Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaam Alaikum Burhan Bhai,

As per my understanding, Allah (SWT) had a Method or Procedure or Nizaam of communication to Mankind in all times. I think in all times the procedure was:

Allah (SWT) TO Jibrael (AS) TO A Prophet (AS), be it Prophet Moses (AS) or Prophet Jesus (AS) or Prophet Mohammed (PBHU). I think it was always in this sequence and no third entity was involved. Therefore it is easy to conclude that revelations/messages/communication came to Prophets (AS) only amongst the human beings and none else, that is, only those amongst the mankind received revelations that enjoyed the STATUS of a Prophet.

I have come across in stories of saints, a saint receiving a reply inscribed on paper from Allah (SWT). Whoever is the author of the story or those who believe this to be true, are they not equating the saint to the Prophets (AS) in status (at least here)? And if that were the case, then why ONLY the Khadiyanis are wrong, and not those who believe in such stories or write these? I personally don’t really believe these stories and try to remain as far from them as I can, but I know quite a sizable section of even the Sunnis (sorry for saying Sunni, I know you rightly prefer to be called just as a Muslim, yet here the situation demands distinction for clarity’s sake) believe in such things. When I point this out and say it contradicts the Holy Quran, many say that it is possible and that my understanding of the Quran is not correct and that Ulema too subscribe to this view and add that these Ulemas have spent at least 8 to 12 years at Deobandh etc. to gain the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah. They ask me on what grounds is my understanding of Quran better than the Ulema. I have never claimed that and inshAllah will never claim that. However few things are very clear when it comes Tauheed, anybody who tries a little should be able to understand it. I think it is imperative that this point is clarified. Don’t you think if one has such beliefs, one has already gone astray? Since people don’t accept me on grounds that I am not an Alim, I would appreciate if you answer this so that I can show it to them as opinion of an Alim. Mentioned below is the summary of one such incident (the story is too long to be reproduced in its entirety, however care has been taken to reproduce a few necessary passages as they are, and those passages are given in bold). This has been extracted from the book Fazail – E - Amaal, which is the axle on which moves the wheel of the Tablighi Jamaat.

Story no. Fifty Two, Topic :Fazail – E – Sadaqaat, chapter 7 Anecdotes of the Ascentics , Page 676, Book : Fazail – E – Amaal,

Volume II, Virtues of Charity and Haj, (English Edition), Author : Mohammad Zakariyyah, Published by : Mr. Mohammad Anas for Idara Ishaat – E – Diniyat (P) Ltd. , New Delhi, India. (Ist edition 1990).

Summary:

A saint by name Maalik Bin Dirhams along with another saint named Jafar bin Sulaiman sees a rich young man busy constructing a Palace worth 100,000 Dihrams and is pained at how the youth was wasting his time and money in frivolous pursuits. So Maalik Bin Dinaar approaches the youth and says: “How much money do you propose to spend on the construction of this palace?” The youth replied “A hundred thousand Dirhams”. Maalik Rahmatullah alaihe said, “ Can you give me the hundred thousand Dirhams, in return for which I can promise to get you a magnificent palace in Jannah, far excelling the one planned by you, a palace attended by numerous slaves and servants with pavilions and domes made from red rubies and studded with precious jewels; a palace of which the soil is saffron and the mortars of strong-scented musk, with fragrance wafted all around. This palace will not be constructed by masons, but Allah Tala will say, “let there be a palace” and it will be erected forthwith”. The youth after listening to this asks for a days time to deliberate and next morning when the saint sees the youth, he asks “Are your sure; you can get me the palace promised by you yesterday?” Maalik Rahmatullah alaihe said, “ Certainly”, whereupon the youth placed before us the bags containing a hundred thousand Dirhams. He then brought a piece of paper, some ink and a pen, and Maalik Rahmatullah alaihe wrote on it, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, I Maalik bin Dinar, do hereby undertake obtain such and such palace (here he mentioned the details given above) from Allah Tala, for Mr. So and so (naming the youth), in return for the palace designed by him but left unfinished. I rather put myself under obligation to obtain for him a far better palace than the one described above, built in pleasant shades in the vicinity of Allah Tala”.

