TABARRUK

Tabarruk
Tabarruk means blessed. In special terms, it means to obtain blessing from the pious. This is permissible, but there are some people who say to obtain blessing from the pious or their posessions is impermissible and the one who says it is permissible is leading the people into the way of shirk. We, the Ahl as-Sunna, say that tabarruk is proved from the Qur'an and Sunna and thus is permissible; to call it kufr and shirk is not acceptable.

Proof from the Qur'an

Allah Most High says in the Qur'an:
"And their Prophet said to them: 'The sign of his kingship is that there would come to you an ark in which there is tranquility of hearts from your Lord, and there is something left of the relics of the respectable Musa and the respectable Harun, the angels raising it would bring. No doubt, in it there is a great sign for you if you believe"

[Sura al-Baqara, verse 248]

Hafiz Ibn Kathir and Qadi Shawkani write:
"In the box there was Musa's and Harun's clothes, Musa's stick, and pieces of the Old Testament and some things of the previous Prophets, which had touched their bodies. When Banu Isra'il went to war they took that box with them and they used to win"

[Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir; Qadi Shawkani, Tafsir Fath al-Qadir]

From the above, it has been proved that it is permissible to keep the possessions of the pious for blessings.
Proof From the Ahadith

Imam Muslim writes:
"The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to get blessings from him. At one time our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) performed wudu with some water.When he left, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came and saw the left over water, took the water from the house and brought it outside. The Companions took the water and began to wipe it all over their bodies. The other people who were behind were not able to get any water began to wipe the water from the Companions hands and wiped it on themselves. In this way everyone got the blessings from the water that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did wudu with"

[Muslim, Chapter of Salat]

Imam Muslim writes:
" The people of Madina used to take tubs of water to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Prophet used to dip his hand in the water and the people used to take the tubs back [to get blessings from the water]

[Muslim,chapter on 'Fada'il']

Hafiz ibn Kathir writes:
"Once a barber cut the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hair. The Prophet's Companions were there as well. When the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hair used to drop, the Companions used to catch the hair to prevent it from dropping onto the ground and later kept the hair fpr tabarruk"

[Muslim, chapter on 'Fada'il'; Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on 'Hajj of the Prophet']

Imam Muslim writes:
"Once the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) went to Umm Salma's house. While in her house he went to sleep. While he was sleeping he began to sweat. Umm Salma got a small bottle and began to catch and collect the sweat of the Prophet may Allah bless him and grant him peace). When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) awoke he asked her what she was doing. She replied, 'I am collecting your sweat and hope that my children will get blessings from this', whereupon the Prophet said: 'Whatever you have hoped is right'"

[Muslim, chapter on 'Fada'il']

Imam Muslim writes:


"Once Suhail (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) some water in a goblet. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) drank some water from the goblet. When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had finished drinking, Suhail kept the goblet for tabarruk. When the Khalif 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to give the goblet to him, Suhail gave it. 'Umar ibn 'abd al-Aziz then kept it [for tabarruk]"

[Muslim, Kitab al-Ashriba]

Imam Muslim writes:
"Asma' (may Allah be pleased with her) had a gown of the Prophet(may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Sick people used to come to Asma' and she used to dip the gown in the water. She would then take the gown out and give some of the water for the sick to drink for tabarruk"

[Muslim, Kitab al-Labas

Imam al-Bukhari writes:
"The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had a large piece of cloth. A person came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and asked hf he could have the cloth. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave him the cloth. People asked the individual, 'Why did you take the cloth, when the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) liked wearing it?' The individual replied: 'I am not going to wear the cloth but when I die I want to be buried in this cloth as it is blessed.' When the person died he was buried in the cloth"

[Bukhari, Kitab al-Labas and Kitab al-Janais]

Imam al-Bukhari writes:


"Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) if he could be buried next to where Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) were buried. She allowed him to be buried there. Umar said: 'This is more valuable to me than anything on earth' "

[Bukhari, Kitab al-Janaiz]

This narration proves that to get tabarruk from the grave of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is permitted.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes:
"Khalid ibn Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) had a hat. In the hat he put two of the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hairs. Once he was in the battle of Yarmuk. The battle got very tense. Khalid's hat dropped onto the ground. He got off his horse and picked up the hat. After the war a person said to Khalid ibn Walid:'You had a cheap hat and to pick it up during a war is not a wise thing to do.'Khalid replied:'In that hat I had the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hair; the blessing from that hair gives me victory in every battle"

[Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on 'Death of Khalid ibn Walid'

Hafiz ibn Kathir writes:
"Mu'awiya had the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) nails and hair. He said: 'When I die can you bury the nails and hair with me in my grave'"

[Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on 'Death ofMu'awiya']

Ibn Sa'd writes:
"'Umar ibn 'abd al-Aziz had the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hair. He said: 'When I die bury me with the hair in my grave'

[Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd, chapter on 'Death of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz']

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya states:
"Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal was asked,'Is it permitted to do masa [wipe one's hands] over the mimbar of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) or to touch the mimbar for blessing?' He replied, 'Yes it is permitted.''Abdullah ibn 'Umar, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyid, Yahya ibn Sa'id, and other great scholars of Madinah used to do masa of the mimbar"

[Iqtida as-Sirat al-Mustaqim, page 203

Hafiz al-'Asqalani writes:
"From the grave of Imam al-Bukhari comes a beautiful smell of fragrance, there are pillars built around the grave and when people go there they take a small amount of clay from it [for tabarruk]

[al-'Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, 'Biography of Imam al-Bukhari']

Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes:
"When Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya passed away some people came and gathered around him and sat close to his body to obtain blessing from him. Also a group of women came and they drank from the water that was left over after bathing him to get blessing from it as tabarruk.The left over leaves of a tree which were also used in bathing him were distributed among themselves for the purpose of tabarruk.Whatever touched his body, such as his handkerchief or scarf which he wore round his neck, was sold for a large amount of money, to someone to keep as tabarruk. People used to come day and night to his grave, and some people use to even spend the night there'"

[Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on 'Death of Ibn Taymiya']

If you may obtain blessing from the clothes or from the water which is left over from touching the body of Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya, then how can it be wrong to get blessing from the other pious people of Allah.Or how can that be called bid'a or an act of shirk?

One Clarification

 

Some people assert that there is no benefit (blessings) in items possessed by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) i.e. clothes, hair, and nails. Those who doubt narrate ahadith in which our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave a shirt to 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy as tabarurk, which had no effect for his forgiveness.
The answer to this is that an unbeliever or a munafiq(hypocrite) will gain no benefit from our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) tabarruk.'Abdullah ibn Ubayy was the leader of the munafiqin so how can he gain blessings from the shirt.Yes, a believer - such as the Companions -did benefit, as mentioned previously. They kept items such as shirts, hair, nails and clothes. Some even asked to be buried with these items.
The second answer to this question is provided by Hafiz Ibn Kathir:
"There is a narration from the Salaf that the shirt which our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave was not for tabarruk. This was because the munafiq gave a shirt to our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) uncle, Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and so it was in return only that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) repaid him"

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, under Sura at-Tawba, verse 82]

A further doubt by those who disbelieve in tabarruk is with regards to the tree where the Companions pledged their allegiance (bay'a) to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw that the people would go to the tree to gain tabarruk so he had the tree cut. From this they claim that tabarruk is not permissible.
Whenever we mention our views on Islamic issues (such as those described in this book) we are confronted by people who say: 'Show us the evidence in Bukhari or Muslim.' We ask the same people to look in either of these books and show us where the above mentioned narration is mentioned regardingUmar's (may Allah be pleased with him) ordering the tree to be cut down.
Consider the following:
1) In Imam al-Bukhari's version he says that Sa'id ibn Musayib said:'My father told me when he went to look for the tree of bay'a, he could not recognize the place where it was and had forgotten the exact place where it was' [i.e. it had disappeared]

[Bukhari, chapter on 'Al-Hudaybiya']

2) Tariq ibn 'Abdullah says:'I saw one tribe there, who were performing their prayers.'
3) In the last moments of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah, when he had lost his sight, he used to say: 'If I could see today I would show you the tree where the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) received the bay'a of the Companions"

[Bukhari, chapter on 'al-Magazi']

The above mentioned narrations prove:
1) The tree was not cut, but vanished.
2) Companions, such as Jabir ibn 'Abdullah, knew where the tree was.
3) Tabi'un would go there to perform salat.
4) From the narration in Bukhari we can say no one was stopped to go there.Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani says in the commentary: "Some people forgot where this place was, like Sa'id ibn al-Musayib's father, and some knew where it was, like Jabir ibn 'Abdullah."[Fath al-Bari, chapter on 'Bay'aRidwan']
Sayyid Maududi writes that Imam at-Tabari said:
"During the period of 'Umar's (may Allah be pleased with him) Khilafa, he went for pilgrimage. When he passed Al-Hudaybiya he asked: 'Where is the tree under which the bay'a took place?' A person replied:'This one.' Someone else said: '[No, it is] this one.' 'Umar said: 'Forget the inconvenience'"

[Maududi, S., Tafsir Tafhim al-Qur'an,under Sura al-Fath,verse 18]

Furthermore the narrator of the hadith of the tree is Muhammad ibn Wadda and Imam al-Bukhari has said that he is not reliable [al-'Asqalani, Tahzib at-Tahzib, Biography of Ibn Wadda]
This must be the reason why Hafiz Ibn Kathir has not mentioned the narration about the cutting of the tree in his Tafsir, Ta'rikh, and not even in Sirat an-Nabi.
The evidence above proves that it is permitted to get tabarruk from the pious people and their things in their life and after death. The Ahl as-Sunna's belief is based upon the above evidence. However, there are many more similar events proving the permissibility of tabarruk.
The people who say that it is shirk/ kufr to believe in taburruk should have proof from either the Qur'an or Sunna. There is no hadith that proves that to get tabarruk from the pious is forbidden.

