and misguidance. One of the eminent scholars therefore rose to refute him in a sizeable volume entitled Ghayat al-Amani in Refuting al-Nabhani. In that work he laid bare al-Nabhani’s ignorance and deviation, and defended Ibn Taymiyya with due fairness and justice. Whoever wishes to know the truth should refer to that book and rely on it completely.

There is no harm, moreover, in citing for you what Shah Wali Allah al-Dihlawi said about the issue of shadd al-raḥl (undertaking a journey) since it contains a fresh benefit. He, may Allah have mercy on him, writes in al-Hujjat al-Baligha (1/192):

“The people of the pre-Islamic era used to head for certain places they deemed sacred, visiting them to seek blessing. In that practice there was distortion and corruption that is not hidden. The Messenger ﷺ blocked that avenue of corruption so that things which are not acts of worship would not be lumped together with the rites of worship, and so that it would not become a means to worship something other than Allah. In my view, a grave, a place where a saint worshipped, or (Mount) Tur—all of these stand on the same footing regarding the prohibition.”

(d) Next is the Mosque of Qubaʾ, which is intended by the divine statement: “A mosque founded on piety from the very first day is more worthy that you stand in it; within it are men who love to purify themselves, and Allah loves those who purify themselves.” [al-Tawba 108]. When this verse was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ came to them in the Mosque of Qubaʾ and said, “Allah has praised you for the purification mentioned in connection with your mosque; what is this purification that you practice?” They replied, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we know nothing except that we had neighbors from the Jews who used to wash their private parts after relieving themselves, so we washed as they washed.” He said, “That is indeed it, so adhere to it.”

This hadith is narrated by ʿUwaym ibn Saʿida, and a similar wording is transmitted by Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and Jabir.