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By
Imam Ahle Sunnat ,His highness
Moulana Shah Ahmed Raza Khan Qadri Barelvi
Translated & simplified By
Alhaj Mohammad Moazam Ali
M.Sc. (Alig) B.com. F.I.C.A. A.B.T.I. (London)

The Ninth Doctrine

Necessities of Religion

According to the group of Nass-e-Quran (Verses of Quran which are clear and definite in their meanings) and in consonance with the famous and frequently narrated AHadith and also the Unanimity of the blessed followers of Ummat (people of Faith) following are the foundation pillars of the palace of Shariah (Revealed Laws) which are free from any kind of doubts and they do not need further interpretations.

Each one of this is supported by a sure and authentic argument and their submission and obedience is obligatory. They are approved by the Person and Attributes of Allah and also by the prophethood and by the Holy Scriptures and by the Angels and Jinns and by all those who are raised and gathered and scattered in the Universe. They are in consonance with the fact of establishment of the Day of Resurrection and determined by the predestination, inclusive of what were existing and what are present therein. They are all authentic and true and we (Sunni’s) believe in all of them.

It is false to believe in “Jabr and Qadr’ (Imposition and Destiny). It is wrong to think that one is totally oppressed or is under the control of an absolute authority. In fact a midway between the two should be believed in as a safe path and any undue guess work in these matters should be avoided because such guessing is a cause of distinction. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (Radi Allah Anho) and Hazrat Umar (Radi Allaho Anho) have prohibited to discuss on this issues.

So how can we dare to ponder over such things which can not be encompassed by our common sense? Therefore we (the followers of Sunni Faith) do not unnecessarily indulge into such terms or indulge in delicate issues aforesaid. So sincerely we commit them to the charge of Allah and we say: “We believe in all those things which are form the Divine presence of our Rab.”

So said A’ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza in this connection :

“The bird of wisdom tired and collapsed when it reached the
maximum height, but that height was still the first station far
from the  actual destinations”.

(So we can not trust our common sense to prove the concepts
of Jabr and Qadr (Imposition and Destiny).

We should bear in mind that meanings of the following terms are the same as are well known among the Muslims:
  1. The descent of divine revelation.
  2. The revelation of the Holy Scriptures.
  3. The Jinn and the angels.
  4. The Day of Resurrection and the revival/rising of the dead.
  5. Gathering and Scattering (in Hereafter).
  6. Accountability (of good and bad deeds).
  7. Requital (reward) and torment (for the deeds performed in worldly    life).
  8. Paradise and Hell (as recompensation of deeds).
We Muslims believe in them as the necessities of religion for the last fourteen hundred years and we will continue to believe as such in future.

If a person accepts in words that these things are true and then coins some different meanings then he invents lie against Allah. For example if he says this way that the paradise and the Hell, gathering and scattering, requital and torment do not have their apparent literary meaning or if he says that requital, means to be pleased to see the good (noble) deeds and torment means to be sad witnessing the bad deeds or he regards them to be spiritual enjoyments and feelings (and have their inner meanings) then surely such a person is an infidel and a heathen, non-believer, who denies the details about the “necessities of religion” which are already envisaged in Holy Quran and are referred to in the sacred AHadith. This is also infidelity to say that whatever the prophets had uttered before their followers saying that it was the word of Allah was not in fact the divine because it was something which was based upon their guess work and their ideas and imagination. (Such ideas gushed out like springs from the hearts of prophets and later engulfed their minds). Further if somebody says casually that there are neither snakes, scorpions and chains in the Hell nor there exist any torment so frequently mentioned by the Muslims and that the Hell does not physically exists or if some one utters that it will so happen that for all the disobedience of the commands of Allah there will be a spiritual torture which will be felt severely or rather in the highest degree and such feeling only is the other name of Hell. Then such talks and guess works are acts of manifest infidelity.

By the way if it is so comprehended that there is no paradise with its gardens, palaces, rivers and the Hoors (Paradise blondes) and the Ghilman (the paradise boys) and that the paradise does not physically exists, or a belief that as a reward of obedience some spiritual comforts will be provided by Allah and their pleasure or feeling is called paradise such mistaken ideas and false imagination are acts of infidelity and disbelief.

In addition to this if it is said that the angels of Allah who are mentioned in Holy Quran do not have any physical existence and that it is impossible to have any such existence or that the characteristics of several creations of Allah such as hardness of mountains, the flow of water, the growth of vegetation etc. are the forces which are called the angels or in other words then, the forces of noble deeds are actually the angels. Beliefs of such kind are also infidelity and transgression.

Further the refusal of existence of Jinns and the Satans and naming them as evil forces is also the act of infidelity. Those who believe in such fallacious things are surely infidels and renegades. They are outcasts of the Islamic brotherhood.

The Glorious advantages

In religion approved things are of four kinds:

1) Necessities of religion:
They are repeatedly proved by revelations of Holy Quran and AHadith or by absolute unanimity of arguments of scholars and they possess manifest utilities in which there can be no room for any doubt or further interpretation.