TAWEEZ

Taweez
The defenition of a ta'wiz is simply, a written du'a from the Qur'an or ahadith, and is for the one who cannot read or has not memorized that particular du'a. It is written on a piece of paper and is worn around the neck.
We, the Ahl as-Sunna, believe that to wear a ta'wiz around the neck is permissible if the du'a' contained in it is written from the Qur'an or ahadith. Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to recite du'a' and then blow onto the sick person. The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also did this and they wrote the du'a' on a piece of paper and placed it around the neck of a person if they could not read it. Of course, the du'a's from the Qur'an and ahadith have the power to heal the sick. Some people say that if you wear the ta'wiz you are commiting shirk, but we shall prove, with the help of Allah, that it is permissible to wear a ta'wiz.
The Qur'an Has the Power of Healing
Allah Most High says in the Qur'an:
"...We send down in Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers..."

[Sura Banu Isra'il, verse 82]

Qadi Shawkani writes, "If the Qur'an's du'a's are recited and blown on the sick, they will be cured. When the non-believers recite the Qur'an, their blasphemic disease will be cured" [Tafsir Fath al-Qadir, under Sura Bani Isra'il, verse 82]

Proof of Wearing the ta'wiz

Hafiz Ibn Kathir and Qadi Shawkani write:
"Amr ibn Shu'aib (may Allah be pleased with him) said that 'Rasulu'llah(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) taught my father and grandfather a du'a which we would read before going to sleep, to protect us from fear and anguish.We told our elder children to recite this du'a before going to sleep as well.But for those children who were not yet literate, we would write it and then put it around their necks"

[Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal vol.2; Abu Dawud, in 'Chapter of Medicine'; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, under Sura al-Mu'minun, verse 97; and Qadi Shawkani, Fath al-Qadir, under the same verse]

It is Permissible to Read Du'a and Blow Upon the Sick
Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim write:
"When a person who was sick or in some distress they would go to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) who would then place his hand on the area of pain and recite a du'a' and then blow onto him"

[Bukhari; Muslim, Chapter of Tibb]

Imam Muslim writes:
"When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was ill for the last time, Angel Jibril (peace be upon him) came and recited du'a' and blew on to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)"

[Muslim, Chapter of Tibb]

Imam Muslim writes:
" 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that when the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was ill for the last time, she recited Sura al-Falaq and Sura an-Nas and then blew on to the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hands. The Prophet then blew this onto his own face and body because his hands had more blessing then 'A'isha's (may Allah be pleased with her)"

[Muslim, Chapter of Tibb]

From the above narrations, it proves that to blow after reciting du'a's onto the sick is Sunna and the more pious the person is, the more healing power he has because he is blessed more than the less pious.
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes:
"It is permissible to [to recite du'a's and then] blow upon the sick in Islam, but the words must be from the Qur'an or ahadith. If the words are not, then it is not permissible"

[Ibn Taymiyya, At-Tawassul, Chapter on Blowing onto the Sick]

Questions

Q) Some people ask, 'How is it allowed to blow dua's onto the sick when some ahadith say this is forbidden?'
A) Allama Sa'idi has written the answer to this question in great detail; he has also included the opinion of all the other great scholars, and we will present this here.
Allama Sa'idi writes:
"Imam an-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim states: 'There are two types of ahadith concerning blowing. [reciting a du'a and then blowing onto a person]. One of the types is transmitted in Bukhari: 'There will be people who will enter Paradise without any questioning, who have never been blown upon.' Imam Muslim has also recorded a hadith in support of those who do not ask to be blown upon. Imam Bukhari in the chapter on Tibb [Medicine] has written du'as that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) recited when doing damm [reciting a du'a and then blowing onto a person]. Imam Muslim states in 'The Chapter on Virtues of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)' that: "When our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was ill, the Angel Jibril came to him and performed the blowing." The above types of ahadith apparently seem to contradict each other but in reality there is no contradiction.
"The former type of hadith refers to the prohibition of having read something that is not from the Qur'an and Sunna [i.e.something that has pictures, diagrams or words not from the Qur'an or Sunna] and then blow upon someone. The latter types of ahadith which permit damm refer to those kalimat [words or verses] which have been taught by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)"

[Allama Sa'idi, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Chapter of Tibb]

In the same way as above there are two types of ahadith concerning ta'wiz. There are many narrations that forbid the use of ta'wiz and also many permitting their use.
Imam al-Qurtubi wrote in detail about both types of ahadith concerning ta'wiz:
"The ta'wiz that are forbidden are those ta'wiz from the Time of Ignorance - those which are satanic and contain an element of shirk [mantar, voodoo and magic, etc.]. The ta'wiz, which are permitted are those written with du'as evidently from Qur'an and ahadith only"

[al-Qurtubi, at-Tadhkirat, chapter on 'Ta'wiz']

Here are the narrations which show the permission for one to wear a ta'wiz around one's neck:
Allama Alusi al-Hanafi, in his Tafsir of the Qur'an, writes:
"According to Imam Malik 'It is permitted to put around the neck the ta'wiz written with the name of Allah.' Imam Baqir also stated that it is permitted to put such a ta'wiz around the neck of a child"

[Ruh al-Mani, chapter 15, under Sura al-Mu'minun, verse 97]

Allama Shami al-Hanafi writes:

"It is permitted to write a ta'wiz and put it around the neck... It would be better if a person recites the du'as taught by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). But if a person cannot read or is too young to recite then it is permitted for that person to put it around the neck"

[Rad al-Mukhtar, chapter on 'Qira'at'; Sa'idi, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Chapter on Tibb]

To conclude, it can be said that those verses that oppose the Qur'an, Shari'a, or the Sunna are forbidden to read and also forbidden to put around the neck.But as for the du'as and verses from the Qur'an and Sunna it is permitted to be written and put around the neck of a small child, illiterate or a sick person

TAQLEED

Taqleed
Taqlid can be defined as the acceptance of a mujtahid's statements (fatawa) without knowing his references (evidences) [an-Nawawi, Tazeeb; and Qadi Shawkani, Irshad al-Fahul]


There is a consensus amongst the majority of Muslims that we should follow the four major Imams in matters of Shari'a. Such matters include:
· Those matters in which there is no direct, single and clear meaning in sources of Shari'a
· When there exists a difference of opinion between the Sahaba upon an issue, the Imams have tried to show the similarities in them
We only observe taqlid in matters of fiqh, not in our 'aqida. The unity of Allah, the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the Day of Judgement etc. are matters of 'aqida so they are not concerned with taqlid.
Some say that it is a form of shirk (polytheism) to observe taqlid of anyone apart from Allah. In particular, to follow only one Imam is a bid'a. They say that the evidence from all the Imams should be read and weighed in order that only those verdicts based upon strong evidence can be accepted and weak ones rejected.
The view of the Ahl as-Sunna wa'l-Jama'a is that it is impossible for an ordinary Muslim to go directly to the Qur'an and Sunna and extract religious laws. This is due to the fact that these sources of knowledge contain many matters which are unclear - thus requiring research into many other sources along with the application of rules which assist in understanding the matter under study. In order to do this, a person needs to possess both a deep and broad knowledge of Islam, which is both impractical and not incumbent upon each and every Muslim. Allah does not expect all Muslims to become scholars, rather He orders them to refer to those who have knowledge. Consider the following verse:
"And ask those who recall, if you know not"

[Sura 16, verse 43]

Also, in Sura Nisa:
"If they had referred it to the Messenger and to those of authority among them, then those of them whose task it is to find it out would have known the matter"

[Sura 4, verse 83]

For those who have the necessary pre-requisites, such as being a master of 'ulum al-Qur'an, master of ahadith and their principles, 'aqa'id, fiqh principles, Tafsir and its principles, and jarh wa ta'dil (the science of hadith narrators). They are allowed to take ahkam (legal rulings) from the Shari'a. Such a person can be called a mujtahid. However, many great scholars who were qualified to perform ijtihad, followed Imams. For example, Qadi Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad and Imam Zafar were able to perform ijtihad but followed the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa.
There are many categories of hadith such as mutawatir (rigourously authenticated), authentic, not authentic, weak and those which are fabricated.Some are mansukh, which means that certain matters were at first permissible but later made impermissible - for instance talking during the salat during the early period of Islam was permissible but later on made unlawful. This is why taqlid is a necessity - the scholars have taken all the above into consideration before issuing their verdict.

