many brailwi bid'aat. The fact of the matter is that the commonly tossed around idea that brailwism is mainstream amongst Arabs, is used to label Deobandi beliefs as extreme and against EVEN the ma'sum Arabs!

That is all this thread is dealing with, and I think the ikhwa have illustrated very succinctly that indeed Arabs are not a monolith and there are just as many ulama amongst the arabs who support Deobandi stances of bid'ah.

Some very astute comments in this thread mashallah

p.s. Dr. Wahba Zuhaili is among the most rasikhoon of the ulama, to the point that even salafis have to study his books in the topics he writes on.