رَّبِّ اَعُوۡذُ بِکَ مِنۡ ھَمَزٰتِ الشَّیٰطِیۡنِ ۙ وَ اَعُوۡذُ بِکَ رَبِّ اَنۡ یَّحۡضُرُوۡن ؕ۔
بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِۙ۔
In this chapter we will talk about Muslims becoming Saint and Adherent.
History of Pir / Murshid / Saints / Monk / Sages / Dervish.
Peer, Murshid, Auliya, Dervish, Monk and Rahib are all different names with more or less the same characteristics. In the Qur’an, the word Auliya (Friend) and Rahib (Saints/Monk) are used.
Monasticism is believed to have originated in India in the fifteenth century by Kabir Das. While the era of Islamic monk Khwaja Muinud-Din Chishti of Ajmer was from 12th to 13th century. If we go further back, it belongs to Ghosh-e-Azam Sheikh Abdul-Qadir Jilani of Baghdad from 11th to 12th century.
According to my knowledge so far, there is no evidence of any Islamic monk during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) or the Caliphs. Yes! You will surely find many martyred companions of the Prophet who sacrificed their lives for the sake of religion. Allah says for the Companions who pledged allegiance to the hands of the Messenger of Allah. . .
اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ يُبَايِعُوۡنَكَ اِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُوۡنَ اللّٰهَ ؕ يَدُ اللّٰهِ فَوۡقَ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ ۚ ﴿۱۰﴾۔
Verily, those who pledge allegiance to you are actually pledging allegiance to God, God’s hand is on their hands.
Will there be any monk greater than the companions of the Prophet whose had the hand of God upon him? But Allah Taala does not call these people also saints. Because Allah never ordered for Monasticism. Allah says, practice piety. That is, become pure. That is, remain devout while fulfilling all worldly responsibilities.
Monasticism actually started about 2000 years ago after Jesus (AS) in his Christian community. In today’s Christian community, the monk is called Saint/Monk. The aim of Christian monasticism was to please God by living and meditating free from all worldly bondages. This state was a step higher than the order of piety contained in the heavenly books. Because the saints of the Christian nation cannot enter into family life. Allah says. . . . . .
ثُمَّ قَفَّيۡنَا عَلٰٓى اٰثَارِهِمۡ بِرُسُلِنَا وَقَفَّيۡنَا بِعِيۡسَى ابۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ وَاٰتَيۡنٰهُ الۡاِنۡجِيۡلَ ۙ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِ الَّذِيۡنَ اتَّبَعُوۡهُ رَاۡفَةً وَّرَحۡمَةً ؕ وَرَهۡبَانِيَّةَ ابۡتَدَعُوۡهَا مَا كَتَبۡنٰهَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ اِلَّا ابۡتِغَآءَ رِضۡوَانِ اللّٰهِ فَمَا رَعَوۡهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا ۚ فَاٰتَيۡنَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡهُمۡ اَجۡرَهُمۡۚ وَكَثِيۡرٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ ﴿۲۷﴾۔
[Q-57:27]
Then We sent prophets after Our messengers who followed in their footsteps. And after him Isa ibn Maryam (Messenger) was sent. And we gave them the gospel. And We made those who followed him (Jesus) humble and kind hearts.
And we did not impose monasticism on them, they invented it themselves, in order to gain the pleasure of God. But they did not take care of this monasticism as it should have been taken care of. So, among those who believed, we gave them their reward. And most of them are immoral. (27).
وَلَـتَجِدَنَّ اَ قۡرَبَهُمۡ مَّوَدَّةً لِّـلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا الَّذِيۡنَ قَالُوۡۤا اِنَّا نَصٰرٰى ؕ ذٰ لِكَ بِاَنَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قِسِّيۡسِيۡنَ وَرُهۡبَانًا وَّاَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُوۡنَ ﴿۸۲﴾۔
[Q-05:82]
And you (PBUH) will find those people closer in love, who have believed, and they said that we are indeed Christians, and this is because there are priests and monks among them. And they are not arrogant. (82).