Rejectors of taqlid

Those who tried to reject taqlid, like Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya, were unsuccessful. He was, however, not a muqallid (one who must do taqlid of a mujtahid) like the ordinary people. Nether the less, his works of literature contain influences from the Hanbali school of thought. He always preferred his fatwas to Imam Ahmad's. His followers also claim that they are not muqallid to anyone and taqlid is bid'a. But, they always perform taqlid of Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya and quote fatawa from his books. The following is one such example:
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (the late popular government scholar of Saudi Arabia) wrote one fatwa against Milad an-Nabi and another against travelling to the grave of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). He wrote that it is impermissible to celebrate the Milad, as Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya's research had stated that this was bid'a.Likewise, he stated that to visit the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) grave is impermissible because this was the opinion of Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya [Ibn Baaz, Milad an-Nabi; and Ziyara Roza Sharif]
We can see how Shaykh Ibn Baaz is blindly depending upon Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya's research. The Shaykh also performs taqlid to scholars such as Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Ibn al-Hadi, Shawkani and Albani.
This is quite astonishing! These people follow their Imams but still claim that they are not blind followers and call the followers of the four Imams blind followers! In reality, everyone does taqlid in one way another. Some follow Imam Abu Hanifa, some follow Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya. Furthermore, when they are told that a hadith is weak, authentic or fabricated, they accept this without researching it themselves. Cosequently, they blindly follow Imam al-Bukhari, Ibn Abi Hatim, Hafiz Mizayy, Hafiz al-'Asqalani, Hafiz adh-Dhahabi, and Hafiz Maqdasi. The fact is that these people do not conduct their own research, but 'blindly' follow the research of their scholars.
When rejectors of taqlid label a hadith as being authentic, weak or fabricated, they actually imitate scholars of Hadith who have previously categorised ahadith into the above groups. Also, the technical terms used by the classical scholars to describe the different ahadith, such as mursal, mu'dal, shadhdh, mu'allal, 'aziz, and gharib, are not mentioned in the Qur'an or Sunna. To utilise these terms is also a form of taqlid.
Similarly, to accept principles of Hadith and Tafsir and also to interpret the Qur'an and Sunna in the light of these principles is to follow the imams who have developed these sciences. People who do not follow imams should find out the strength of a hadith directly without referring to any imam. They should also find new terms to describe the hadith, instead of mursal, shadhdh etc. They should invent their own principles of Hadith and Tafsir and then study the Qur'an and Sunna in the light of these new principles. Only then can they save themselves from 'shirk and bid'a'.

Doubts Raised by the Objectors to Taqlid

Those who oppose taqlid argue that there is no need to follow one particular Imam. They conduct their own personal research, in the hope that they will find the Imam that has the best opinion.If they think that a particular opinion is wrong they will try and find another until such a time that they follow aspects from all the four Imams. We say that this is not possible because the Imams have already performed thorough research into the Islamic sources and have utilised their own principles to determine the best opinions. Thus, you have to follow one Imams principle. Otherwise, you are using your own principles that are most likely to be that of your desires, such as that which is easy to perform.
Here are some examples: Imam ash-Shafi'i is of the opinion that if you touch a woman your wudu breaks. On the other hand, Imam Abu Hanifa says that this action does not break the wudu.Furthermore, Imam ash-Shafi'i does not accept mursal hadith, unlike Imam Abu Hanifa. If there exists two hadith, one explaining the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) words and the other explains the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) practice, Imam Abu Hanifa accepts the words to have more authority, whereas Imam ash-Shafi'i says that the practices have more authority.From these examples we know that we cannot follow two Imams. So how can we follow four or more Imams at one time?
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya says that when a person begins to follow one particular Imam without any valid Islamic reason he begins to follow another Imam - he is actually following his own wishes and not the other Imam and this is haram. The great scholars have strongly discouraged for a person to sometimes follow the fiqh of ash-Shafi'i and at other times the fiqh of Abu Hanifa [Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, vol. 20, Chapter of Taqlid]
Thus, from Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya's fatwa we have understood that at one time we should follow one Imam and taqlid is a necessity.

Some Objections

Common objections raised include: 'When the four Imams have not asked us to follow them, why do we follow them?' Also, 'When there is no hadith that recommends following the four Imams, why do we follow them?'
The answer to this is that we recite the Holy Qur'an in the manner of the seven qurra' and yet they didn't say 'Follow us!' nor did the ahadith say we should follow them. Did the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say only to follow Bukhari and Muslim? Did the blessed Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say that Bukhari is the most authentic source after the Holy Qur'an?
What the four Imams meant by saying 'Do not follow us' is, 'Do not follow our sayings.' We do not follow their sayings but follow the fatwas they gave after exerting great effort in research from the Qur'an and Sunna. By saying this they encourage us to follow their deductions, which are guaranteed to be from the Qur'an and Sunna. Even Imam Muslim and Bukhari did not ask us to follow them. They never told us to accept only the ahadith written in their books.
Were there Four Imams Present at the Time of the Sahaba?
The four Imams of Ahl as-Sunna were not present at the time of the Sahaba, the first generation - just as Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim were also not present. However, at that early period of Islam, there were those who possessed great knowledge of Islam and could therefore be referred to as scholars or Imams. Many Muslims would resort to them for advice and guidance in Islamic aspects. The foremost scholars at that time were four in number as explained below. The four Imams are however, included in the first three generations and were people from among the best generations. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "My generation is the best, then the next, then the next....".
Hafiz Ibn Qayyim writes that there were four Imams in the time of the Sahaba:
"In Makka there was 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas; in Madina there was Zayd ibn Thabit; in Basra there was Anas ibn Malik and in Kufa there was 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.After they passed away, amongst the Tabi'un were four Imams; again, they were famous. In Madina there was Sa'id ibn Musayb; in Makka there was Ata ibn Rab'a; in Yamen there was Tawus, and in Kufa there was Ibrahim. There were many other Imams but these were the most famous at that time"

[Ibn al-Qayyim, Alam al-Muwaqqieen, page 10]

It is clear that before the four Imams of the Ahl as-Sunna there also existed Imams in the days of the Sahaba, who were also a source of religious advice. The details of their fatawa are written in Kitab Musannaf by 'Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shayba's, Musannaf.
Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim says that "There were many Sahaba at the time but mainly Zayd ibn Thabit, Anas ibn Malik, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas were the most famous and they used to give a lot of fatwas"

[A'lam al-Muwaqq'in, Chapter on 'Qiyas']

It is the same with the four Imams of the orthodox madhabs (schools of thought): Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam ash-Shafi'i, and Imam Ahmad. During their time there were many muhaddithin and scholars, but people would come to these four Imams as they were the most famous of their time due to their extensive knowledge and reliability.

The Four Imams Had Differences Amongst Themselves, So Why Do We Still Follow Them?

Even Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim had differences between themselves. Imam Muslim in his book, Sahih Muslim, in the first part, has criticised Imam al-Bukhari. There also existed many differences amongst the Sahaba. So does this imply that we should not follow any of the Sahaba or Muslim or Bukhari as they had differences amongst them?

Why Don't we Follow the Ahadith in Bukhari and Muslim, and Ignore the Imams?

1) If we should ignore the Imams and depend only upon Muslim and Bukhari, why did both these great Imams follow Imam ash-Shafi'i? Imam Ibn Athir has written that Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim were Shafi'is

[Ibn Athir, Jamee'ul-usul, biographies of Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim]

Taki ad-Din Subki has mentioned Imam Bukhri's name in the list of Scholars belonging to the Shahfi'i school

[Subki, Tabaqat Ash-Shafi'i]

Nawab Siddeeq Hasan Khan has also mentioned Imam al-Bukhari in the list of Shafi'i scholars[Khan, N, S, H., Abjad al-'Ulum]
When the Imams Muslim and al-Bukhari themselves had to make recourse to taqlid and following a madhab, then how can the ordinary Muslim be expected to do otherwise!
2) Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim did not gather all the authentic ahadith in Bukhari and Muslim. Many authentic ahadith have been left out. Imam al-Bukhari said: 'I have left many authentic ahadith out of Bukhari as the book would have been too large [al-'Asqalani, Muqaddima Fath al-Bari, page 9]
Hafiz Ibn Kathir says that neither Imam al-Bukhari nor Imam Muslim gathered all the authentic ahadith. Some of the left out narrations are present in Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Nasa'i and, Abu Dawud. Furthermore, Imam al-Bukhari himself said that he knew of more than 200, 000 ahadith that are musnad (hadith with chain going back to the Prophet, as opposed to marfu' which only goes back to the Sahaba) [Ibn Kathir, 'Ulum Ahadith and Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, Biography of Imam al-Bukhari]
3) Bukhari and Muslim are not easy books to follow as Hafiz al-'Asqalani wrote seventeen volumes of commentary on Bukhari and Imam Ayni wrote 25 volumes on Bukhari. Imam an-Nawawi wrote a commentary on Muslim. Yet there were some ahadith which these great scholars of Islam could not understand. So how can we encourage ordinary Muslims to pickup Muslim and Bukhari and start following them?
4) We should not follow only Bukhari and Muslim otherwise we would become blind followers of Muslim and al-Bukhari and ignore the hundreds of books of hadith which were written before Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari were even born!
5) If it is essential to follow only Imam al-Bukhari or Muslim, then why did Imam al-Bukhari, himself not follow his own ahadith narrations?For example:
(a) Hafiz al-'Asqalani and Imam Ibn Kathir write that Imam Bukhari prayed that Allah Most High should take his life during the period when he was being persecuted by people [al-'Asqalani, Tahdib Al Tahdib; and Ta'rikh Ibn Khathir, Biography of Imam Bukhari]
This is despite the fact that Imam al-Bukhari also states a hadith that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant Him peace) said that a Muslim should never ask Allah to take his life

[Bukhari, Al-Marda]

(b) Imam al-Bukhari was known to complete the entire recitation of the Qur'an in one night during the month of Ramadan. This opposes the hadith narrations which he collected himself that mentions that the Qur'an should be completed within five to seven days

[Bukhari, Fada'il Qur'an]

Did Not the Four Imams Say "If you find an authentic hadith which goes against what we say, accept the hadith and ignore us?"
It is correct that if an Imam says something which opposes an authentic hadith, then we should reject his sayings and follow the hadith. But what exactly does an 'authentic hadith' mean? Is an authentic hadith that which is written in Bukhari or Muslim? Or is it a hadith, which fulfils the criterion of being an authentic hadith? Or is an authentic hadith that which has been called authentic by the scholars of Hadith?
If we believe that authentic ahadith are those only to be found in Bukhari and Muslim, then we would just be blind followers of Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim. If we say that authentic hadith are those which fulfil the requirements laid down by hadith principles, then we would just be blindly following those scholars who have written down these principles! Also, if we say that authentic ahadith are those which were claimed to be authentic by muhaddithin, we would simply be following them "blindly."
It can be concluded, that if we took any of the above opinions we would still be following someone.
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes that there has never been anyone from among the Imams who has deliberately opposed the Sunna. When we find a statement from an Imam which goes against the Sunna, the hadith in question does not fulfil the requirements of authentication of that Imam. Thus, each Imam has their own sets of rules which determine if a hadith is authentic or weak - so what may be an authentic hadith to one Imam may not be recognised as authentic by another [Ibn Taymiyya, Rafu'l malam, pages 15-16]
An example can be given by looking at the ahadith which Abu Hanifa received from his teachers, who were the Sahaba of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and their students (Tabi'un). As these ahadith reached Abu Hanifa through direct narration from the Sahaba and their students, no question can be raised as to their authenticity. But when these same ahadith reached scholars of later generations, the chains of narrators could contain some unreliability. Therefore, if someone studies a hadith whose narrator is unreliable, and then says that a fatwa of Abu Hanifa that is based upon this hadith is contrary to the Sunna, it would be unfair.
Secondly, whatever the four Imams have said was not necessarily final. Throughout their lives, the Imams have changed their opinions as they received further information. Also after their deaths, their students would check their respective Imam's work and modify their opinions to accommodate the new information. Their students, and so on, also repeated this again. This structure is known as a school of fiqh (madhhab).
If a fatwa given by a certain school appears to contradict a narration in Bukhari or Muslim, it does not mean that it is against the Sunna as they are following other authentic ahadith, and therefore, not opposing the Sunna.

Two examples of following blindly

(1) Shaykh Albani writes:
"The hadith, which is attributed to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and states that 'Isa and Imam Mahdi (peace be upon them) are the same person is completely untrue. Although Imam Ibn Majah, Imam al-Hakim, Imam Ibn 'Abdi'l-Barr and other scholars of Islam have quoted the above hadith in their books. The reason this narration is false is because both Imam Ibn Hajar and Imam al-Bayhaqi write that the narrator is Muhammad ibn Khalid, who is unknown. Furthermore, Imam adh-Dhahabi also considers this hadith to be false. Imam Sagani said that this hadith is fabricated. Imam as-Suyuti said that the people have fabricated this hadith. Imam al-Qurtubi considers this hadith to be weak"

[Albani, N., Silsila Ahadith Da'ifa, hadith no. 77]

It can be observed from the above, how Shaykh Albani takes the opinions of an aforementioned Imam as evidence.Moreover, if Imam adh-Dhahabi says this hadith is untrue then Albani says likewise. If Qadi Shawkani says this hadith is fabricated then Albani also says it is fabricated.What can one say about this research - is Albani following Qur'an, Sunna or the Imams?
If one reads Shaykh Albani's books it can be observed that Albani is always following Imams. If Albani cannot avoid taqlid then a simple Muslim would definitelyneed to follow an Imam.
When Albani follows Imams, such as Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani, adh-Dhahabi, al-'Asqalani, and Ibn Abi Hatim, he is considered a great scholar and a knowledgeable person.Moreover, when someone else follows Imam Abu Hanifa, or any of the other three Imams then they are considered to be ignorant innovators.Therefore, having observed the above evidence, one has to draw a conclusion that people have one set of rules for one set of people and another set of rules for other people.
(2) Shaykh Albani writes that Imam ad-Darimi wrote:
"There was a great famine in Madina, the people went to 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) to seek guidance.She said to them to go and make a a hole in the roof where our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was buried..When they had done this it started to rain.There was a good harvest and the camels fattened; people named that year as a 'fruitful year'.This narration is false because one of the narrators is weak, who is Sa'id ibn Zahid.Imam Ibn Hajar says that this narration is not authentic. Imam adh-Dhahabi says Sa'id's narration is weak; Imam Sa'di says that Sa'id is unreliable; Imam an-Nasa'i says Sa'id is weak in knowledge, but Imam Ahmed says that Sa'id is acceptable and the other narrator of this narration is Muhammad ibn Fadal, who is known to be authentic.However, during the later stages of his life he suffered memory lapse.We do not know whether Imam ad-Darimi took this narration from Imam Muhammad, before or after he started to suffer from memory lapse, therefore we cannot accept this narration as evidence and Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya has refused to accept the above narration. He writes in his book Ar-rad Al-Bakari that the hole in the room of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was not present in the lifetime of 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her).The hole came into existence during the time of Khalifa Walid ibn 'Abd al-Malik, hence the above narration is false. 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) told the people to make a hole - this was her personal option and this is not acceptable"

[Albani, N., at-Tawassul, page 162]

In the above research it can be seen how Albani is again relying upon Imams, and in particular, how he is blindly following Hafiz ibn Taymiyya. Now we can ask those people who falsely accuse us of following Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam ash-Shafi'i.We ask them why Shaykh Albani is only following Imam Dahahbi, Imam al-'Asqalani, Hafiz ibn Taymiyya and Shawkani therefore it can be said that if it is acceptable for Albani to follow Imams then why is it wrong for anyone else to follow Imams.
Let us now examine Albani's research regarding the above four points relating to the narration of Imam ad-Darimi.
The first response to Albani's research is that he has only quoted the opinion of those scholars who considered Sa'id ibn Zahid to be unreliable. The reason he has chosen to do this is because if he had mentioned the scholars who had praised Sa'id ibn Zahid, then he would have to accept their narrations.This opposed his (Albani) and his Imam's (Ibn Taymiyya) opinion. Let us consider the other opinions of scholars about Sa'id ibn Zahid.
Imam Bukhari mentions that Sa'id ibn Zahid was truthful and a learned man of hadith [al-Bukhari, Ta'rikh al-Kabir, Biography of Sa'id ibn Zahid]
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathir both agree that Imam al-Bukhari was the one person in the world who knew hadith, texts and narrations better than anyone else [Ibn Taymiyya, Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, vol.3, page 200; also Ibn Kathir, Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, Biography of Imam al-Bukhari]
Imam Ibn Abi Hatim says Imam Abu Zahra said Sa'id ibn Zahid is a reliable person [Ibn Abi Hatim, Jarh wa Ta'dil, ,Biography of Sa'id ibn Zahid]
Hafiz al-'Asqalani writes that Yahya ibn Mu'in said that Sa'id ibn Zahid was a reliable peson. Also, Imam Ajali and Imam Abu Zahra say that he was reliable. Imam Naban ibn Hilal says Sa'id ibn Zahid was a master of hadith. But Imam Daraqutni says that Sa'id ibn Zahid was weak [al-'Asqalani, Tahdib al-Tahdib, Biography of Sa'id ibn Zahid]
We are surprised as to why Albani has chosen to discard the opinions of the aforementioned scholars regarding the reliability of Sa'id ibn Zahid. If Albani recognised the authenticity of Sa'id ibn Zahid by trusting the opinion of Imam al-Bukhari and Yahya ibn Mu'in, he would have no choice but to accept Sa'id ibn Zahid as a reliable narrator and hence accept the hadith.This would be a logical conclusion if we remember that Albani's two Imams (Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Kathir) have said that Imam al-Bukhari is the most learned person of hadith in the world.
The second objection of Albani regarding this narration is that Muhammad ibn Fadal, the narrator of this hadith, suffered from memory lapse at later stages of his life .We do not know whether Imam ad-Darimi took this narration from Muhammad ibn Fadal before or after he started to suffer from memory lapse, therefore we do not accept this narration.
The answer to the above objection is that Muhammad ibn Fadal was a teacher of both Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim. Imam al-Bukhari took narrations from him. We have a reliable opinion that Imam al-Bukhari took the narration from Muhammad ibn Fadal before he started to suffer from memory lapse. Furthermore, Imam as-Darimi, like Imam al-Bukhari, was a learned scholar of hadith and was able to understand and judge when to accept a hadith from a narrator.
Albani's objection can only be valid if we can establish that Imam ad-Darimi had a habit of taking hadith from narrators that were suffering from memory problems. There is no proof to suggest this.
If Albani insists upon the idea that Imam ad-Darimi took the narration from Muhammad ibn Fadaal, that is after he started to suffer from memory lapse, then someone else may say that Imam al-Bukhari also accepted narrations from Muhammad ibn Fadal after he started to suffer from memory lapse as it cannot be established from historical data as to precisely when he started to suffer from memory lapse.
Hafiz al-'Asqalani has written in his preface to Fath al-Bari that Imam al-Bukhari took narrations from Muhmmad ibn Fadal before he started to suffer from memory lapse. However, Hafiz Ibn Hajar did not state the period in which Muhammad ibn Fadal started to suffer from memory lapse or to the fact how he knew that Imam al-Bukhari took narration from Muhammad ibn Fadal before he started to suffer from memory lapse. We are therefore puzzled as to how Albani has established his suspicion on Imam ad-Darimi regarding this narration. Likewise, others may be suspicious about Imam al-Bukhari.
The third objection of Albani regarding this narration is that during the rule of Walid ibn Malik, the room of 'A'isha, where our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is buried, was rebuilt with a hole in the room. From this it can be seen that the hole was not made by the order of 'A'isha.,Therefore, the narration that states that 'A'isha gave the order for the hole to be made is false. However, when Walid ibn Malik rebuilt 'A'isha's room, the hole was made again. So we cannot be certain that the hole was in existence before the rebuilding of the room.
Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari and Hafiz ibn Kathir write in their Ta'rikh that during Walid ibn Malik's
Governmental period the Mosque of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was enlarged and, during this extension, 'A'isha's room (where our Prophet is buried) was enclosed in the Mosque. But they do not mention anything about a hole. Therefore, how can it be said that narration regarding a hole is not authentic?
Shaykh Albani says Hafiz ibn Tamiyyah never accepted this narration. However, Hafiz ibn Taymiyya has accepted this narration elsewhere. Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes:
"During 'A'isha's time there was a famine in Madina and she opened the roof of her room [where our Prophet is buried]. This was done because rain is blessing of Allah and it would therefore fall upon our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) grave"

[Ibn Taymiyya, Iqtida as-Sirat al-Mustaqim, page 338]

If this narration was not true then Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya would have rejected it but he has not rejected it hence further supporting its validity.
Albani's fourth objection is that this was 'A'isha's personal opinion. This can be answered by the fact that the Sahaba were alive and they did not object to what 'A'isha did. Therefore she and the Sahaba were in agreement.This is evidence for the entire Muslim Umma. Except Albani.
In conclusion we can say that if Albani needs to fallow Imam adh-Dhahabi, Imam al-'Asqalani, Imam Abu Hatim, Imam Ibn 'Adi, Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya and Shawkani. Therefore ordinary Muslims also need to follow Imams i.e. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik ,Imam ash-Shafi'i and Imam Ahmed.
Furthermore, Albani's research is unreliable because he has chosen to ignore opinions which he disagrees with.

THE PARENTS OF PROPHET WERE MUSLIMS

THE PARENTS OF PROPHET WERE MUSLIMS

This writing concerns the question of the ruling (Hukm) that the Father and Mother of The Prophet (SallAllahu ‘Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) are (believed to be) saved and not in Hellfire as many points have been enumerated upon the belief of the parents of the Holy Prophet Muhammad  (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) - whether they were Believers or not, and whether they believed in the Oneness of Allah or not. Some theologians, basing their evidence on superficial meanings, have gone to the extent of even quoting Quranic injunctions to refer to them as "People of Hell." (Ma'az-Allah) However, there are four main points of view on this subject, which are:

1. Some state that they were not Muslims in their own lifetime, neither were they Muslims after passing away.
2. Some say that one should remain silent on this matter and that Almighty Allah knows best.
3. Some hold the view that they were not Muslims in their own life times, but they are now Muslims.
4. Others are of the opinion that they were Muslims during their life in this world and even after passing away and that they believed in the Oneness of Allah.

The last opinion is without doubt correct and accepted by the majority of scholars and Jurists and This has been declared by the majority of the scholars, and in reaching that declaration they have several methods (masalik).

The ones who prefer to remain silent mention that are proofs substantiating their belief as well as proofs refuting their belief and it is because of this, they say, that one should remain silent.

The ones who say that during their life on this world they were disbelievers and that they became Muslims after death, also bring forth their proof in form of a famous tradition reported by Hadrat Ayesha Siddiqah (Radi Allahu Anha). She was reported to have stated that on Hujjatul Wida (Farewell Pilgrimage), the parents of Rasoolullah (SallAllaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) were made to rise from their graves and recite the Kalima. This Tradition has been quoted by Jami, reported from Imam Qurtabi and Imam Naseerudin.

Justice of al-Qur'an al-Kareem:
1. Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala the Most Exalted, states in the Holy Qur’ān:
وتوکل علی العزیز الرحیم الذی یرٰک حین تقوم وتقلبک فی السٰجدین
And put your trust in the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. Who sees you standing forth (in Salāh). And sees your movements among those who fall prostrate (do Sajdah) . [Ash-Shu'ara, verse 217-219]

Imām Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states

“The meaning of this Ayah proves that the entire ancestors of the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam are Muslimīn and Imām al-Suyootī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, Imām Ibn H ajr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and ‘Allāmah Zarqānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho etc. have all confirmed and acknowledged this argument.” [MafatiH al Gayb, 26:219 - Sharha Zarqani, 1:174]

It is in Tafsir Jamal:

Oh Prophet, whichever believing men and women’s wombs and generations you passed through from Adam and Hawwa to 'AbdAllah and Amina, Allah is watching all of them. All of your ancestors, whether men or women, are believers. [al-Jumal, 3:396]

It is in Sawi ‘ala al-Jalalayn:

'Sajidin' refers to believing people and the verse means that from Adam to 'AbdAllah, whichever wombs and generation of believers that the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam passed through, Allah saw them. This verse proves that all of his ancestors were believers. [Sawi, 3:287]

2. The Sublime Lord Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala states:
ولعبد مؤمن خیر من مشرک
And a slave man who believes is better than an Unbeliever. [Al-Baqarah, Verse 221]

Sayyidunā Rasoolullāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam states:

بُعِثْتُ مِنْ خَيْرِ قُرُونِ بَنِي آدَمَ قَرْنًا فَقَرْنًا حَتَّى كُنْتُ مِنْ الْقَرْنِ الَّذِي كُنْتُ فِيهِ
I was sent from amongst the best of families in every generation until the generation I was born in. [Bukhari, 1:503]

Amīr al-Mu‘minīn Sayyidunā ‘Alī al-Murtudāh Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states in a SaHīH Hadīth:

لم يزل على وجه الدهر (الارض) سبعة مسلمين فصاعد أفلولا ذالك هلكت الارض و من عليها
In every generation there are always present at least seven Muslims and if they are not present then all the dwellers of the earth would perish. [Sharha Zarqani, 1:174]

It is recorded in the SaHīH Hadīth of the ‘Alim of al-Qur’ān, the Power of this Ummah, Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho:

مَا خَلَت الاَرْض مِن بَعدَ نُوحٍ مِن سَبعَةَ يَدفَعُ الله لَهُم عَن اَهلِ الاَرضِ
After Sayyidunā Nabī Nooh Alaihis Salam, this earth was never empty of at least seven sincere servants of Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala (Mu‘min) and it is due to them that Almighty Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala protects the dwellers of the earth. [Sharha Zarqani, 1:174 - al-Hawi lil Fatawa, 2:212]

When it is clearly established from the SaHīH Hadith that certainly there always exist on earth at least ‘seven’ pious believers in every generation and it is also proven from a SaHīH Hadith of al-Bukhārī that the lineage from which the Beloved Habīb SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was born, was indeed in all generations and families, the best and most excellent. Accordingly, the Holy Qur’ān also testifies that a Kāfir born from no matter how pious a family will never be better than a believing servant (Muslim). Hence, it is incumbent that the lineage from which the beloved Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was born had to be in every generation from amongst those seven pious and beloved servants of Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala or else it would be contradicting the SaHīH Hadith and the command of Almighty Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala.

Imām AHmad Rīdā Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho comments

أقول و المعنى ان الكافر لايستأهل شرعاً ان يطلق عليه انه من خيار القرن لاسيماوهناك المسلمون صالحون و ان لم ير الخيرية الاّ بحسب النسب فافهم
So I say; according to the Divine Law, a Kāfir does not deserve any credibility attributed to him especially amongst the noble of the time. This is so because in that golden age, verily there were also pious believers present whose piety was not apparent except for those who were recognized by the virtue of their ancestry. Now you decide.

The illustrious Imām and seal of the Huffāz, Allāmah Jalāl al-Millat wad-Dīn al-Suyootī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho also uses the same proof in his argument on this subject.
. The Lord of the Universe SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala states:

انما المشرکون نجس
Truly the Pagans are impure. [At-Tawbah, verse 28]

And, in a Sahīh Hadīth Sharīf the Prophet of Allāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam states:

لم يزل الله ينقلني من الاصلاب الطيبة الطاهرة مصفى مهذباً لاينشعب الا كنت في خيرهما
Almighty Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala always transferred me from one pure and sacred progenitor to another. When this pure and sacred generation gave birth to two branches, I was born from the best amongst the two. [Dalail an Nabuwwah, 1:11/12]

Another Prophetic narration states:

لم ازل انفل من اصلاب الطاهر ين الى ارحام الطاهرات
I was always transferred from the backs of pure males to the backs of pure females. [Sharha Zarqani, 1:174]

The Hadīth Sharīf reports:

لم ازل انفل من اصلاب لاكر يمة و الارحام الطاهرة حتى اخرجني من بين ابوى
Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala always transferred me from pious backs to pure wombs until I was from my parents. [Ash-Shifa, 1:63]

It is therefore necessary that the ancestors of the Sayyidunā Rasoolullāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam all be pure, pious and certainly be believers (Mu‘min) subscribing to the highest form of Imān and TawHīd because the Holy Qur’ān is explicit that no Mushrik or Kāfir has a share in purity and piety. This proof is documented by the great Imām and pride of the Ummah, ‘Allāmah al-Warā, Fakhr al-Dīn Rāzī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and great luminaries like Imām Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyootī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, also MuHaqqiq Sanusī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, ‘Allāmah Tilmisānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho the commentator of “Shifā of Qādī al-‘Ayād”, Imām Ibn H ajr al Makkī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and Imām Sayyid MuHammad ibn ‘Abd al-Baqi Zarqānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho have all verified and acknowledged this fact.

