Is The Islamic Nation Sinking?

Written by: Sheila Quinn
April 2012

Qur’an:

“But say not-for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,-‘This is lawful, and this is forbidden,’ so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah will never prosper.’
“In such falsehood is but paltry profit; but they will have a most grievous Chastisement.” (Sura: “Al Nahl” (“The Bee” #16) ayat #116-
117)

“Say: ‘See ye what things Allah hath sent down to you for sustenance? Yet ye hold forbidden some things thereof and (some things) lawful,’ Say: ‘Hath Allah indeed permitted you, or do ye forge (things) to attribute to Allah?’
“And what think those who forge lies against Allah, on the Day of Judgment? Verily Allah is full of Bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful.” (Sura “Yunus” (“Jonah” #10) Aya’in #59-60)

“Those who follow the Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet…So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light which is sent down with him,-it is they who will prosper” (Sura: “Al A’raf” (“The Heights” # 7) Ayah #157)

“…but the People of the Book, after the Signs came to them, did not differ amongst themselves, except through selfish contumacy…” (Sura “Al Baqara” (The Cow) #2; ayah #213)

“…This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” (Sura “Al Ma’ida” (“The Table Spread) #5; ayah # 3)

“O ye who believe! Obey Allah ad his Messenger, and turn not away from him when ye hear (him speak)” (Sura “Al-Anfal” (“Spoils of War”) #8; ayah #20)

“And Allah will not mislead a people after He hath guided them until he makes clear to them as to what they should avoid, for Allah hath knowledge of all things.” (Sura “Al Tawba” (“Repentance”) #9; Ayah #115)



Sira: “ ‘And if you were asked about me, what wanted you to say?’ They replied: ‘We bear witness that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry.’ He then raised his forefinger skywards and then moved it down towards people saying: ‘O Allah, Bear witness.’ He said that phrase thrice. The one who repeated the Prophet’s statements loudly at ‘Arafat was Rabi’a bin Omaiyah bin Khalaf. As soon as the Prophet had accomplished delivering the speech, the following Qur’anic verse was revealed to him:
‘This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.’ (5:3)

“Upon hearing this verse ‘Umar cried. ‘What makes you cry?’ He was asked. His answer was: ‘Nothing succeeds perfection but imperfection.’” (From the English translation of: “Ar-Raheeq Al Makhtum” (“The Sealed Nectar”) written by: Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri; Islamic University, Al- Madina Al-Munawwara; chapter “The Farewell Pilgrimage”)


“Allah’s care was so bounteous as to let the Prophet see the fruits of his Call for the sake of which he suffered various sorts of trouble for over twenty years. Those twenty years had elapsed actively. He used to spend his last days meeting, at the outskirts of Makkah, members of tribes and their representatives who used to consult him and learn the laws and legislation of Islam from him, and in return he used to exact heir testimony that he had delivered trust and communicated the Message and counseled the people.” (From the English translation of: “Ar-Raheeq Al Makhtum” (“The Sealed Nectar”) written by: Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri; Islamic University, Al- Madina Al-Munawwara; chapter “The Farewell Pilgrimage”)




Is The Islamic Nation sinking? Yes it is sinking. It is sinking because of Taqlid, Mathahab, Fatwa and Ijtihad. The Islamic Nation is a ship that has holes in the bottom. What are the holes in this ship that is causing it to be sinking? They are Taqlid, Mathahab, Fatwa and Ijtihad.

Taqlid, Mathahab (Madthabs), Fatwa, and Ijtihad are outside of Islam. They are contrary to The Qur’an and Sunneh. Why do I say this? Because Islam was completed before the death of Prophet Muhammad-absolutely nothing else is needed.

“…This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” (Sura “Al Ma’ida” (“The Table Spread) #5; ayah # 3)


They are not only outside of Islam, they are also misguidance. It is because of them that The Islamic Nation is sinking.

This is something that I have learned through the Sira (The biography of Prophet Muhammad) and The Qur’an within the last few years. (I am a Muslim woman from a European American family. I embraced Islam more than twenty five years ago. Until a few years ago I thought, as most Muslims think, that Fatwa and Ijtihad are part of The Islamic Faith.)

Sira: “ ‘And if you were asked about me, what wanted you to say?’ They replied: ‘We bear witness that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry.’ He then raised his forefinger skywards and then moved it down towards people saying: ‘O Allah, Bear witness.’ He said that phrase thrice. The one who repeated the Prophet’s statements loudly at ‘Arafat was Rabi’a bin Omaiyah bin Khalaf. As soon as the Prophet had accomplished delivering the speech, the following Qur’anic verse was revealed to him:
‘This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.’ (5:3)

“Upon hearing this verse ‘Umar cried. ‘What makes you cry?’ He was asked. His answer was: ‘Nothing succeeds perfection but imperfection.’” ( From the English translation of:“Ar-Raheeq Al Makhtum” (“The Sealed Nectar”) written by: Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri; Islamic University, Al- Madina Al-Munawwara; chapter “The Farewell Pilgrimage”)


I initially came to my understanding that all four of them are misguidance through my reading of The Sira. Then afterwards I started finding evidence in The Qur’an that not only are these four misguidance -but that Allah is very angry with those who are involved in misguidance.