Saint and Adherent.
Those Saints/Monk whose closeness to God is evident. If we go to them to learn religion then there is no problem. But this does not happen often. People become so submissive to these people. That slavery is exposes. The thinking of some people becomes so distorted that instead of placing their requirements and problems before Allah, they start placing them before the saints and sages. These people suffer from hallucinations and hope, that these people will intercede for us before Allah and will get us the right to heaven. (Allah’s refuge)
Now such people may consider themselves Muslims. But the Day of Judgment will only be a day of regret for them. The rest, Allah will give rest to whom He wills. Allah says.
وَلَا تَرۡكَنُوۡۤا اِلَى الَّذِيۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُۙ وَمَا لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ اَوۡلِيَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنۡصَرُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۳﴾۔
[Q-11:113]
And (O believers) do not associate with wrongdoers, otherwise the fire will touch you. And you have no protector but Allah, and not helpful. (113).
There is a secret hidden in this verse regarding the inclination towards the oppressors. And that is! Those righteous servants of Allah who are Saints or pious, never attracts people towards themselves in such a way that people gather around them, because the definition of piety is to live life with good deeds while avoiding all the evils of the world.
Now consider! Can piety be practiced by being surrounded by people? Actually, this is the work of those cruel people who make their living by giving people over to Devil.
Allah Taala addresses all the Muslims and repeatedly says that your Lord is One. Our eyes cannot see Him. Do not associate anyone with him. Worship Him only. And keep hope from God because Despair is disbelief (kufr). And no saint can help you or intercede for you except Allah. Yes, but Allah Almighty will accept the intercession of which of His servants. And for which servant will He accept intercession. This knowledge belongs only to God.
اَللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَؕ وَعَلَى اللّٰهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ﴿۱۳﴾۔
[Q-64:13]
There is no god but Allah and believers should put their trust in Allah alone. (13)
فَتَعٰلَى اللّٰهُ الۡمَلِكُ الۡحَـقُّ ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَۚ رَبُّ الۡعَرۡشِ الۡـكَرِيۡمِ ﴿۱۱۶﴾۔
[Q-23:116]
God is the true king of high status. There is no god but He, He is the Lord of the Throne (116).
اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ بِالۡغَيۡبِ لَهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةٌ وَّاَجۡرٌ كَبِيۡرٌ ﴿۱۲﴾۔
[Q-67:12]
Indeed, those who fear their Lord without seeing, for them is forgiveness and a great reward. (12)
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنۡ يَّتَّخِذُ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ اَنۡدَادًا يُّحِبُّوۡنَهُمۡ كَحُبِّ اللّٰهِؕ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡٓا اَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلّٰهِ﯀ وَلَوۡ يَرَى الَّذِيۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡٓا اِذۡ يَرَوۡنَ الۡعَذَابَ ۙ اَنَّ الۡقُوَّةَ لِلّٰهِ جَمِيۡعًا ۙ وَّاَنَّ اللّٰهَ شَدِيۡدُ الۡعَذَابِ ﴿۱۶۵﴾۔
[Q-02:165]
And among the people there are those who take His partners besides Allah. They love them as they should love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in the love of Allah. And those who have done disbelief, when they see the punishment, they will know that all power belongs to Allah alone, and Allah is severe in punishment. (165)
اَللّٰهُ الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِىۡ سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰى عَلَى الۡعَرۡشِؕ مَا لَكُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ وَّلَا شَفِيۡعٍؕ اَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۴﴾۔
[Q-32:04]
It is God Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, then He was enthroned on the throne. (Allah says) You have no guardian or intercessor except Me. Then why don’t you follow the advice? (4)
وَمَا يُؤۡمِنُ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ بِاللّٰهِ اِلَّا وَهُمۡ مُّشۡرِكُوۡنَ ﴿۱۰۶﴾۔
[Q-12:106]
And they often do not believe in God. But (in such a way that) they are committed shirk. (106).
وَيَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنۡفَعُهُمۡ وَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ شُفَعَآؤُنَا عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِؕ قُلۡ اَتُـنَـبِّـــُٔوۡنَ اللّٰهَ بِمَا لَا يَعۡلَمُ فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَلَا فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ سُبۡحٰنَهٗ وَتَعٰلٰى عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُوۡنَ ﴿۱۸﴾۔
[Q-10:18]
And they worship other than God. Due to which they neither suffer any loss nor get any benefit. And they say that these are our intercessors with God. Say, do you inform God that He has no knowledge of the earth and the sky? He is pure and exalted from that shirk (polytheistic tradition). Which these people do. (18).
Some people say that we go to Monk and Saints or dargahs. But we do not commit shirk. One thing is clear here, that there must be something there? Which pulls you there. Any desire or hope that you do not expect from God. Consider! Isn’t this Shirk?
There is light for them in these verses. If they want to understand.
وَيَوۡمَ نَحۡشُرُهُمۡ جَمِيۡعًا ثُمَّ نَقُوۡلُ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اَشۡرَكُوۡۤا اَيۡنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ الَّذِيۡنَ كُنۡتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُوۡنَ ﴿۲۲﴾ ثُمَّ لَمۡ تَكُنۡ فِتۡـنَـتُهُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوۡا وَاللّٰهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشۡرِكِيۡنَ ﴿۲۳﴾ اُنْظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَذَبُوۡا عَلٰٓى اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ مَّا كَانُوۡا يَفۡتَرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۴﴾۔
[Q-06:22-23]
And the Day We will gather them all (Muslims). Those who committed shirk. Will ask them. Where are the friends you expected? (22) Then there will be no cheat left for them. But they will say! O our Lord, we were not of the polytheists. (23) See how they lied to themselves. And whatever things they had built were destroyed. (24).
وَمَنۡ يَّدۡعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَۙ لَا بُرۡهَانَ لَهٗ بِهٖۙ فَاِنَّمَا حِسَابُهٗ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهٖؕ اِنَّهٗ لَا يُفۡلِحُ الۡـكٰفِرُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۷﴾۔
[Q-23:117]
And those who invoke other gods along with God, of whom they do not even have any evidence. So, their reckoning will be with their Lord. Surely these disbelievers will not succeed. (117).
The parable of the spider for the astrayer.
The God gives an example to explain to the misguided people. That misguided people are committed shirk knowingly or unknowingly but, in their minds, they imagine themselves as believers. Because Devil shows them by making their actions beautiful. And these conditions are like weak webs of spiders.
مَثَلُ الَّذِيۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ اَوۡلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ الۡعَنۡكَبُوۡتِ ۖۚ اِتَّخَذَتۡ بَيۡتًا ؕ وَ اِنَّ اَوۡهَنَ الۡبُيُوۡتِ لَبَيۡتُ الۡعَنۡكَبُوۡتِۘ لَوۡ كَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۴۱﴾ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖ مِنۡ شَىۡءٍؕ وَهُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُ ﴿۴۲﴾ وَتِلۡكَ الۡاَمۡثَالُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِۚ وَمَا يَعۡقِلُهَاۤ اِلَّا الۡعٰلِمُوۡنَ ﴿۴۳﴾۔
[Q-29:41-43]
Allah gives an example. Those who have made friends other than God. Their example is like a house built by a spider. Indeed, the weakest house is the house of a spider if they knew. (41) Indeed, God knows about their, which they invoke besides God. And God is Mighty and Wise. (42) And these are the examples that we present to the people and they have no meaning other than as a source of knowledge. That is, these are the examples that We present for people to understand, and no one can understand them except the people of knowledge (43).
The intercession of a Saint or Sages.