4. The Compassionate Lord SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala states:

اللہ اعلم حیث یجعل رسالته
Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala knows best where (and how) to carry out His mission. [Al-An‘'aam, Verse 124]

The above Ayah clearly advocates the fact that Almighty Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala selects the most appropriate and exalted of His creation to bestow the Risālah (Prophethood). Therefore, Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala has not blessed any undignified nation or person with the Amānah of Prophethood. Furthermore, what can be more undignified or filthy than Kufr and Shirk and why should He SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala entrust the stately station of Risālah on them? The Kuffār and Mushrikīn are worthy of Divine Anger and Wrath while the station of Prophethood demands Mercy and Compassion
Witness from Ahadith ash-Sharif:

1. In the narration of Al-Zahrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho from Sayyidunā Anas ibn Mālik Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho by Imām Bayhaqī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and Imām Ibn ‘Asākir Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho that the beloved of Allāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said:
انا محمد بن عبدالله بن عبدالمطلب بن هاشم بن عبدالمناف بن قصى بن كلاب بن مرّة بن كعب بن لوى بن غالب بن فهر بن مالك بن النضر بن كنانه بن خز يمه بن مدركه بن نزار معد بن عدنان ما افترق الناس فرقتين الا جعلنى الله في خيرهما فاخر جت من بين ابوي فلم يصيني شئ من عهد الجاهلية و خرجت من نكاح و لم اخر ج من سفاح من لدن آدم حتى انتهيت الى ابي و امي فانا خيركم آباء و في لفظ فانا خيركم نسباً و خيركم اباً
I am MuHammad s/o ‘Abd Allāh s/o’Abd al-Muttalib s/o Hāshim s/o ‘Abd al-Munāf s/o Qusayy s/o Kilāb s/o Marrā s/o Ka‘b s/o Lawī s/o Ghālib s/o Fahar s/o Mālik s/o al-Nadar s/o Kinānā s/o Khuzaymā s/o Mudrakā s/o Nazār s/o Ma ‘d s/o Adnān [after relating 21 pious generations, he said], never at any time when people were divided into two groups that Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala made me of the best of them. So I was born from my parents in a state that was pure of all evils of the years of ignorance and I was born from a pure valid NikaH . All my ancestors from Nabī Ādam till my parents were the pure and best of people on earth and my father was the best of father amongst you. [Dalail an Nabuwwah, 1:174-179 / Tarikh-e-Damishq, 3:30]

This Hadīth Sharīf mentions 3 important points:

- Firstly, the negation of all corruption and its infiltration or impact on his pure ancestors in the years of Jahiliyyah which is a sound proof on its own because the most common of sins was Zinā (adultery).
- Secondly, immorality amongst which Zinā is top of the list and this was out rightly refuted.
- Thirdly, the H abīb SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said that his father is the best amongst the father of all generations and Sayyidunā Zayd bin ‘Amr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho was certainly amongst the forefather who were pure Muwahhids.

2. The Intercessor of the Day of Reckoning SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam states:

ان الله ابي لى ان اتز و ج الامن اهل الجنة
Verily, Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala has ordained for my NikaH only women from Ahle Jannah. [Tarikh-e-Damishq, 73:110]

If Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala disliked His Beloved H abīb SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam to have a Kāfirah or Mushrikah as a wife, then how would He SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala allow his birth from the blood of a Kāfirah or Mushrikah?

3. Umm al-Mu‘minīn Sayyidah ‘A’yeshā Siddiqah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho narrates:

اخر ج الخطيب عن عائشة رضى الله تعالى عنها قالت حج بنا رسول الله صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلم فمرّ بى عقبة الحجون و هو باك حزين مغتم ثم ذهب و عاد و هو فرح متنسم فسألته فقال ذهت الى قبر امي فسألت الله ان يحيها فأمنت بي و ردها الله
We were present with the Prophet of Allāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam on the journey to H ajjat al-Widā when we passed by ‘Uqbat al- Hajoon, the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam visited the Grave of his Beloved Mother Sayyidah Ā’minah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. He stood very sad, crying at her graveside and looked very depressed. Tears rolled down his cheeks but when he departed from there he looked exceptionally happy, delighted and full of smiles. Sayyidah ‘A’ieshah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho asked him the reason for both these extreme diverse moods. He replied; “When I visited the grave of my Mother, I pleaded to Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala to resurrect her. Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala accepted my Du‘a and resurrected her. She read the Kalīmah and brought Imān on me. Thereafter, Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala returned her to her grave where she now peacefully sleeps.” [Khasais al-Kubra, 2:104]
بارك فيك الله من غلام يا ابن الذي من حومة الحمام
نخابعون الملك المنعام فودى غداة الصرب باسهام
بمائة من الابل السوام و ان صح ماانصرت في المنام
فانت مبعوث الى الانام تبعث في الحل و في الحرم
تبعث في التحقيق و الاسلام دين ابيك البرابر اهام
فالله اناهك عن الاصنام ان لا تواليها مع الاقوام
O Pure Son! My Allāh keep Barakāt in you 4. Umm Samā’ah Asmā bint Abi-RaHm Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho narrates from her mother who was present with Sayyidah Āminah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho before she passed away: Sayyidunā MuHammad SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was about 5 or 6 years old sitting at his mother’s head side. The compassionate mother looked at her beloved son and said these words:

O Beloved Son! By him, who is saved from the house of death.
By the help of the generous King, Allāh
The morning in which a ballot was put,
A hundred tall camels sacrificed in thanksgiving
If it is correct according to what I dreamt,
Then you will be made the Prophet of the Universe
which is the Religion of your pious Father Ibrā’hīm.
I give you the oath of Allāh and forbid you from the Idols
And do not have friendship with such nations.

[Mawahib al Laduniya, 1:169 / Dalail an-Nabuwwah]

This final testimony and advice of Hadrat Sayyidah Āminah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho to her Karīm and Darling Son just moments before departing from this mundane world, AlHamdulillāh, is about TawHīd and refutation of Shirk. Her golden words are as radiant as the mid-day sun which clearly announces her declaration of steadfastness on Islām’ and the ‘Pure Dīn’ of Sayyidunā Nabī Ibrā’hīm Alaihis Salam. Besides this, what else is known as Īmān al- Kāmil ?

And furthermore, there is full confirmation of the declaration of the Risālah of Sayyidunā Rasoolullāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam which he later made in his general public announcement of Prophethood. [This certainly completes the required verification of both, the TawHīd of Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and the Risālah of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. What more is now required to qualify for Īmān al-Kāmil ?]

5. Thereafter, Sayyidah Āminah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho said:

كلّ حى ميت ، و كلّ جديد بال ، و كلّ كبير لفينى و انا متينه و ذكرى باق و قد تركت خير و ولدت طهرا
Every life has to die, every new thing will eventually get old and no matter how big a thing may be, it will one day perish. I am dying but my remembrance will always remain. And what a great gift am I leaving behind and what exceptional purity was born from me. [Mawahib al Laduniya, 1:70]

These were her last words and she passed away after uttering them.

انا لله و انا اليه راجعون ، رضى الله تعالى عنها و صلى الله تعالى على ابنها الكر يم و ذويه و بارك و سلم

The Perception of her Imān and Prediction is worthy of deliberation! She predicts; “I will die but my remembrance will always remain.” In this world, thousands of princesses with crowns and kingdoms came and went with great spectacle, but they eventually became unknown dust and patches of the earth. Who remembers them and how many people know their names? On the contrary, who does not know the name of the chaste and honourable mother of the beloved Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam? She is remembered with admiration and dignity in all four corners of the world and even in the serene Heavens of the arcane territories. The skies and earths echo with her praises sung by both man and Angels. These echoes will be heard till Eternity.

6. Hadrat ‘Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha narrates that the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam once asked Jibril 'Alaihis Salam about the superiority of his family. So, Jibril 'Alaihis Salaam replied:
"I saw the whole world – the east and the west – I did not find one person greater than you and no family greater than Bani Hashim." [Mishkat al-MasabiH, Page 511]
Belief of the Illustrious A‘immah and Exalted ‘Ulamāh of Dīn:

It is important to present the views of relied upon the Illustrious A‘immah and Exalted ‘Ulamāh of Dīn so that it becomes clear that one should consider the Parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam as Muslims.

1. Imam Fakhr al-Din Razi writes regarding the mentioned verse:

This verse proves that all the ancestors of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam were Muslims. [Tafsir al-Kabir]

2. Imam ibn Hajar al-Makki writes:

All the fathers and mothers of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam up to Adam and Hawwa are Muslims, not Kafirs. This is because Kafirs are impure, not clean (and the Qur’an and hadiths have declared his ancestors to be pure). [Afdal al-Qura]

3. Imam Qurtubi writes about the specialities of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam:

Being made alive and declaring their Islam is impossible neither rationally nor in the Shari’ah because at many places, the Qur’an has talked of making the dead alive. Such as the murdered man from Bani Isra’il becoming alive and informing of his murderer. ‘Isa 'alaihis salam too made the dead alive miraculously and also the hadiths mention our Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam giving life to the dead on numerous occasions. When all this is proven, then the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam being made alive and embracing Iman should be accepted. Moreover, this is a miracle of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam. [al-Tadhkirah, 1:25]

4. Imam Zarqani offers some advice:

Oh Muslim, when someone asks you about the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam, then reply that they are from the people of paradise. [Zarqani ‘ala al-Mawahib, 1:186]
5. Imam Jalal al-Din Suyuti has written 7 different works on this topic in which he has proven that the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam are people of paradise. His books include:

1. Masalik al-Hunafa fi Walidi al-Mustafa
2. al-Duruj al-Manifa fi al-Aba’ al-Sharifa
3. al-Maqal al-Sundusiya fi al-Nisbat al-Mustafawiya
4. al-Ta’dhim wa al-Mannah fi An Abawi RasulAllah fi al-Jannah
5. Nashr al-‘Alamin al-Manifin fi Ihya’ al-Abawayn al-Sharifayn
6. al-Subul al-Jaliyah fi al-Aba’ al-‘Aliyah
7. al-Fawa’id al-Kaminah fi Iman al-Sayyidah Amina