2) The necessities of the religion of the followers of Sunni faith.
They are also proved by absolute arguments but there may be room for doubt and interpretation in them. Therefore one who denies them is not an infidel but he may be regarded as to have gone astray or have become follower of base religion or wrong belief.

3) The established proofs
An assumed argument is sufficient for them when its utility is accepted by majority of opinion. Further it should be so authentic that it can render any contradictory opinion to be unfounded, feeble and disinteresting. For its proof only an individual Hadith, (correct or believable) or any saying, of the Muslim majority of a country or the masses of scholars of religion is available. We believe that the hand of Allah is always upon the group of people (of true faith). One who refuses them by providing evidences is neither a wrong doer nor a sinner nor a transgressor nor gone astray nor he is a follower of bad religion nor an outcast of Muslim brotherhood.

4) The doubtful pre-emption.
For their proof an assumed presumption is sufficient which can be contradicted by the opponents. One who denies them is only regarded to be wrong and mistaken. He may not be categorized as a sinner or said to be gone astray. He can in no case be called a infidel.

Out of the above four kinds of approved things every thing demands appropriate proof of its category. So one who does not distinguish between them and demands a proof of higher category in respect of any one of them may be regarded either simpleton or a cunning person.

Specially in respect of verses of Quran, AHadith and even in respect of high quality of necessities of religion there is no need of manifest explanation. There are many things included in the necessities of the religion whose denial is definitely infidelity, including such necessitates whose apparent mention is not made in the verses and the Ahadith such as an act of any negative attribute of Allah like “Impossibility of ignorance” (Jahal Mahal, or lack of knowledge) etc.

In the Holy Quran the knowledge of Allah and the Jurisdiction of His knowledge is mentioned at many places but no where the impossibility of any kind of knowledge is referred to Him. So it is right for every person to believe that verily Allah knows every thing and He is knower of all the visible and the invisible things and that none of the particle of the Universe is out of His knowledge and notice.

But if one says that Allah has become unaware of anything then (let Allah forbid it) he would definitely become an infidel by such utterance. Anybody who does not regard him to be infidel then he too may be deemed to have become an infidel. So those people who demand every approved thing to be proved by the verse of Quran in fact commit an act of ignorance and have gone astray. However there is no remedy for fanaticism and prejudice. So always believe firmly that one who says that he does not accept the word of Imam except what is written in Quran and is included in AHadith then he has gone astray. And if some body says that we do not believe in Hadith and we want a proof of Quranic verse then he is the follower of a bad religion and in fact an ill wisher of Islam.

So we Muslims should not listen or pay attention to the arguments of such people who have gone astray. If they create a doubt for us in Quran then we should consult the relevant Hadith and if they create a doubt in Hadith then we should seize the skirt of any Imam of the religion so that the truth becomes manifest and the falsehood becomes apparent and the unnecessary arguments of such mischief monger are thus falsified and they disappear from the scene for them Allah reveals:

 “They are like the wild asses who are running away
from the lion.”
 (Quran)

The Tenth Doctrine

REVEALED LAW AND OBERVANCE/RULE (SHARIAH AND TARIQAH)

Shariah and Tariqah (Revealed law and Observance) are not two different or opposite things. Without obeying the Shariah (Revealed Law) one can not approach Allah. Revealed law is the collection of all the commands concerning body and soul, the spirit and heart, all the divine science and the infinite knowledges. A part of Shariah (Revealed law) is called Tariqah. It possesses cognizance so unanimously that it is conclusive and final. So all the actions and performances of the saints have to be judged in accordance with the divine Shariah (Revealed law). If they are perfectly in accordance with the said law then they are true and acceptable, otherwise they are condemnable and unacceptable.

So necessarily the absolute Shariah (revealed law) is a must. It is the centre and the orbit. It is the only standard and in fact a touch stone to test the truth and the falsehood. Shariah means the path and the Shariat-e-Muhammadia means the path followed by the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) and it is absolutely popular and universal and is no limited to few commands relating to physical existence of body. This is the path which is prayed for five times in every prayer (Namaz) in its every “rakat” (part of Namaz) saying “(Oh Allah) lead us to the straight path”. This path is the path of steadiness and of the uprightness. It is the path of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam). We pray Allah to establish us firmly on this path.

Similarly Tareeq or Tariqah is also a path, it does not mean an approach. So if Tariqah would have been a different path from shariah then it may not help us in approaching Allah and on the other hand it may lead us to Satan. He latter may carry us to the Hell instead of Paradise, because except the shariah (Revealed law) all other paths are false and condemnable according to Holy Quran. There is no crime if we believe that Tariqah is the same path as that of Shariah and that in fact it is a lustrous part of the latter which can not be separated from it in any case.

One who regards Tariqah (Observance) to be separate from Shariah (Revealed law) then he regards the former to be a separate path or the path of Iblis.(Allah forbid it).

