Ibn Taymiyya the Sufi?!?!

[loveProphet]

that's just copy paste, but I was talking about the arabic, from his books ....

*edit* did he allow bay'ah?

If you had read the first post, you'd know he allowed bay'ah and did it himself.

Ibn `Abd al-Hadi adds that Ibn Taymiyya said: "I have worn the Sufi cloak of a number of Shaykhs belonging to various Tariqas, among them Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir al-Jili, whose Tariqa is the greatest of the well-known ones" and again: "The greatest Tariqa is that of my master, Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir al-Jili, may Allah have mercy on him." Source: Ms. al-Hadi, Princeton Library Arabic Collection, folios 154a, 169b, 171b-172a; and Damascus University, copy of original Arabic manuscript, 985H.; also mentioned in al-Talyani.

As Ibn al-Qayyim wrote in his poem al-Nuniyya: "The Ahl al- Hadith, all of them, and the Imams of Fatwa are Sufis."

In al-Mas'alat al-Tabriziyya Ibn Taymiyya declares: "Labistu al-khirqata al-mubaraka lil-Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir wa-bayni wa-baynahu ithnan - I wore the blessed Sufi cloak of Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir [al-Gilani], there being between him and me two Shaykhs." Source: Ms. Damascus, Zahiriyya §1186 H.

Also cited by by Jamal ad-Din at-Talyani in his book Targhib al-Mutahabbin fi Labs Khirqat al-Mutamayyizin. Manuscript Chester Beatty 3296 (8) in Dublin, folio 67a.

Ibn Taymiyya's "two Shaykhs between him and `Abd al-Qadir" are identified in Yusuf Ibn `Abd al-Hadi's book Bad' al-` Ilqa bi-Labs al-Khirqa as such:

i `Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani (d. 561 H) ii-iii Abu `Umar (d. 607) and Muwaffaq al-Din ibn Qudama (d. 620) iv Ibn Abi `Umar ibn Qudama (d. 682) v Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728)

[hetgordijn]

regarding bay'ah, I'm asking because:

"It is not allowed for any of the teachers to take from anyone an oath to agree to him upon everything that he wants, to love those whom his teacher loves and to hate whom his teacher hates. Rather, the one who does that from them then he is similar to Genghis Khan and his likes, those who make anyone that follows them a close friend and those who oppose them a tyrannical enemy. Rather, upon them and their followers is to stick to the oath of Allaah by obeying Allaah and His Messenger and that they do what Allaah and His Messenger ordered them with. That they forbid what Allaah and His Messenger forbade them with…"
[Majmu' Fataawa (16/27)]

http://arabic.islamicweb.com/Books/taimiya.asp
http://www.almeshkat.net/

I searched, but didn't find. Perhaps you can? Or some other brother?

[Sword Of Allah]

Could someone show me? Cause I can't find it.

Asalamo `alaykum wa rahmatullah,

You can find فتوح الغيب its in volume 10 of ibn taymiyya's majmu fatawa, from what i understand he's only written a sharh on the main points of the book. I don't beleive its a complete sharh of the book. Wa `allahu alam.

وهذا كثير في كلامهم‏:‏ كقول الشيخ عبد القادر في كتاب ‏[‏فتوح الغيب‏]‏‏:‏ ‏[‏اخرج من نفسك، وتنح عنها، وانعزل عن ملكك، وسلم الكل إلى اللّه تبارك وتعالى، وكن بوابه علي باب قلبك، وامتثل أمره تبارك وتعالى في إدخال من يأمرك بإدخاله، وانته نهيه في صد من يأمرك بصده، فلا تدخل الهوى قلبك بعد أن خرج منه، وإخراج الهوى من القلب بمخالفته وترك متابعته في الأحوال كلها، وإدخاله في القلب بمتابعته وموافقته، فلا ترد إرادة غير إرادته تبارك وتعالى، وغير ذلك منك غير، وهو واد الحمقى، وفيه حتفك وهلاكك وسقوطك من عينه تبارك وتعالى، وحجابك عنه‏.

‏

[Paradise One]

Alhamdulilah, this was a very interesting read.
I must admit, i too once believed that the group's who use the works of Ibn Taymiyya (ra) to criticise sufism and tasawwuf actually had a basis for their thoughts.
It really surprised me when I first read some quotes of Ibn Taymiyya (ra) regarding the subject. I expected to see nothing but criticism, but when i learned that he actually accepted and appreciated sufism/tasawwuf i was quite amazed, and yeah, pretty happy too

I don't understand one thing tho. If Ibn Taymiyya DID in fact endorse sufism, what possible basis to the critics of it have to be against it? (if they do, in fact, hold Ibn Taymiyya in such a high regard)
Surely, they must know his true views on sufism, since im sure they read into his works more than anyone else. Then how can they not know that he supported these things?

The fact that Taymiyya accepted sufism is not a new discovery is it? cause if the information is all in his books, then how could people be so ignorant in this issue?

lemme know your thoughts, inshaAllah.
I love hearing from all the brothers and sisters on this forum

masalam.

[Sword Of Allah]

I don't understand one thing tho. If Ibn Taymiyya DID in fact endorse sufism, what possible basis to the critics of it have to be against it? (if they do, in fact, hold Ibn Taymiyya in such a high regard)
Surely, they must know his true views on sufism, since im sure they read into his works more than anyone else. Then how can they not know that he supported these things?

The fact that Taymiyya accepted sufism is not a new discovery is it? cause if the information is all in his books, then how could people be so ignorant in this issue?
masalam.