6. Imam Shami writes:

It is in the hadith that the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam embraced Iman miraculously. Relied upon scholars such Imam Qurtubi and Hafidh Nasir al-Din Dimashqi have graded the hadith as Sahih. All this happened miraculously to show the honour of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam. [Fatawa Shami, 1:298]

7. Imam ibn Nujaym writes:

It is permissible to send damnation upon every dead person but because the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam professed Islam after being made alive; hence, it is not allowed upon them. [al-Ashbah wa al-Nadha’ir, Page 453]

8. Qadi Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi was asked about a person who says the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam are in hell. The Qadi replied:
Such a person is damned according to the verse: Those who malign Allah and His Messenger – Allah has cursed them in this world and in the hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating punishment [33:57]. There can be nothing more maligning than saying that someone’s parents are in the fire. [Ruh al-Ma’ani]
9. Imam Alusi writes in the commentary of ‘And your movements among those who prostrate themselves before Allah’ [26:219]:

Most leading Sunni scholars have used this verse to prove the Iman of the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam. [Ibid, 2:442]

10. Imam Nasir al-Din ibn al-Munir Maliki writes in his al-Muqtafa fi Sharaf al-Mustafa:

It is in the hadith that the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam prayed to Allah and his parents became alive and believed in him. They both affirmed and returned in the state of Iman. [Nashr al-‘Alamin, Page 57]

11. Imam Dayar bakri has stated this is the opinion of most of the scholars of the nation. He writes:

It is the opinion of most scholars and leaders that the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam will be saved in the hereafter and if there is an opinion apart from this, these people know it better. [Tarikh al-Khamis, Page 301]

12. It is documented in Kitāb al-Khamīs:
مذهب جمع كثير من الائمة الاعلام الى ام ابوى النبي صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلم ناجيان محكوم لهما بالنجاة في الآخرة دهم اعلم الناس باقوال من خالفهم قال بغير ذلك ولايقصرون عنهم في الدرجة و من احفظ الناس للاحاديث و اللآثار و انقد الناس بالاولة التى استدل بها اولئك فانهم جامعون لانواع العلوم متضلعون من الفتون خصوصا الار بعة التى استمد منها هذه المسألة فلا نظن بهم انهم لم يقفوا على الاحاديث التى اسدل بها اولئك معاذ الله بل وقفوا عليها و خاضو عمرتها و اجالوا عنها بالاجوبة المرضيه التى لايردها منصف و اقام الماذ هيو اليه ادلة قاطعة كالجبال الرواسى اه مختصرا
A big Jamā’at of senior renowned A‘immah and Huffāz of Hadīth who were not only masters of Hadīth but also ‘Ālims of all sciences of Knowledge, unanimously agree that the Parents of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam are Nājī and it cannot be imagined that these luminaries were unaware of those Ahādith which was used in this subject by the objectors to prove otherwise. [Ma‘āz-Allāh!] This was not so, but they were definitely aware and also intensely pondered over them thoroughly and then issued such appealing rulings that no individual with justice would reject them. They formulated powerful and irrefutable proofs acknowledging the Imān of the August Parents that stands as immovable mountains. [Kitāb al-Khamīs, 1:230]

13. Shaykh ‘Abdul Haq MuHaddith Dehlawi has written on the issue extensively. He writes:

The issue of the Islam of the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam was veiled from the earlier scholars and became apparent to the latter scholars. However, the latter scholars proved their Islam using evidences. Not only this, they proved the Islam of all fathers and mothers until Adam 'Alaihis Salam. This was concealed from the earlier scholars and Allah made it apparent upon the latter scholars and Allah chooses whom He wills for His mercy and grants from His grace what He wills. [Ashi’at al-Lum’at, 1:717-718]

ان ابآء النبي صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلّم غير الا نبيآء و امّهاته الى آدم و حوا ليس فيهم كافر لان الكافر لايقال في حقه انه مختار و لاكر يم و لاطاهر بل نجس و قد صرحت الاحاديث بانهم مختارون و ان ابآء كرام و الامهات طاهرات و ايضا قال الله تعالى و تقبلك في الساجدين على احد التفاسير فيه ان المراد منتقل نوره من ساجد و حينئذ فهذا صر يح في ان ابوى النبي صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم آمنة و عبدالله من اهل الجنة لانهما اقرب المختارين له صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلم هذا هو الحق بل في حديث صحيحه غير واحد من الحفّاظ و لم يلتفتوا لمن طعن فيه ان الله تعالى احياهما فامنا به الخ مختصر او فيه طول
14. Imām Ibn Hajar Makkī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states that numerous Huffāz [MuHaddithīn] have authenticated this. It is recorded in “Umm al-Qurah”:
All the Prophets in the geneology of Sayyidunā Rasoolullāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam are Prophets (pure), besides them, not a single forefather (of the H abīb e) traced up till Sayyidunā Ādam Alaihis Salam was a Kāfir. No Kāfir is regarded pure or honourable or beloved while numerous AHādith explicitly state that the forefather and foremothers of the H abīb SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam were all Believers, honourable and beloved in the Divine Court of Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala. Another Tafsīr of the Āyah [ و تقبلك في الساجدين ] is that the Noor of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was transferred from one Sājid to another. Hence it is clear that the noble Parents of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam, i.e. Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and Sayyidah Āminah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho are Ahle Jannah because they are amongst those fortunate servants whom Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala chose to be the parents of, and the closest to His August Rasool SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam.This is the correct concept, in fact, another Hadīth Sharīf which is accepted by numerous MuHHadithīn as SaHīH in which it orders one to turn a deaf ear to all the objectors [i.e. those who regard the noble Parent as non-Muslims or Mushriks]. Almighty Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala resurrected the noble Parents of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam and they brought Imān on him. This is the fact and reality and Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala knows best. [Afdal al Qurah, 1:151]

15. Imām Ibn Hajar Makkī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states in his ‘SharH:
ما احسن قول المتوقفين في هذه المسألة الحذر الحذر من ذكرهما بنقص فان ذلك قد يوذيه صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلم بخير الطبراني لاتؤذو الاحياء بسبب الاموات
How beautifully some ‘Ulamāh of Dīn commented that if anyone who hesitates on this topic, beware and control your tongue by speaking any ill about the noble Parents of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam because this may result in hurting the feelings of the Holy Prophet of Allāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. It is reported in the Hadīth Sharīf of Imām Tabrānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho that Sayyidunā Rasoolullāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam stated: ‘Do not insult the dead and hurt the living’. [Afdal al Qurah, 1:154]

16. Hujjat al-Islām Imām MuHammad al-Ghazālī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states in his Ihyā al- ‘Uloom al-Dīn:

It is not permissible to attribute a Kabīrah (major sin) to a Muslim until it can be proven with Tawātur. [Ihyā al- ‘Uloom al-Dīn, 3:125]

Then what Tawātur proves that the beloved Rasool of Allāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam is a progeny of Kāfir Parents and why will not the condition of Tawātur apply to this issue?
17. Imām Abu Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states:
لم ترضعته الا اسلمت
All the chaste women that fed milk to the beloved Nabī of Allāh SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam embraced Islam and became SaHābiyāt. [Sirāj al-Murīdīn.]

Remarkably! This was the result of only breastfeeding which is just partial-care and nursing which manifested as the Barakāt of the sacred name of the exalted Rasool SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam.

18. Imām Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyootī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states in Subul al-Najāt:
مال الى ان الله تعالى احياهما حتى آمنا به طائفة من الائمة و حفّاظ الحديث
As far as the illustrious Imams and Hadith Masters are concerned, they believe that Almighty Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala raised the August Parents after their death and they brought Iman on the Prophet of Allah. [Sharah Zarqani, 1:168]

19. Sayyid Mehr ‘Ali Shah was asked about the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam thusly:

Question: Did the parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam demise on Islam or not? If not, then which Messengers religion were they on?

Sayyid Mehr ‘Ali proved their Iman by writing:

Answer: There are 3 ways to prove their Islam. Firstly, that they were on the religion on Ibrahim 'alaihis salam. Secondly, they were in the age of Fatrah and not the age of Prophethood, that is, they did not receive any invitation from a Prophet. Thirdly, Allah made them alive due to the supplication of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam. Hence, it is narrated in the hadith that the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam asked Allah: Oh Allah, make my parents alive and ennoble them with Islam. Allah accepted this supplication and made them alive and ennobled them with Islam. This hadith has been declared weak by the earlier scholars but the latter research scholars have authenticated and praised the hadith in various ways. We also know that the hadith came after those that were narrated by earlier hadith scholars. Hence, this knowledge was mostly hidden from them but Allah made it apparent to the latter scholars. Allah chooses whom He wills for His mercy and grace. [Fatawa Mehriya, Page 12]

20. ‘Allāmah Sayyid Sharīf AHmad Misrī TaHtāwī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho in his marginal-notes of Durr-e-Mukhtār writes

that once an ‘Ālim spent the entire  night pondering over the Īmān of the Parents of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. He was deeply engrossed in examining various views to determine their Īmān. In this state of engrossment, he bent on the lamp which burnt his body. Early the next morning a soldier arrived to take the ‘Ālim to his home for an invitation. On the way they passed a haberdashery merchant who was sitting at the entrance of his shop with a scale in his hand. When the saw the ‘Ālim he grabbed hold of the reins of his horse and read the following verses:
امنت ان ابا النبي و امه احياهما الحى القدير البار
حق لقد شهد اله برسالته صدق فداك كرامة المختار
و به الحديث و من يقول بضعفه فهو الضعيف عن الحقيقة عار
I testify that the Living, Eternal, the Real Absolute and Creator of the Universe SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala resurrected the Parents of the Nabī SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam and both testified on his Risālah.
O Shaykh! You too testify to this fact as it is for the honour of Sayyidunā Mustafā SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. There are narrations of Hadīth that acknowledges this.
Whosoever classifies them as ˆDa’īf (weak) are themselves weak and ignorant of the reality of Knowledge.