Tariqah (Observance) is absolutely the path of Allah and not the path of Iblis. Any individual who performs many austerities and religious exercises and also sacred endeavours can not attain such rank or status that he can be exempted from the commands and prohibitions of the Shariah and he is not free to behave like a horse let loose from reins or a camel without bridle. Allah reveals in Quran: “No doubt on this straight path meets my Rab (Raiser)” from the beginning of the Ruku (Section) Allah addresses the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) saying:

“And that this is my straight path (Shariah) so follow it and accept it do not follow any other paths for they will separate you from the way of Allah”.
Thus the Holy Quran has clearly stated that Shariah (Revealed Law) is the only path of which the final destination is Allah. One who follows it he advances unto Allah. Except this path one who follows any other path will be dragged away from the path of Allah.

Whatever is disclosed in Tariqah (Observance) it is the grace of obeying the Shariah. Otherwise without following the Shariah also great disclosures were made to people like hermits and jogis (ascetics/yoga devotees) and Sannyasis (Brahmins of fourth order/religious medicants). But all these disclosures lead them to Hell and they deserve the painful torment.

On the other hand Sufi (Muslim abstemious devotee) who controls his wishes and desires according to the Shariah (Revealed law) and is never swept away by self-desires nor falls prey to the lust of life and lasciviousness, he never disregards the Shariah.

Remember that Shariah is food and Tariqah is energy. If one stops to consume food then he is bound to suffer the loss of energy. The shariah is like a mirror and Tariqah is the power of sight. If one damages his power of sight by destroying his eyes then he loses his power of sight. Any contradiction to this belief may not be acceptably by common sense. If the compliance of Shariah would not have been compulsory or if it could have been neglected or set aside optionally then the Syed of the Worlds (Sall Allaho alaihe Wasallam) and Hazrat Ali (Allah’s favours be bestowed on his face) would have regarded to be right to leave or discard shariah.
Absolutely not. Appearance to the contrary as the degree of nearness to Allah increases the reins of Shariah are held more tightly. The good deeds of the righteous people happen to be greater in number than the common people. The people who enjoy supreme and exalted ranks in the presence of Allah are bound to perform many good deeds. The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) used to offer voluntary prayers (Nafil Namaz) for the whole night and used be sorry and always shed tears in the interest of welfare of Muslims ummah. The daily five time prayers (Namaz) was obligatory for the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) like any other but in addition to those prayer the pre-dawn prayer (Tahajjud) was also made obligatory for him whereas this prayers is only a Sunnat (Tradition of Prophet) for the Ummat.

When Syed of the Taifa (party) Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Radi Allaho Anho) was asked about some people who were proud of the fact that by following command of shariah they had become “Joined” (Wasil) and they did not need shariah any more, then he replied “They are telling the truth they have become Wasil (Joined) but unto What? Unto Hell.

He added:

The thieves and adulterers are better than the people of such faith. If I live for a thousand years I shall neither reduce any obligation and Wajibats (expedients) nor shall I without any excuse of Shariah reduce the number of Nawafil (supplementary prayers) and Musta-habat (preferable religious acts) which I have fixed for myself.

So, for the people all other ways except the way of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) are closed.

One who does not follow the way of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) then he can never reach his destination.

It should be borne in mind that the disrespect or contempt of Shariah tantamounts to infidelity. Those who reproach and use abusive language against the scholars of the religion then they are bound to be disgraced and humiliated in Hereafter. Those who go out of the circle (Jurisdiction) of Shariah they actually commit disobedience of Allah.

On the other hand a Sufi (abstemious Muslim devotee) is in fact righteous and truthful in his actions therefore an upright sunni Muslim who follows the true faith following the commands of Allah and His Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) always believe that the scholars of the manifest Shariah are the heirs of the Last of the Prophets (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) and that they are the flag bearers of the troops of religion and are guardians and custodians of the Science of Shariah.

So they regard that paying respect to the scholars is in fact like honouring the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) which is the real orbit of religion. So those who behave humbly and respectfully with the upright righteous and people fond of Allah are in the refuge of Allah and they are Knower of Allah. Those who regard the scholars of religion to be eminent and superior to themselves and to be free from the worldly vices if by chance they find something in the scholars which is repugnant to Shariah then they should broad mindedly over-look such errors and leave them to Allah so that He sets them right. It is the only way open to the true followers of Sunni faith in the aforesaid circumstances.

Oh Allah Guide all of us and make us steadfast and firm in our faith and make us to part from this world being the perfect followers of the truthful articles of faith.

Amen oh the Merciful of the Mercifuls.

Oh Allah all praise is for you and unto you we look for help and there is no power nor any force except you. You are Allah the Exalted and the Greatest. Let greetings of Allah be unto His friend Hazrat Mustafa (Sall Allaho Alaihe Wasallam) and unto his pious members of household and unto his purified companions collectively.

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