The saint gave the document to the young man, took the money and distributed it in charity without keeping money for his dinner. Hardly forty days pass, the saint finds the same piece of paper (agreement to obtain the palace in Jannah) in the niche of his Masjid after Fajr prayers. On the back of the paper, there was an inscription (though no ink was used) reading, “Allah Tala has absolved Maalik bin Dinaar from his obligation towards the young man. We have granted him the palace you undertook to obtain for him, and seventy times more!”. Surprised at that the saint goes to the house of the youth only to find that he passed away a day before. Then the saint enquires who prepared the body for burial and on learning the persons name summons him and asks what all was done. The man replies, “ The young man gave me a piece of paper before his death, and told me to put it inside his shroud after washing him. I did as he had directed me and put the paper on his breast under the shroud”. At this Maalik Rahmatullah alaihe showed him the document he had brought with him, upon seeing which the man exclaimed! “By Him, who caused him to die, this is the very piece of paper I put inside his shroud”. Seeing this, another youth got up with a similar request but the saint declined saying time for that was gone. (Raudh)

Very often, it so happens that “Walis” (Saints) say something in their moods of spiritual ecstasy and Allah Tala, in his Infinite Mercy justifies their statements. Rasulullah ((PBHU) is reported to have said, in a Hadith to a similar effect

“ There are many, covered with the dust and with disheveled hair, whom people would turn away from their doors, whom men never heed, but if they were to swear by Allah, Allah Tala would stand by them”. (Sahih Muslim).

 Burhan Bhai I have the following question which I would appreciate if you answer in light of Quran and sunnah.

 Can a saint guarantee (that too a written guarantee) something to someone on behalf of the Allah (SWT)? Or is he authorused to do that?

 Have you ever come across the description of Jannah in either Quran or Hadith that corresponds to the description given in the story, like, soil is saffron, mortar of strong-scented musk etc.

Is it possible that saints could receive messages from Allah (SWT)?

How did the young man in the story know he would be dyeing soon, that he gave the agreement to the person who would shroud him?

Is the Hadith mention at the end, authentic or a fabricated/modified one?

Looking forward to hearing from you, may Allah (SWT) guide the entire Ummah to the correct path.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Saints and miracles

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your question: Can a saint guarantee (that too a written guarantee) something to someone on behalf of the Allah (SWT)? Or is he authorused to do that?

No one, other than the Prophets of Allah Subhanah alone, can say something on behalf of the Lord of the Worlds! The Prophets of Allah Subhanah are the only ones who can come to mankind and say that they have a Message from the Merciful Lord. No other human being, no matter how pious he is, has the authority to guarantee anything on behalf of Allah Subhanah!

Your question: Have you ever come across the description of Jannah in either Quran or Hadith that corresponds to the description given in the story, like, soil is saffron, mortar of strong-scented musk etc.

Paradise is a thing of the unseen (ghaib), and the whatever we know about the real truths of Paradise is what has been described in the Quran and Sunnah.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 5630 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Abu Hurayrah asked Allah's Messenger (saws) what the creation was made of and he replied that it was made of water. He was asked what Paradise was constructed of and replied, "A brick of gold and a brick of silver with mortar of strong-scented musk; its pebbles are pearls and rubies and its soil is saffron. Those who enter it will be in affluent circumstances and will not be destitute, they will live for ever and not die, their garments will not wear out, and their youth will not pass away."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.345 Narrated by Abu Dhar

(part hadith)

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “(On the Night of Mairaaj) Gabriel took me till we reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of the utmost boundary) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.583 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The Prophet (saws) said: "While I was walking in Paradise (on the night of Mi'raj), I saw a river, on the two banks of which there were tents made of hollow pearls. I asked, 'What is this, O Gabriel?' He said, 'That is the Kauthar which Your Lord has given to you.' Behold! Its scent or its mud was sharp smelling musk!"