After the shopkeeper read out these verses, he said to the ‘Ālim; “O Shaykh! Take this advice and do not sit late at night. Do not punish your life with bewilderment that the lamp burns you. Furthermore, abstain from going to the place you intend because you will be fed arām food.” These advices astonished the ‘Ālim and for a moment he fell into shock. By the next blink of the eye, the shopkeeper had vanished without trace. The ‘Ālim desperately looked for him but to no avail. He inquired from the other shopkeepers but surprisingly, not only did they not recognize him, they also said that there was no one sitting in front of that shop. The ‘Ālim obeyed the advice of the “Unknown Walī of Allāh” and returned home without attending the invitation. [TaHtawi's Marginal-Notes of Durr-e-Mukhtār, 2:81]

My dear Brothers and Sisters! This ‘Ālim did not condemn the Īmān of the esteemed Parents but used his Knowledge to try and establish some authenticity of confirmation. It was the Barakāt of Īlm that Divine Mercies sent a Walī from the unseen to rescue and guide him. Therefore, I warn everyone to be careful and fear that any statement by you may not be a reason to hurt the beloved Rasñl of Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala which will certainly result in great torment in the huge Fire.


 Illustrious A‘immah and Exalted ‘Ulamāh of Dīn who stated Parents of Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam being Mu'min:

1) Imām al-Jalīl ‘Allāmah al-Kabīr Sayyidī Abu H afs AHmad bin Sha’hīn Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. He authored 330 books on various subjects on Dīn. Besides this, his voluminous Tafsīr of the Qur’ān runs into 1000 chapters and his Musnad of Hadīth Sharīf stretches to 3003 chapters.
2) Shaykh al-MuHaddithīn Imām AHmad bin Khatīb al-Baghdādī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
3) Hāfiz al-Shān MuHaddith Māhir Imām Abul-Qāsim ‘Alī bin Hasan ibn ‘Asākir Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho.
4) Imām al-Ajal Abul-Qāsim ‘Abdur-RaHmān bin ‘Abdullāh Suhaylī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib al-Rood
5) H āfiz al-Hadīth Imām MuHib al-Dīn Tabrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. The ‘Ulamāh state that after Imām al-Jalīl Sharf al-Dīn Nawawī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho there was no one born like him besides Imām Tabrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
6) Imām ‘Allāmah Nāsir al-Dīn ibn al-Munīr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Ashraf al-Mustafā
7) Imām Hāfiz al-Hadīth Abu al-FatHa MuHammad bin MuHammad ibn Sayyid al-Nās Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib ‘Oun al-Athar
8) ‘Allāmah Imām SalāH al-Dīn Safā Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
9) Hāfiz al-Shān MuHaddith Imām Shams al-Dīn MuHammad ibn Nāsir al-Dīn Dimashqī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
10) Shaykh al-Islām Hāfiz al-Shān Imām Shāb al-Dīn AHmad ibn Hajr Asqalānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
11) Imām H āfiz al-Hadīth Abu Bakr MuHammad bin ‘Abdullāh Ashbilī ibn al-Arabī Mālikī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
12) Imām Abu al-Hasan ‘Alī bin MuHammad Mādarwī Basrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib al-Hādī al-Kabīr
13) Imām Abu ‘Abdullāh MuHammad bin Khaf Mālikī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho ShāreH SaHīH Muslim
14) Imām ‘Abdullāh MuHammad bin AHmad bin Abī Bakr Qurtubī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Tadkarā
15) Imām al-Mutakallimīn Fakhr al-Mudaqqiqīn ‘Allāmah Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
16) Imam ‘Allāmah Sharf al-Dīn Munādī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
17) Khātim al- Huffāz Majd al-Qur’ān al-‘Āshir Imām Jalāl al-Millat al-Dīn bin ‘Abdur-RaHmān al-Suyootī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
18) Imām H āfiz Shahāb al-Dīn AHmad bin ajr Haytamī Makkī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Afdal al-Qur’rā.
19) Imām Shaykh Noor al-Dīn ‘Ali bin al-Jarīr Misrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Risālā TaHqīq Āmāl al-Zajīn fi al Wālid al-Mustafā bi Fadlillāh Ta’ālā fi al-Dā’rain min al-Najīn
20) ‘Allāmah Sayyid Abu ‘Abdullāh MuHammad bin Abī Sharīf Hasanī Tilmisānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho ShārH Shifā al-Sharīf
21) ‘Allāmah Imām MuHaqqiq Sanusī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
22) Imām al-Ajal Ārif Billāh Sayyidī ‘Abd al-Wahhāb Sha‘rānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib al-Yaqoot wa al-Jawāhir
23) ‘Allāmah AHmad bin MuHammad bin ‘Alī bin Yoosuf Fāsī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Matāleh‘ al-Masarrāt SharH Dalā’il al-Khay’rāt
24) Khātim al-MuHaqqiqīn ‘Allamah Sayyid MuHammad bin ‘Abd al-Bāqī Zarqānī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho ShārH al-Muwāhib
25) Imām al-Ajal Faqīh al-Akmal MuHammad bin MuHammad Kardarī Bazārī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib al-Manāqib
26) Zain al-Foqahā ‘Allāmah MuHaqqiq Zain al-Dīn bin Najīm Misrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib al-Ish’bāh wa al-Nazā’ir
27) Sayyid al-Sharīf ‘Allāmah amawī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Ghamz al-‘Oyoon wal-Basā’ir
28) ‘Allāmah Imām ‘Abd al-Majīd ibn Nasuh ibn Isra‘īl al- anafī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Kanz al-Fawā’id
29) ‘Allāmah usain bin MuHammad bin asan Diyār Bakrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Al-Khamīs fi Anfus Nafees
30) ‘Allāmah MuHaqqiq Imām Shāb al-Dīn AHmad Khafājī Misrī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Nasīm al-Riyād
31) ‘Allāmah MuHaddith Tāhir Fatnī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Majma‘ al-BiHār al-Anwār
32) Shaykh al-Shuyookh fil-Hind al-MuHaqqiq Mawlana ‘Abd al- aqq MuHaddith Dehlawī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Madārij al-Nububuwwa
33) Mawlana BaHr al-‘Uloom Malik al-‘Ulamāh ‘Abdul-‘Alī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Fawāteh al-RaHmoot
34) ‘Allāmah Sayyid AHmad Misrī TaHtāwī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho MoH’shī Durre Mukhtār
35) ‘Allāmah Imām Sayyid Ibn ‘Ābidīn Āmīn al-Dīn MuHammad Effendī Shāmī Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho SāHib Durre Mukhtār

[ May Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala sanctify their Souls and bless me with their Barakāt, Āmīn! ]


Conclusion:

It is a proven fact from the Holy Quran and Ahadith and the Sayings of the Illustrious A‘immah and Exalted ‘Ulamāh of Dīn that the parents of the Holy Prophet, Muhammadur Rasoolullah (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) - Sayyiduna Abdullah and Sayyidah Aamina (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhuma) - were always on Imaan and left this world with Imaan.

Just as the cities of Makkah and Madina are the most exalted cities in the world due to being the birth place and place of demise of the Prophet (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam), likewise, the genealogy of the Holy Prophet (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) is the most exalted and pure chain in the Universe. All his forefathers, from his father, Hadrat Abdullah (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho), to Hadrat Adam (Alaihis Salaam), were Mu'min, Muwaahids (believers in the Oneness of Allah), Aabids and Zaahids. None from amongst them were idol-worshippers or Faasiqs (Sinners). Actually, the Noor of Rasoolullah (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) travelled from Hadrat Adam (Alaihis Salaam) to Hadrat Abdullah (Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho), in the family chain of those who always sincerely worshipped One Allah.

Almighty Allah blessed the Prophet (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) with acceptance, exaltedness and elevated his status. All the above mentioned facts proves that the Prophet's (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) parents passed away as Mu'mins and Muwaahids. After Hujjatul Wida, he brought them back to life with the permission of Allah. By seeing him and bringing Imaan on him, they became Sahaabi-e-Rasool (SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam)... alHamduLILLAH!
Last but not least... Imam Alusi is amongst the relied upon scholars of the past. He writes in his Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani:

"I fear Kufr for that person who holds the Parents of the Prophet SallAllahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam to be Kafir." [Tafsir Rooh al-Ma’ani, 2:442]

Therefore, it is most wise to be very cautious is such avenues of Dīn. Be careful as you are stepping on a sharp blade of a sword. Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala save us from this ignorance and disaster! One wonders to which dark abyss and depths of Hell will such people be assigned to. Don’t they fear the punishment of Allah?

For those who say, Ma'az-Allah, that the parents of the Holy Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam were non-believers, should think and ponder that if the parents of no other Prophet were non-believers, how then would the parents of the greatest of all Prophets be non-Believers? Ponder over this and fear your destiny in the Divine Court of the All-Powerful Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and do not forget the severity of the Fire of Hell.

May the Merciful Lord SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala beautify our internal- and external- with true and ardent love and respect for our Master, Sayyidunā MuHammad al-Mustafā SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam and protect us from the veils and curses of disrespect, abhorrence and insolence. May Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala save us from those who try to corrupt our pure Faith and blemish the honourable character of the most perfect of creation, Sayyiduna Rasūlullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, his honoured parent’s Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, his exalted family Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and illustrious Companions Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho. Aameen!