Wa `Alaykum Asalam Wa Rahmatullah akhi,

There's no doubt in the fact that Ibn Taymiyya endorsed sufism and had affiliation with a sufi tariqa. The reason why Ibn Taymiyya is infamous for being an anti-sufi is because of his Radd of Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn al-Arabi (Raheemahullah) and his obvious oposition to the Aqida of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jam`aah.

The followers of Ibn Taymiyya don't see any of this because as you put it they choose to be ignorant in this issue. May Allah bless the Ummah and keep us on the Haq. Ameen Thumma Ameen. Wa `Allahu Alam.

[Paradise One]

The followers of Ibn Taymiyya don't see any of this because as you put it they choose to be ignorant in this issue.

Brother,

this seems really unusual that all those who criticize sufism choose to ignore Ibn Taymiyya (ra)'s true stance. As muslim's, we are all seeking the truth and opportunities to, by the mercy of Allah (swt), gain true knowledge. If someone wanted the truth, why would they consciously be lying to themselves by telling themselves and others that Taymiyya (ra) was against sufism.

Im sure the average laymen from these groups has no idea what the truth of the matter is. Im friends with many brothers from these groups who are extremely kind and it seems to be the case that they simply dont know Taymiyya (ra)'s true stance.

Could it be the the leading scholars of these groups are the ones deceiving the masses? This idea makes me very uncomfortable since scholars are supposed to be the heirs of the prophets, and of the best character.

please forgive me for writing down my thought in such a disorganized fashion.
:-\

masalam

[Ibn_Abi_Yala]

al-Salamu 'Alaikum wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuhu,

I have just 3 question:

Who of all the brethren (and sisters) active in this thread read and understood Ibn Taymiyyah's works in Arabic, particularly the volumes which mentions things about Tasawwuf, Tazkiyyah, Zuhd, Faqr, Wilayah etc,?

Who have read anything at all of the works of later scholars, such as Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Rajab, Ibn Nasir al-Din, Yusuf b. Abd al-Hadi etc. who wrote concerning Ibn Taymiyyah and Tasawwuf etc.?

Who have even read, some, of the secundary literature devoted to Ibn Taymiyyah as a scholar abd his thoughts? Such as - L I T E R A L L Y - the hundreds of books devoted on 1) his life, 2) his capacity as a theologian, 3) his capacity as a jurist, 4) his capacity as a Traditionist, 5) his capacity as a language specialist, 6) his activity as a historian, 7) his activity in politics, 8) his acting as a critic of sects, 8) his methodology of teaching, 9) his activity as a pedagogue, 10) his view on Sufis - one in need! - , 11) himself as an influential person in modern times, and the many many many many many other studies?

wa-Salam

[aMuslimForLife]

Bismillah,

Based on what I've read about Ibn Taymiyyah and sufism, it appears to me his only problem with certain sufis, be he Ibn Arabi or others, is their non- compliance with the Shariah as he understood the Shariah, which is the problem all real sufis have other other sufis, it is just ibn taymiyyah had a much narrower veiw of the shariah then most real sufis,

It was Ibn Taymiyyah's works that help me understand certain aspects of tasawwuf in light of Quran and Sunnah and Allah knows best.

[Sword Of Allah]

Brother,

this seems really unusual that all those who criticize sufism choose to ignore Ibn Taymiyya (ra)'s true stance. As muslim's, we are all seeking the truth and opportunities to, by the mercy of Allah (swt), gain true knowledge. If someone wanted the truth, why would they consciously be lying to themselves by telling themselves and others that Taymiyya (ra) was against sufism.

Im sure the average laymen from these groups has no idea what the truth of the matter is.

Could it be the the leading scholars of these groups are the ones deceiving the masses?

Asalamo `Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah Akhi,

No doubt, we as Muslims should always be seeking the truth and gaining beneficial knowledge. Its true the layman from these firqa's don't know about Ibn Taymiyya affiliation with sufis and sufism. But I don't blame them for not knowing because a) they are not informed about it by their ulema and b) Ibn Taymiyya has always been personified as a rabid anti-sufi (like Ibn Abd`Al Wahab an-Najdi). As for those who do read Ibn Taymiyya (and his students) works that are pro-sufi, they seem to either find it hard to stomach or they simply reject it because it opposes the basic protocols and tenets of their sect(s) which are that sufis are upon "bid`aa". Audobillah. May Allah make them open minded and allow them to accept the truth when it comes to them. Ameen Thumma Ameen.
To understand a bit more about Ibn Taymiyya and the ulema of the sects that follow his teachings I would recommend you to read 'Nasiha li-Ikhwanina `Ulama' Najd' (Advice to Our Brothers The Ulama of Najd) and the small bio on Ibn Taymiyya by Sidi GF Haddad on his website www.livingislam.org Wa `Allahu Alam.

[abdul_karim]

his obvious oposition to the Aqida of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jam`aah.
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Not according to Shaykh Abdul-Qadir ibn Badraan ash-Shaami (rahimahuallah). He recommended Ibn Taymiyya's books on aqeedah as being reliable. Asharis do not define Ahl us-Sunnah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyya (rahmatullah alayhi) is loved and respected by all true Hanbalis.

He is (as Salah al-Din al-`Ala'i said):

"Our shaykh, master, and imam between us and Allah Almighty, the master of verification, the wayfarer of the best path, the owner of the multifarious merits and overpowering proofs which all hosts agree are impossible to enumerate, the Shaykh, the Imam and faithful servant of his Lord, the doctor in the Religion, the Ocean, the light-giving Pole of spirituality, the leader of imams, the blessing of the Community, the sign-post of the people of knowledge, the inheritor of Prophets, the last of those capable of independent legal reasoning, the most unique of the scholars of the Religion, Shaykh al-Islam..."