Which Group Truly Follows the Qur’an?

 

Continuing from the previous discussion…..

The Context of the Qadianis and the Kharijites

Now we are going to discuss another group mentioned in his question: the Qadianis. Let us see which Qur’an they follow that makes them a Qur’an-following group.

The main figure of the Qadiani doctrine is the claimant of false prophethood, “Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.” He was a resident of Qadian village under the Gurdaspur district of the “East Punjab” province. Because of his connection to that village, he and his followers are known as “Qadianis.” However, like chameleons, they have changed their identity at different times under different names. For example, they have become known by names such as “Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Ahmadi Jamaat, Mirzai, Qadiani,” and so on.

The main reason behind the emergence of the Qadianis was the British. When the British saw that the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, inspired by the spirit of jihad, had plunged into the war of independence against them, they began to think: how could this spirit of jihad be suppressed? As the result of that thought, they dressed up “Ghulam Ahmad” Qadiani as a false prophet and released him into the field. They told him, “You will say that revelation has come to me declaring war against the British to be haram.” In this way, by plotting such schemes, the cunning British launched a mission to destroy the faith of simple-minded Muslims. In this, they became somewhat successful as well.

Here, the matter we need to examine is: which Qur’an do the Qadianis follow? We have seen earlier, brother, that Allah Ta’ala has stated in verse 40 of Surah Al-Ahzab that “Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the final Prophet.” When the Qadiani made a claim to prophethood, then remaining Qur’an-following was out of the question; he did not even remain a believer. Not only that, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani did not even accept the central message of the Qur’an, the Oneness of Allah. He even claimed himself to be God.

Awhaam da, do you know what the most laughable thing is? Arz Ali Sahib counted the Qadianis as one of the Qur’an-following groups. Yet the Qadianis themselves have declared that they are not followers of the Qur’an. The claim of Mirza Ghulam, the leader of the Qadianis, is that revelation was sent down upon him, which would be like 20 parts similar to the parts of the Qur’an.

They regard these as their religious scripture. Now you tell me, brother, those who themselves declared that they are not followers of the Qur’an, for what purpose did Arz Ali Sahib want to forcefully turn them into a Qur’an-following group? If someone does not know anything about a subject, is it not better to remain silent about that subject? What do you say, brother? Mushir answered on behalf of Awhaam.

Come, brother, now let us learn something about the Kharijites. The Kharijites are a misguided group cut off from Islam, who opposed Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, the son-in-law of the Messenger, peace be upon him, and the fourth Caliph. This group has several godfathers. Among them, Ash'ath ibn Qays al-Kindi, Mis'ar ibn Fadak at-Taymi, Zayd ibn Husayn at-Ta’i, and others are notable.

Awhaam da, now we will see whether what the Kharijites say is correct according to the Qur’an or not. If it is, then they will automatically be established as Qur’an-followers. And if it is not, then.......?

Let us discuss some of their basic beliefs. We have seen earlier that the belief of the Mu’tazilites is that a person guilty of a major sin is neither a believer nor a disbeliever. Yet the Qur’an did not say this. And these Kharijites say that a sinner is, by definition, a disbeliever. They do not even distinguish between major sins and minor sins. Even if something goes against their opinion, they count it as sin and declare the Muslim who holds an opposing opinion to be a disbeliever. Even if that opposing view is in accordance with the Qur’an, they do not hesitate to declare him a disbeliever.

What did you understand, brother! Do the Kharijites follow the Qur’an, or do they throw away the Qur’an in order to establish their own opportunistic opinion and then declare anyone they wish to be a disbeliever? Yet Allah Ta’ala Himself has stated in verse 94 of Surah An-Nisa: “If someone gives you salam, and you do not know the true state of that person, whether he is a disbeliever or a Muslim, then do not call him a disbeliever.”

Look, brother, when someone gives salam, and if it is not known whether that person is a disbeliever or not, he cannot be declared a disbeliever. Then on what evidence can a person who claims the Kalimah and believes in one Allah be declared a disbeliever merely because of committing a small sin? However, yes, if someone considers sin to be halal, then he becomes a disbeliever. Because then he has directly denied what Allah has declared haram or sinful, as if he has denied Allah. But without considering sin to be halal, and if the sin does not contain kufr or shirk, a person does not become a disbeliever merely by committing that sin. If a believer became a disbeliever merely by sinning, Allah Ta’ala would not have revealed so many verses about forgiveness. In different places in the Qur’an, Allah Ta’ala has announced forgiveness for sinners on the condition of repentance. Therefore, those who declare a believer to be a disbeliever merely because he commits sin have, as if, ignored the Qur’anic verses containing the announcement of forgiveness for sinners. Therefore, how can such a stubborn and reckless group be Qur’an-following? Yet they did not even accept the message of the Qur’an!!

Elsewhere, the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said that by declaring someone a disbeliever who is not a disbeliever, there is a possibility that the one who declares him a disbeliever may himself become a disbeliever.

So it becomes clear that by calling a person a disbeliever who is not a disbeliever, the Kharijites themselves are misguided. They are a misguided group thrown far away from the message of the Qur’an and Sunnah. What did you understand, brother? Are they a Qur’an-following group, or a Qur’an-opposing group?

On the other hand, they also curse Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. Yet he is the son-in-law of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, the fourth Caliph, and a noble, high-ranking Companion. Regarding the Companions, Allah Ta’ala has said in various places of the Noble Qur’an, “I am pleased with them and they are grateful to Me.” Surah At-Tawbah, verse 100; Surah Al-Bayyinah, verse 28.

After Allah Ta’ala has said such a thing in the Qur’an, when they still abused Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, what will you say, that they accepted the Qur’an? No, they did not accept the Qur’an. Rather, they are opponents of the Qur’an. Perhaps Arz Ali Sahib, with his limited intellect and one-sided knowledge, was not able to understand this.

In this way, there are many more Qur’an-opposing problems among the Kharijites. If you want to know about them more properly, then many books have been written about them in the Bengali language; you may study those.

Ahlus Sunnah and the Four Madhhabs

After he mentioned the names of different groups as Qur’an-following, when we proved that those are not actually Qur’an-following groups, naturally a question will arise in your mind: “Then which group is Qur’an-following?”

: Yes, brother. Now that is what must be investigated.

: Hmm, right. Then let us see who the true followers of the Qur’an are. You surely remember, brother, that in Arz Ali Sahib’s question there is a mention of a group called “Sunni,” whose discussion we left aside.

: Yes, I remember.

: Now I will tell you about that group. Allah’s beloved, peace be upon him, was informed by Allah that after his death, different groups in his Ummah would appear under different names, pretending to be followers of the Qur’an and trying to corrupt Islam. Then he described such a method by which it could be tested which group is truly Qur’an-following.

The Messenger, peace be upon him, said that the Ummah of Musa, peace be upon him, the Children of Israel, meaning the Jews, was divided into 72 groups. And my Ummah will be divided into 73 groups. Among them, all except one group will be destined for Hell. The noble Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the identity of that group destined for Paradise?” The Messenger, peace be upon him, said, “Those who follow my path and the path and opinion of my Companions, they are that group.” Tirmidhi Sharif, Hadith no. 2852.

Look, brother, how many groups did the Messenger of Allah call successful, meaning destined for Paradise? Only one group. That means they are the Qur’an-followers. They are the true followers of the Qur’an. But which group is that? The group that will be shaped by the ideals of the Messenger, peace be upon him, and the noble Companions. This group is called “Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaat.” “Ahlus Sunnah” means those shaped by the Sunnah of the Prophet, and “wal Jamaat” means those shaped by the model of the community of the Companions. In our terminology, we call them briefly “Sunni.” Again, those very Sunnis, because they protest against bid’ah and superstition, are also called “Wahhabi” in the Indian subcontinent by the superstitious followers of bid’ah. Now do you understand who the “Sunnis” are? And how many Qur’an-following groups there are?

: Yes, brother, I understand. But I have one question. If the Sunnis are correct and are singly the only true Qur’an-following group, then why are there four madhhabs among them, such as Hanafi, Shafi’i, and so on?

: Hmm, of course. I was going to answer that very question. This too is among the objections raised earlier by Arz Ali Sahib. Then listen, brother, how the Sunnis, despite being the only true group, are established upon truth in the form of four madhhabs.

We have seen, brother, that Arz Ali Sahib has shown a tendency that truth cannot be several things. Truth must be one. From this viewpoint of his, the question regarding madhhab is raised.

: Yes, brother. From the question he raised about religion, that is what it seems.

: But brother, do you know that “truth” itself is not one and identical in only one form?

: No, brother. What are you saying! Does “truth” itself also have different forms?

: Yes. Philosophers have proven and shown this as well.

: Really?

: Hmm. Come, first let me introduce you to the different forms of truth. Philosophers have divided “truth” into two parts.

One. Formal truth.
Two. Material truth.

While determining the standard for establishing this truth, philosophers have also presented four theories.

One. The self-evidence theory.
Two. The correspondence theory.
Three. The coherence theory.
Four. The pragmatic theory.

Awhaam da, my purpose is not to enter into these difficult philosophical debates. I only want to make you understand that because truth has two forms and because the standards for determining it are divided into four types, will you say that “truth” itself is not truth?

: No, brother. It is not possible to say such a thing. “Truth” certainly exists. Otherwise, our very existence would become false.

: But brother, despite truth itself having two forms, how does “truth” remain truth? Will you answer this, or will Mushir bhai answer it?

Stopping Awhaam, Mushir said, I will try to answer it. Since I have studied “philosophy” a little.

: Awhaam said, no problem. You may speak.

: Mushir said, the real “truth” is one. But the two forms of truth you showed are actually only two sides of the same truth. Just as the existence of one taka is a fixed truth. But that one taka has two sides. That does not mean that one taka has no existence. Nor does it mean that because that one taka has two sides, the truth of one taka has turned into two takas. In exactly the same way, the two forms of truth you mentioned are actually two sides of the same truth.

: You explained it very beautifully, Mushir bhai. Really, you are great. What remains is the four types of standards of truth. What will you say about that? Ihtijaj asked.

: That too is like this: they are merely four methods of discovering and analyzing the same “truth.” Just as there can be different methods of doing one task.

: Excellent, Mushir bhai.

Awhaam da, you know that Arz Ali Sahib is a person who received the title of “self-taught philosopher,” don’t you?

: Yes.

: But do you know that “philosophy” itself is not one and identical either? Because the methods of philosophers’ philosophy are primarily divided into two parts.

One. Reason-based philosophy.
Two. Non-reason-based philosophy.

The first of these is again of four types. I do not want to enter into those discussions. I only want to make clear that because philosophy is divided into two parts, has it been proven that “philosophy” is false? That there is nothing called “philosophy”? Certainly not.

So what did we understand? A thing or subject can be fundamentally “true” and still have different branches, which emerge from it. It gains a single form as “truth” together with all its branches and sub-branches. Because there are different branches within it, there is no room to fall into doubt by asking, “Which one is truth?” Rather, all of it is correct, and all of them together form one shape of truth. And its name is “truth.”

Exactly in this way, Awhaam da, the form of the Qur’an-following group is one: “Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaat.” But its branches are four, or the four madhhabs. Just as “truth,” despite having different aspects, and despite philosophy being divided into different types, and despite the philosophers’ standards for determining truth being divided into different categories, all of them unite at one point and reveal only one form as their own “truth-form”; in the same way, the Sunnis, despite being divided into four madhhabs, are established under the canopy of the same truth. And that is “Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaat.”

To make it easier to understand, let me give one more example, brother. How many Liberation Wars took place in our country?

: One.

: But how many sectors did the freedom fighters have in this war?

: 11.

: Then were they warriors of different wars, or were they all warriors of the same war?

: All were warriors of the same war.

: Why, why? Despite being divided into different groups, how did they all become one?

: Because their desired goal and formula were one.

: Exactly. The matter of the four madhhabs is similar. Their desired goal and formula are one and identical. And that is to worship one Allah according to the path shown by Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. All are lovers and followers of the same truth. Therefore, we do not see any kind of envy or hatred among the four madhhabs. To make the truth of this claim clear to you, let me tell you an incident. The Imam of the “Maliki Madhhab” is Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him. In his book “Muwatta Malik,” he gathered a vast treasure of hadiths of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, was a resident of Madinah. When “Caliph Mansur” came for Hajj, he offered Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him: “I will copy your book and send it to every one of my provinces, and I will issue a decree that all people must act according to the hadiths collected in this book of yours. No practice outside this book will be allowed. Everything else should be abandoned.”

Do you know, brother, Caliph Mansur was then the ruler of half the world! The Caliph of the entire Muslim world! With his command, the book of Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, would have reached every Muslim home. Everyone would have been forced to accept that book. But do you know what Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said after receiving such a golden opportunity?

: What did he say, brother?

: Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “O Amirul Mu’minin, do not do this. Because it is not possible for one person alone to know all the hadiths of the Prophet. It may be that many hadiths unknown to me have reached other areas, within which there are different narrations. Therefore, leave them upon what hadiths they have received and what solutions to different issues they have taken from the earlier scholars.” In some narrations, the incident has been attributed to “Caliph Harun al-Rashid,” that he said something like this to Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him: “I will hang your book in the House of the Ka’bah and announce that from today no hadith except the hadiths narrated in this book may be accepted.” Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, then said the words mentioned above.

There may have been two incidents. Or there may have been one. Even if there were two, there is nothing impossible about it. Because Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, lived during the eras of both Caliph Harun and Mamun. Therefore, the possibility cannot be dismissed that both of them may have given him that offer twice.

Notice, brother, how much harmony there was among the madhhabs! How tolerant they were toward one another! Because everyone knew that they were like four rooms of the same house, the house of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaat. Essentially, all are one. All are Sunni. There is no problem in the Sunnis being divided into four madhhabs while still being followers of one truth. This is possible. Did you understand, brother?

: Yes, brother. Many, many thanks!!