“And Allah will not mislead a people after He hath guided them until he makes clear to them as to what they should avoid, for Allah hath knowledge of all things.” (Sura “Al Tawba” (“Repentance”) #9; Ayah #115)


Through the reading of Sira and Qur’an I learned something totally new that I didn’t know before. I learned that it is The Sunneh (Way) of Allah to allow misguidance to come after His Guidance is completed. I was a Muslim for more than twenty years before I learned this. I didn’t learn it through any human being. I learned this by the mercy of The Creator through the means of The Sira and The Qur’an.


What is haram (unlawful)? Everything that Allah made haram in The Qur’an and Sunneh of Prophet Muhammad is haram- absolutely everything else is halal (lawful).

“Those who follow the Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet…So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light which is sent down with him,-it is they who will prosper” (Sura: “Al A’raf” (“The Heights” # 7) Ayah #157)


I repeat Taqlid, Mathahab (Madthabs), Fatwa, and Ijtihad are outside of Islam; and they are misguidance. Allah is very angry with those who are involved in misguidance.

“But say not-for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,-‘This is lawful, and this is forbidden,’ so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah will never prosper.’
“In such falsehood is but paltry profit; but they will have a most grievous Chastisement.” (Sura: “Al Nahl” (“The Bee” #16) ayat #116-117)

“Say: ‘See ye what things Allah hath sent down to you for sustenance? Yet ye hold forbidden some things thereof and (some things) lawful,’ Say: ‘Hath Allah indeed permitted you, or do ye forge (things) to attribute to Allah?’
“And what think those who forge lies against Allah, on the Day of Judgment? Verily Allah is full of Bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful.” (Sura “Yunus” (“Jonah” #10) Aya’in #59-60)

Allah is the One and Only source of both provision and security. He tells us in The Qur’an that those who do not mix iman (faith) with wrong will be in security. What is He saying in this? When thinking about it one would logically come to the conclusion that Allah is saying that anyone who does mix iman with wrong will not be in security! He does not mention any specific wrong, so most likely wrong in this context means wrong in general-any wrong. (Allah knows best) Anyone who pollutes faith with any wrong will not be secure. (This could include: making things unlawful what Allah has made lawful and secularism).

In both Fatwa and Ijtihad scholars (Islamic “experts”) are making things unlawful what Allah has made lawful. And perhaps in some circumstances making things lawful what Allah has made unlawful (for example: making some forms of riba (usury) lawful). Those who are involved in such activity are making themselves partners with Allah. It is Allah- and only Allah- who makes things lawful and unlawful. He did so in The Qur’an and The Sunneh of Prophet Muhammad. It is perfect. It is Divine Law- and unlike human law- there is no need of improvements/additions.

“…This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” (Sura “Al Ma’ida” (“The Table Spread) #5; ayah # 3)


One example of “scholars” making things unlawful what Allah has made lawful is the issue of music. It is obvious that music in general is lawful. It is only the sound from the flute which is unlawful. Music is like meat. Pig meat is unlawful. But just because meat from the pig is unlawful does that make all meat unlawful? No it does not! The same thing with music; just because sound from the flute is unlawful that doesn’t make music itself unlawful.

Also with the issue of music there is a clear hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad which makes it clear that music in general is lawful. In this hadeeth Umar Bin Al Khatab comes to the home of Prophet Muhammad on the Day of Eid. He finds Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad, listening to music. He scolds her and then goes into the adjoining room where Prophet Muhammad is laying down relaxing. Prophet Muhammad gently scolds his dear friend by reminding him that it is The Eid. A Prophet of The Creator would not tolerate anything that is unlawful-much less allow it to be in his home. Yet, from this hadeeth we know that not only did Prophet Muhammad allow there to be music- but that he was relaxing at the time. This hadeeth is clear evidence that music in general is lawful.

Some scholars can be so weird-so strange- sometimes. I have read some things that some scholars have written. Sometimes, some scholars would be like a defense attorney who gives evidence that proves that his client is guilty. Afterwards he would make a statement that his client is innocent. The hadeeth that I just mentioned was quoted in a paper that was written by a scholar; a paper which said that music is unlawful.

Do Scholars have any role in Islam? If so, what is that role? Scholars are teachers-not prophets. Teachers are fallible human beings who sometimes do make mistakes. Scholars should publicly acknowledge their own humanity- their own fallibility as human beings. Also Muslims, in general, should not accept anything and everything that a scholar says just because he is a scholar. Muslims, in general, should listen to everything that is said and evaluate it according to what is in The Qur’an and The Sunneh of Prophet Muhammad. Scholars are our teachers.

Prophet Muhammad is: our teacher, our leader, and our role model. Those that love him, follows him!

“Those who follow the Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet…So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the Light which is sent down with him,-it is they who will prosper” (Sura: “Al A’raf” (“The Heights” # 7) Ayah #157)