The Ruling on Joining Sufi Movements, such as the Shathlis and Others

Question :

Is there any objection to a person joining such movements as those ascribed to Shaikh Abdul-Qadir and Abul-Hasan Ash-Shathli, and are they a Sunnah or an innovation?

Answer:

Abu Dawud and other compilers of the Sunan have narrated from Al-'Irbadh bin Sariyah that he said: Allah's Messenger led us in prayer one day, after which he admonished us with such an eloquent sermon that eyes were filled with tears and hearts were filled with fear. Then a person asked: "O Messenger of Allah! It is as if this sermon were a farewell address, so with what do you commission us?" He replied:
"I advise you to fear Allah, to hear and obey, even if the one who commands you be an Ethiopian slave. For verily, those who live after me will fall into much differing, so adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the righteous, Well-Guided Caliphs - hold fast to it and cling to it with your molar teeth. Beware of newly invented (religious) matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a misguidance.

So, Allah's Messenger informed us about what will occur among his followers; differing to a large degree, they will divide into sects and schools of thought, and they will commit all manner of innovations and novelties; and he advised the Muslims to adhere to the Book of Allah and to hold fast to his Sunnah and to cling to it by their molar teeth (i.e. cling to it fiercely). He warned them against differing and following innovations and novelties, for they are a misguidance and will lead those who follow them astray from the path of Allah, and he advised them with the advice which Allah gave to His worshippers, in His Words:

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an).

And His statement :
And this is My Straight Path, so follow it and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).

So, we give you the advice of Allah and His Messenger, and we counsel you to stick to Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and we warn you against the innovations of the sects, such as the diseased (of heart) Sufis, and against innovated utterances, forms of remembrance which have not been prescribed, and supplications which contain association of partners with Allah, or which lead to that. Like seeking help from other than Allah, or mentioning him by such abbreviated names as Ah [2] which is not one of His Names Most Glorified be He- or seeking intercession from Shaikhs during supplication, or the belief that they know the deepest secrets of the hearts, or mentioning His Names in groups, altogether, in unison, sitting in circles, in addition to reeling about in ecstatic trances, and chanting and such like. All of this is unknown in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.

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