[Samsiah]

Islam is a religion that’s build on reasoning and evidences. The supreme sources for the teachings of Islam are al-Quran and al-Sunnah. There’s no Islam without reasoning and evidences. All pointless words that are barren with rationales are not worthy to be associated with this sanctified religion.

Islam is the religion of Allah that’s Most Inventive and Most Knowledgeable. Therefore, it is impossible to find in the teachings of Islam anything that is in contrast to literal evidences and academic facts. Whatever opinion that’s produced in the name of Islam but does not revolve around the axis of reasoning and evidences from al-Quran and al-Sunnah, then it is not from the teachings of Islam. Regardless whether the one who generates that opinion attaches to him self various types of religious title or wears various types of attire that are correlated to being religious. Similarly, whatever view that is associated with Islam, if it is proven that in reality it contradicts with the world’s order, or scientific facts that are resolute, or degrades the well-being of humankind in a conspicuous way, then it is also absolutely not from the teachings of Islam.

So said the prominent scholar of Islam al-Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah (deceased in 751H):
“Indeed for the syariah(2) of Islam, its construction and foundation are built on all wisdoms and goodness for humans in this world and hereafter. The syariah of Islam is all about justice, goodness and wisdom. Therefore, every aspect that departs from justice into vindictiveness, from blessing into its opposite, from goodness into badness, from wisdom into foolishness, then it is not from the syariah of Islam even though it is interpreted as such.” (Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah, I’lam al-Muwaqqi’in, 3/3, Beirut: Dar al-Jail).

Whatever perception about Islam that conflicts with al-Quran and al-Sunnah, or contradicts with the fundamental aspects of human welfare that has been established by syariah is rejected without considering from which dignitary it originates from. Therefore, the opinions of all even if he is a mufti(3), a respected guru or an ustaz(4) can be accepted or rejected except for the al-Quran and al-Sunnah. The opinion of any individual – even a grand Islamic scholar – is entitled to be questioned so long as it does not concur to the evidences provided by al-Quran and al-Sunnah. There’s no one that’s maksum(5) other than the messengers sent by Allah. For every religious opinion brought up by a certain personality or an ustaz, it does not necessarily have to be swallowed wholly. Allah proclaims in Surah al-Isra, verse 36 (translated as): “And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).”(6)

As stated by al-Imam al-Syatibi (deceased in 790H): “Thus, it is compulsory for us to follow the one that was guarded from making mistakes (meaning Rasulullah s.a.w) and to stop from following whoever that is not being shielded from mistakes whenever there seems to be doubts about it. Moreover, we should put down whatever that comes from all Imams(7) side by side with al-Quran and al-Sunnah. Whatsoever is accepted by both (al-Quran and al-Sunnah), we consequently accept it, and whatsoever is rejected by both we consequently abandon it.” (Al-Syatibi, Al-I’tisam, pg. 165, Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi).

Although to respect and to observe good manners towards ulama(8) are commanded by the nas(9) of Islam, but this has never stopped a person from presenting intelligent criticisms or from questioning their opinions while still maintaining the disciplines of our religion.

This is the authentic principle practiced by all established Muslim scholars since a long time ago. Just take a look at the grand scholar al-Hafizd al-Imam al-Zahabi (deceased in 748H) who did a research on the distinguished personalities among the Muslim community. Al-Imam al-Zahabi, when he discussed the history of a great academic figure Waki’ Ibn al-Jarrah, he praised the merits of Waki’.

Among al-Zahabi’s statements is: “He was amongst the oceans of knowledge and the Imam of huffaz (hadith).” Afterwards, he mentioned the words of Yahya bin Aktham: “I befriended Waki’ at his place of residence and also when he travelled. He fasted al-dahr (everyday) and finished reciting the al-Quran in one night.” Al-Zahabi commented on those specific deeds by Waki’ by saying: “I say: This is an amazing ibadah(10) but for it to be practiced by an imam amongst the imams of hadith, then that is not normal. Indeed it was sahih (authentic) that the Prophet a.s prohibited daily fasting and reciting (until completion) of al-Quran in less than three days. The religion is simple. Adhering to the Sunnah is more imperative. May Allah bless Waki’. Where can we find an individual as great as Waki’? Nevertheless, he frequently drank Nabiz Kuffah that could be intoxicating if consumed a lot. He made his own judgment with regards to drinking it (he does not consider it as prohibited so long as it does not intoxicate). Should he forsake it (not drink it) on the ground of devoutness, that would be much better for him. This is because whoever avoids dubious elements, thus his religion and dignity will be saved. Indeed, it is sahih that there’s a forbiddance and prohibition of nabiz but this is not the place to deliberate it. For every person, each of his opinions can be accepted or abandoned (except for Rasulullah s.a.w). Take not as an example the wrong deeds of an alim(8). (Al-Zahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala, 9/142-144 Beirut: Muassasah al-Risalah).

Although Waki’ is an established ulama, yet an academic fault must be judged as an academic fault. Clearly, we are ordered to respects others especially the religious teachers but this should not stop us from speaking truthfully while maintaining the discipline and manners thought by Islam.

I’m discussing this topic because there are some people in our community that do not dare to question a person who’s regarded as an ustaz even though what he claims is utterly groundless. It seems like they (the ustazs) have been granted with a colossal tongue to speak of anything in the name of our religion even without presenting any reasoning and strong evidence. Even worse, some of the religious teachers in the old days warned their students against asking questions saying that “Whoever asks a lot of questions, it shows that his faith is weak.” Consequently, it is not surprising when there are states whose compilations of fatwa(11) includes the prohibition of selling cows to the Chinese, that budu(12) is an impurity when spilled on clothing but it is considered as a purity when consumed, and many other weird fatwa. In spite of that, there’s nobody dare to question on what ground those religious rulings are produced for fear of being labelled as having a weak faith.

[Samsiah]

There is a religious speaker that gives his talks all over our country who states that according to Islam, the remedy for an AIDS sufferer is 100 lashes at his back. The effect of those lashes will cure the sickness and this is the teaching of Islam. He claims that this comes from a research based on al-Quran and science. Wonder which scientist it is that has given him that information. Because of that claim, he has been receiving extensive invitations from some groups to give religious enlightenments his style, and there are those that receive him well.

I would like to ask, not all AIDS patients have been involved in immoral sexual activities and thus, is it right to whip all of them? Is being affected by AIDS enough justifications in the eyes of the syariah to subject a person to100 lashes? This definitely is a clear case of disorientation. Unfortunately, there are mosques, even the ones in Kuala Lumpur too, that extend their invitations speakers such as this. I also get bewildered when thinking about some people who are highly educated and are able to utilize their conscious mind to its maximum but when it comes to matters concerning religious view, he would just discard all of his intelligence and keep silent as if Islam is opposed to logic and intellect.

Once we heard about a speaker that claimed he buried the body of a rich man that later turned into a different creature without anybody knowing it. What is interesting is that in a country that has a set of law such as ours, there was no one looking for the missing rich man until the person who buried him disclosed his story. The fact is, that particular story involved a dead personality and affected the religious beliefs of the masses and thus, it was not proper to make such unruly claims. Unfortunately, there are those who believed it. In addition to that, we then heard about a certain individual who proclaimed another person as an apostasy and even did the same thing to the students of a certain college only by basing it on some news whose authenticity could not be determined. Whereas – if it was true at all – an allegation of apostasy is very substantial that requires a careful scrutiny, iqamah al-hujjah (the construction of proof) and cannot be declared haphazardly. However, there were many that swallowed the allegation completely in the name of religion and it actually came from a religious personality.