Some people think, that these Sages/Monk will intercede for them with Allah Almighty in the Hereafter. Rather, it is often seen that false sages/Monk themselves assure that in the Hereafter they will intercede for their adherents with God. Whereas the reality is that even the prophets do not have this right on their own. So, what will happen to the Sages?
وَيَعۡبُدُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنۡفَعُهُمۡ وَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ شُفَعَآؤُنَا عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِؕ قُلۡ اَتُـنَـبِّـــُٔوۡنَ اللّٰهَ بِمَا لَا يَعۡلَمُ فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَلَا فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ سُبۡحٰنَهٗ وَتَعٰلٰى عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُوۡنَ ﴿۱۸﴾۔
[Q-10:18]
And they worship other than God. Due to which they neither suffer any loss nor get any benefit. And they say that these are our intercessors with God. Say, do you inform God that He has no knowledge of the earth and the sky? He is pure and exalted from that shirk (polytheistic tradition). Which these people do. (18).
اَمِ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ شُفَعَآءَ ؕ قُلۡ اَوَلَوۡ كَانُوۡا لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ شَيۡـًٔـا وَّلَا يَعۡقِلُوۡنَ ﴿۴۳﴾۔
[Q-39:43]
Have they made intercessors other than Allah? Say, even if they have neither authority nor intelligence? (43).
وَاتَّقُوۡا يَوۡمًا لَّا تَجۡزِىۡ نَفۡسٌ عَنۡ نَّفۡسٍ شَيۡـًٔـا وَّلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡهَا عَدۡلٌ وَّلَا تَنۡفَعُهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَّلَا هُمۡ يُنۡصَرُوۡنَ ﴿۱۲۳﴾۔
[Q-02:123]
And fear the Day when no soul will reward another soul. And no compensation will be accepted from him. And no intercession will benefit him. And they will not be able to get any help. (123).
وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُوۡنَا فُرَادٰى كَمَا خَلَقۡنٰكُمۡ اَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَّتَرَكۡتُمۡ مَّا خَوَّلۡنٰكُمۡ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوۡرِكُمۡۚ وَمَا نَرٰى مَعَكُمۡ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ الَّذِيۡنَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ اَنَّهُمۡ فِيۡكُمۡ شُرَكٰٓؤُا ؕ لَقَدْ تَّقَطَّعَ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنۡكُمۡ مَّا كُنۡتُمۡ تَزۡعُمُوۡنَ﴿۹۴﴾۔
[Q-06:94]
And you have come to Us alone as We created you the first time and you have left behind what We gave you, and We do not see with you those intercessors of yours. For whom you claimed that they are partners among you. Verily, they are cut off from among you. And your illusions and suspicions that you used to think about were destroyed. (94).
The light of the Qur’an in the darkness of Shirk / disbelief.
Allah Almighty calls the Quran a light whose existence guides man and shows him the path of truth. Protects from disbelief and shirk. It provides materials for the construction of worldly life and the home of the next world. The source of knowledge of past and future for which there is no alternative.
وَلٰـكِنۡ جَعَلۡنٰهُ نُوۡرًا نَّهۡدِىۡ بِهٖ مَنۡ نَّشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا ؕ وَاِنَّكَ لَتَهۡدِىۡۤ اِلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسۡتَقِيۡمٍۙ ﴿۵۲﴾۔
[Q-42:52]
But We have made this Book a Light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants, and verily (O Muhammad) You guide to the straight path. (52).
هٰذَا بَصَاٮِٕرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَّرَحۡمَةٌ لِّقَوۡمٍ يُّوۡقِنُوۡنَ ﴿۲۰﴾۔
[Q-45:20]
These (verses of the Qur’an) are a vision for the people, and a guidance and a mercy for those who believe in them. (20).
اِتَّبِعُوۡا مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡكُمۡ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اَوۡلِيَآءَ ؕ قَلِيۡلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۳﴾۔
[Q-07:03]
Follow that (Book) which has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other saints besides God. There are few people who receive guidance. (3)
******************