—as some scholars say—and such is the state of those scholars of Islamic law whose faith is sincere and derives from divine revelation: the Quran and Sunnah.
How far, then, are the followers of Sufism and others like them in their ignorance from taking such a stand!
Seeking Allah’s help, I say: the answer I can offer to these questions, drawing conclusions from the actual condition of the Muslim masses, is that when communist ideology reached the region, it found some hearts circling the idol of materialism, others circling the idol of bestial desires, and still others circling the idol of Sufism, clinging to the coverings of the shaykhs’ shrines and seeking refuge in them, bowing and prostrating before the grandeur of a shaykh or shaykhs, forgetting their Lord and Creator. Yes, communism found those hearts in these filthy places—despite their claims to faith—and drove them all away from those paltry objects of worship, gathered them together, melted them down, and destroyed them. There is no power nor strength except through Allah. These were hearts whose faith was shallow and based on imitation; it had not reached the level of certainty in the hearts of the Muslim masses who had come to profess faith at the hands of Sufi shaykhs, their followers, and others like them in their ignorance. Faith had never taken firm hold of their hearts, nor had they tasted its sweetness. This situation is not confined to the continent we are discussing; it is a widespread affliction. Allah is the One whose help is sought.
As for the hearts that believed in Allah and were secure in their faith, they did not find them gathered around those idols and objects of worship. Indeed, they could not reach them, for they were with Allah: worshipping Him, remembering Him, in one of His houses. They were so occupied with Allah that they had no time for anything else, dwelling in the paradise of intimacy with Him. They had closed their eyes to all besides Allah, reflecting upon His Book and ranging in contemplation over His creation, His bounties, and His blessings, to praise the One who bestowed them—glory be to Him.