This attitude even stretches to matters of sins. In certain states, there are religious groups that impose various types of taxes to families of the deceased sometimes amounting to thousands of Malaysian ringgit. Many forms of rituals that are associated with the religion are performed and the corresponding bills will then be charged to families of the deceased, up to a point that some will smile widely upon hearing news of death. Even those recitations and forms of salaat that were not taught by Rasulullah s.a.w are included in the list of cost to be incurred. The community dare not to ask if the religion is really so cruel that even distressed families that are supposed to be helped out are instead charged with additional costs? Or is Islam so materialistic that any one who had a big budget would then be able to resolve his problems of high rewards and sins? If that is the case, then whoever that has a lot of money and can afford to procure high rewards through “the agents of Allah” on this earth, who impose charges, will then enter into Heaven. Does this really represent the beauty of Islam that commands people to perform good deeds and not to depend on others?

My point is that it is the right of the community to ask for the nas and reasoning to anybody that deliberates this religion. An ustaz or a respected guru is not God’s appointed agent unlike the Messengers of Allah whose words even if lack of nas must be agreed to. Islam is not a man’s ultimate authority for him to dictate whatever that he likes but instead, this religion is built on reasoning and evidences. If each one of us asks the ustaz for the cause and reasoning for every religious opinion given, then indirectly we would be fulfilling the principles of Islam and improve the intellectual level of our own group. Don’t let ourselves be content with just by memorizing religious opinions without re-thinking them in an analytical and rationale way.

A great thinker, Prof. Muhammad Qutb stated: “On another angle, the Islamic knowledge was restricted to the way it was studied five decades before – at least. In addition, there was an influx of Greek’s thoughts bringing into our Islamic study a philosophical based knowledge that was useless and detrimental. More than that, the philosophical based knowledge managed to change the study of faith into something that overloaded the minds, useless and cumbersome. It changed the concept of faith from providing the essence of life to be just philosophical issues that incited disputes without any direction and benefit. More than that, religious students also transformed themselves to be mere memorizers rather than thinkers. A student would seem to be knowledgeable depending on how much he could memorize from the texts, discussion and footnotes. However, he would not be able to think for himself or even to think independently. Therefore, the ulama were missing the authentic feature of knowledge and subsequently, they turned into a group of taqlid that only quoted from other people. It was further impaired by a third foul factor that was an obsessive devotion towards a certain mazhab(13) and this affected all of the students. Everyone was fixated on the mazhab that he grew up with. He turned his ultimate crusade for his religion into a sheer effort to prove that his mazhab and his dear guru were above the other mazhab and other people’s dear gurus…” (Muhammad Qutb, Waqi’una al-Mu’asir, pg. 176).

Let it be known that blind taqlid had never been taught by all the imams of Ahli Sunnah waljamaah. On the contrary, they demanded that each person must strive to build his own intellectual ability. Let’s see what was mentioned by the honourable student of al-Imam al-Syafie, al-Imam al-Muzani (deceased in 264H):”I’m summarizing this from the school of thoughts of al-Syafie and whatever that represents the same meaning from his words, to make it easy to whomever that desires it. I hereby pronounce that al-Syafie prohibited anybody from having taqlid to him or to others. My intention for this synopsis is so that a person is able to see and understand the thoughts of al-Syafie, with me pronouncing that whomever desires the school of thoughts of al-Syafie should accept that al-Syafie prohibited taqlid to him or to other than him.” (An excerpt from Waliyy Allah al-Dahlawi, Al-Insaf fi Bayan Asbab al-Ikhtilaf, pg. 100).

If this form of learning could be moulded, then Islam would no longer be deemed as being exclusive such that only a few people are allowed to contemplate it and the rest must follow blindly. Indeed, we are commanded to respect a field of study but never to have blind taqlid. The development of our Ummah will not ensue as long as the intelligent level of our religious advocators is not upgraded to meet the needs of the academic world that’s competing fiercely nowadays. Our Muslim community must rally to support the current of tajdid (revitalization) that has been carried out since decades ago up to these days.

Written by
Mufti for the State of Perlis, Malaysia
Dr. Mohd. Asri Zainul Abidin

Translation by Ummu Hajar

Minda Mufti - English Section » Abide By Evidences And Facts, Abandon Blind Taqlid