Your question: Is it possible that saints could receive messages from Allah (SWT)?

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.144 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "When the Day of Resurrection approaches, the dreams of a believer will hardly fail to come true, and a dream of a believer is one of forty-six parts of Prophetism, and whatever belongs to Prothetism can never be false. There are three types of dreams: The reflection of one's thoughts and experiences one has during wakefulness, what is suggested by Satan to frighten the dreamer, or glad tidings from Allah.”

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.119 Narrated by Abu Huraira

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, "Nothing is left of the Prophetism except Al-Mubashshirat." They asked, "What are Al-Mubashshirat?" He (saws) replied, "The true good dreams (that conveys glad tidings)."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that one may receive glad tidings from Allah Subhanah in the form of dreams; thus if one considers these glad tidings a Message from the Lord of the Worlds, there is no harm.

But no one other than the Prophets of Allah Subhanah receive Messages that are to be declared to all of mankind! The glad tidings a normal believer receives in the form of dreams are basically for oneself, or one’s loved ones; but the Messages that the Prophets of Allah receive are for the guidance of mankind!

Your question: How did the young man in the story know he would be dyeing soon, that he gave the agreement to the person who would shroud him?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verse 34: Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (Alone)! It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge, and He is acquainted (with all things).

Life and death are in the sole Knowledge and Power of Allah Subhanah, and no man knows for sure where and when will the Angel of Death approach him to take his soul!

As to your question how did the person know he was about to die, I guess the best person to give an answer to that specific question is the one who narrated or told the story!

Your question: Is the Hadith mention at the end, authentic or a fabricated/modified one?

“ There are many, covered with the dust and with disheveled hair, whom people would turn away from their doors, whom men never heed, but if they were to swear by Allah, Allah Tala would stand by them”. (Sahih Muslim).

The correct words of the hadith related by Muslim are as follows:

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6351 Narrated by AbuHurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “Many a person with disheveled hair and covered with dust is turned away from the doors (whereas he is held in such a high esteem by Allah) that if he were to adjure in the name of Allah (about anything), Allah would fulfill that.”

And the meaning of the hadith is to imply that in the sight of the world, one may be poor and broke, and his clothes may be torn and filled with dust, and his hair maybe unkept, and his looks so un-appealing that people would consider him to be worth nothing and turn away from him. But it may be that such a person is a true and pious believer, who truly fears Allah Subhanah and the Last Day and lives within the boundaries of Allah Subhanah! People might give no weight to such a person, or his words or his deeds, but in the Court of Allah Subhanah, this pious believer has tremendous value because of his piety; and if he were to supplicate Allah Subhanah for something, Allah would fulfill his prayer. Because Allah Subhanah does not look at one’s face, or wealth, or appearance, or status, etc.…..but He looks at piety! The one who is most pious, is the one who is most honorable in the sight of Allah Subhanah!

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 49 Surah Hujurat verse 13:
O mankind, We created you from one man and one woman, and then divided you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most honorable among you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most pious of you. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Some people have tried to derive a false meaning from the above hadith, and on purpose keep their hair disheveled, or their clothes dirty, or don’t take a bath for days, or stand on one leg for years, or refuse to marry, etc.!; and they believe that these things bring them closer to Allah Subhanah! Little do they realize that it is not the looks and appearance that please Allah Subhanah; but it is one’s piety that reaches Allah, and it is piety alone that brings one closer to Allah Subhanah!

Beloved brother, there is no doubt that the book Faazail-e-Aamal has a lot of fabricated and weak hadiths, which are absolutely against the Quran and Sunnah; and anyone who has even basic knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah and a little common sense will immediately see the Truth from the falsehood. The only Truth is what Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared in the Quran and Sunnah; and everything that goes against these two sources of guidance, can be nothing but error and misguidance.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan