Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (19/340)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

and it contains much good, were it not for the rules of etiquette, formalities, and ascetic practices it transmits—borrowed from the methods of the philosophers and the errant Sufis.

We ask Allah for knowledge that truly benefits. Do you know what beneficial knowledge is? It is what the Qur’an has brought down and what the Messenger ﷺ clarified, in word and deed, with no prohibition against it. He ﷺ said, “Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.” (1)

So, my brother, reflect on the Book of Allah and constantly consult (the two Ṣaḥīḥs), (Sunan al-Nasaʾī), and (Riyāḍ al-Nawawī) together with his Adhkār; you will prosper and succeed. Beware the opinions of the philosopher-devotees, the exercises of the practitioners of spiritual disciplines, the monkish hunger, and the rash talk of those who confine themselves to solitary retreats. All good lies in following the easy, upright ḥanīfiyyah. We cry for aid from Allah: “O Allah, guide us to Your straight path.”

Yes, Imām Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Māzarī al-Ṣiqillī also spoke about the Iḥyāʾ in words that attest to his mastery. He said:

“Your letters have come to me repeatedly, asking about our position regarding the book entitled ‘The Revival of the Religious Sciences.’ You reported that people’s opinions about it have differed: a faction that championed it and zealously publicised it; a faction that warned against it and discouraged others; and a faction that even burned his books. People in the East have written to me as well, posing the same question, and I have not yet…"

The authenticity of this hadith was verified by a recognized hadith master. Consequently, anyone who says, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said…,” without knowing that a reliable scholar has authenticated the report, risks falling under the warning contained in the hadith, “Whoever attributes to me what I did not say, let him prepare for his seat in the Fire.” See Majallat al-Hidaya al-Islamiyya, 8/264. (1) Part of a longer narration reported by al-Bukhari (no. 5063, Book of Marriage), Muslim (no. 1401), al-Nasaʾi 6/60, and Ahmad 3/241, 259, 285, through two chains from Anas ibn Malik: Three men came to the houses of the Prophet’s wives asking about the Prophet’s worship. When they were informed, they considered it modest and said, “Where are we in relation to the Prophet ﷺ, whose past and future sins have been forgiven?” One said, “I will pray every night without rest.” Another said, “I will fast continuously and never break the fast.” The third said, “I will keep away from women and never marry.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and said, “Are you the ones who said such-and-such? By Allah, I am the most God-fearing and pious among you, yet I fast and break the fast, I pray and I sleep, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my sunnah is not of me.”

كَثِيْر لَوْلاَ مَا فِيْهِ مِنْ آدَاب وَرسوم وَزُهْد مِنْ طرَائِق الحكمَاء وَمُنحَرِفِي الصُّوْفِيَّة، نَسْأَل اللهَ عِلْماً نَافِعاً، تَدْرِي مَا العِلْمُ النَّافِع؟ هُوَ مَا نَزل بِهِ القُرْآنُ، وَفسَّره الرَّسُول ﷺ قَوْلاً وَفعلاً، وَلَمْ يَأْت نَهْي عَنْهُ، قَالَ ﵊: (مَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي، فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي (١)) ، فَعَلَيْك يَا أَخِي بتدبُّر كِتَاب اللهِ، وَبإِدمَان النَّظَر فِي (الصَّحِيْحَيْنِ) و (سُنَن النَّسَائِيّ) ، وَ (رِيَاض النَّوَاوِي) وَأَذكَاره، تُفْلِحْ وَتُنْجِحْ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَآرَاءَ عُبَّادِ الفَلاَسِفَة، وَوظَائِفِ أَهْلِ الرِّيَاضَات، وَجُوعَ الرُّهبَان، وَخِطَابَ طَيْشِ رُؤُوْسِ أَصْحَابِ الخلوَات، فُكُلُّ الخَيْر فِي مُتَابعَة الحنِيفِيَة السَّمحَة، فَواغوثَاهُ بِاللهِ، اللَّهُمَّ اهدِنَا إِلَى صرَاطك المُسْتقيم. نعم، وَللإِمَامِ مُحَمَّد بن عَلِيٍّ المَازَرِي الصَّقَلِّي كَلاَمٌ عَلَى (الإِحيَاء) يَدُلُّ عَلَى إِمَامته، يَقُوْلُ: وَقَدْ تَكرَّرت مُكَاتبتكُم فِي اسْتَعلاَمِ مَذْهَبِنَا فِي الكِتَابِ المُتَرْجَمِ بِـ (إِحيَاءِ عُلُوْمِ الدِّينِ) ، وَذَكَرتُم أَنَّ آرَاء النَّاس فِيْهِ قَدِ اخْتلفت، فَطَائِفَةٌ انْتَصَرت وَتعصَّبت لإِشهَاره، وَطَائِفَة حَذَّرت مِنْهُ وَنفَّرت، وَطَائِفَة لِكُتُبِهِ أَحرقت، وَكَاتِبنِي أَهْلُ المَشْرِق أَيْضاً يَسْأَلونِي، وَلَمْ يَتقدم لِي

= صحة هذا الحديث حافظ من الحفاظ المعروفين، فمن قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ وهو لا يعلم صحة ذلك من طريق أحد الحفاظ يوشك أن يصدق عليه حديث " من قال علي ما لم أقل فليتبوأ مقعده من النار ". انظر مجلة الهداية الإسلامية: ٨ / ٢٦٤. (١) قطعة من حديث طويل أخرجه البخاري (٥٠٦٣) في النكاح، ومسلم (١٤٠١) ، والنسائي: ٦ / ٦٠، وأحمد: ٣ / ٢٤١، ٢٥٩، ٢٨٥، من طريقين عن أنس بن مالك قال: جاء ثلاثة رهط إلى بيوت أزواج النبي ﷺ يسألون عن عبادة النبي ﷺ، فلما أخبروا كأنهم تقالوها، فقالوا: وأين نحن من النبي ﷺ، قد غفر الله له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخر؟ !، قال أحدهم: أما أنا فأصلي الليل أبدا. وقال آخر: أنا أصوم الدهر ولا أفطر. وقال آخر: أنا أعتزل النساء فلا أتزوج النساء أبدا. فجاء رسول الله ﷺ فقال: " أنتم الذين قلتم كذا وكذا؟ أما والله إني لاخشاكم لله وأتقاكم له، ولكني أصوم وأفطر، وأصلي وأرقد، وأتزوج النساء، فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني ".