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PART II:  Uncovering those who accept, adopt and spread Sufism

Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Hamza Yusuf Hanson
The Sufi Tradition in Toronto
Abdal-Hakim Murad

PART II:  Uncovering those who accept, adopt and spread Sufism

Muslims are like a single body, if a virus attacks one part of it, then the whole body feels it.  It is important to remove any viruses that make the body ill in order for it to remain healthy and strong.  Muslims today are very weak because the majority has abandoned the teachings of Quran and the way of the Prophet PBUH (i.e. his Sunnah).  In order to revive the Islamic spirit and rejuvenate the Muslim body, Muslims have to first rid themselves of the viruses that infect their minds, and develop immunity to viruses so as to quickly recognize them and treat them.  These viruses are the Bida’as that are widespread between Muslims, the cure to which is only through returning to the way of the Prophet PBUH and his Sunnah.  This is why it is a duty on every Muslim to inform his/her fellow Muslims about those who promote such viruses (Bida’as), to expose their false teachings, and to warn of the dangers that they spread. 

There’s plenty of evidence to inform us of our duty to speak out against Bida’a and those who accept, adopt, and spread it.  Scholars like Ibn Taymiya, As-Shatiby, and Ibn Al-Qayyim set the example for us in their writings to follow.  Ibn Al-Jawzi wrote a wonderful book called “Talbees Iblis” in which he exposed many Bida’as and those who propagate them.  In the second chapter of “Tablees Iblis” entitled “Censure of Bida’a and People of Bida’a”, Ibn Al-Jawzi quotes the following examples:

• Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be please with him, narrated that the Prophet PBUH said “Whoever strays away from my Sunnah is not from my [Ummah]” (reported by Bukhary).
• A’isha, may Allah be please with her, narrated that the Prophet PBUH said “whoever respects and honours a person of Bida’a has assisted in destroying Islam”.
• It was reported that our righteous predecessors were angered when questioned why they talk about people of Bida’a.  One of the righteous salaf said “my speech about people of Bida’a (i.e. warning about them) is more beloved to me than performing extra acts worship for sixty years.”
• It was also related that the righteous predecessors said “”whoever loves a person of Bida’a, Allah will foil his deeds and remove the light of Islam from his heart”.
• Another one said, “be warned of those who sit with people of Bida’a”.

Clearly, this evidence shows that one must expose and warn about Bida’a and those who spread it.  Now that we have established the validity of this act, we shall proceed to expose those who accept, adopt, and propagate the Bida’as of Sufism.

Nuh Ha Mim Keller

Nuh Ha Mim Keller, an American Sufi, became Muslim in 1977 and moved to Jordan where he currently resides.  Keller taught at the first Deen Intensive program in Toronto in 1997 along with Hamza Yusuf and others.

Keller is a member of the ‘Alawiya Order, one of the branches of Shadhili Order.  ‘Alawiya Order is derived from al-'Alawi^[1].  Although Keller spends most of his time in Jordan, he still maintains a number of followers in in the West. 

In order to cast away any doubt about Keller’s belief in the Shadhili Tariqa, let’s examine Keller’s own work.

"Invocations of Shaadhili Order (written by Nuh Ha Mim Keller), on Page 1, Keller says:

“This blessed collection contains those of the invocations and prayers of the Pole and Succor my master Abul Hasan al-Shadhili”.

Comments: The terms “pole” and “succor”.  The term Pole in Sufi literature means the “perfect man” who holds Allah’s attention in this world; all the affairs of creation revolve around him. He takes his way in the universe, both the seen and unseen parts of it, as the spirit takes its way in the body.  He could also be called al-Gouth (Succor, i.e. helper) because people seek his assistance in case of adversity.  Ahmad al-Tijani (the founder of the Tijani Sufi order) said, “The reality of the Pole status is that he is great vicegerent of Al-Haqq (i.e. Allah) in all the universe, wherever Allah is a God, the pole is his vicegerent in the sense that he (i.e. the pole) carries out all the decrees that Allah might have. So, nothing will reach the creation except through the pole.”

In Pages 102-103 Keller says:

“The conduct of the disciple towards the sheikh and brethren consists in five things: following what the sheikh says, even if something else seems better; avoiding what he forbids, even if it means one’s death; upholding the sheikh’s honor be he absent or present, alive or dead; fulfilling the sheikh’s rights to the degree possible, without remissness; and suspending one’s intellect, knowledge, and leadership, except as the sheikh confirms.”

Keller on Singing and Dancing

Nuh Ha Mim Keller mentions in his Tariqa Notes that sacred dance is one of the rituals of the Shadhili order. According to him, the sacred dance is a type of dancing performed by Sufis in unison while they make Dhikr (remembrance of Allah).  To show the permissibility of it, Keller argues that sacred dancing has 3 components:

1. Dhikr
2. The dancing itself
3. Performing it in congregation

Since each of the above components is permissible if not recommended in its own, therefore –Keller concludes- combining them yields a permissible act of worship.

Keller also promotes and teaches the same misguided Sufi concepts that we revealed in Part I.  He writes in his book “A review of Tariqa Notes”, page 30:

“Nothing is, beside Allah and His Attributes and His actions and His rulings. This is what is meant by the Sufi term wahdat al-wujud or (oneness of being)”.

Keller mentions the Sufi concept of oneness of being (Wahdat al-wujud).  This concept is explained by a Toronto Sufi group on their website as^[3]:

Here are two commentaries from the translator (Wahid Baksh Rabbani) of The Kashful Mahjub (Unveiling the veiled) by Syed Ali bin Uthman al-Hujweri about Wahdat al-Wujud:

Page 260 ... "In a nutshell, oneness of Being (Wahdat-al-Wujud) in Islam means that nothing in this world can contain God, but God contains everything. Or nothing is God, but nothing is separate from God. That is why the concept of hulul and ittihad (incarnation) are against the tenets of Islam. Hulul and ittihad presuppose multiplicity of being; whereas Islam proclaims oneness of Being ... that is Divine Being. This concept of God does not violate the principles of Shari'ah in any way. What happens in the state of fana-fi-Allah is that man does not become God, but he is lost in God's Being. Like an iceberg which when frozen, assumes a separate existence, and becomes one with the sea when it melts. Similarly, when the seeker is in the state of fana, he is one with God and when in baqa, he assumes the shape of an iceberg, cold, hard, and limited."

Page 266 ... "Again Shibli says, 'tauhid veils the Unitarian from seeing the beauty of His oneness.' This is because tauhid is the act of man, and the act of man cannot be the means (illat) of seeing God and what cannot be the means of seeing God, is necessarily a veil. Man, with all his attributes is something other than God because if his attributes (sifat) are regarded as Divine Attributes, then man who is the possessor of these attributes becomes Divine, and then the Unitarian (muwahhid), Unity (tauhid) and the One (wahid) become interdependent. And this is precisely the Christian notion of Trinity. The attribute which veils a man from reaching tauhid (oneness) is a veil. And one who is veiled is not a Unitarian (muwahhid), for other than God in the universe is non-existent."

Comments: So although the concept of Wahdat al-Wujud rejects that unity with God means that one becomes God (i.e. the Christian Trinity), it still affirms that man is with God physically as nothing exists except God.  Keller himself confirms this belief of becoming one with God:

page 35 … Keller says “…After this, a person doesn’t need figurative interpretations, because the journey is no longer to Allah, but rather in Allah, meaning in the knowledge of him, directly and experientially.”"^[2]

Of course this is the concept that was invented by Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi.

Keller on Ibn Arabi:

On page 42 Keller quotes Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi as saying “…a quality which, as sheikh Muhyiddin (Ibn Arabi) notes…”

Comments: Regardless of Ibn Arabi’s statement, the simple fact is that Keller is quoting a man who was declared a kafir by countless well-reputable Muslim scholars.  Below are some such fatwas of Muslim scholars on Ibn Arabi:

1. Al’izz Ibn Abdulsalam (d 660 H): He said about Ibn Arabi “An evil liar sheikh who claims that this world is eternal (i.e. was not created by Allah) and embraces promiscuity.”

2. Ibn Taymiya (d 728 H): He extensively discussed the arguments of ibn Arabi and refuted them and called him a heretic.

3. Ibn Katheer (d 774 H): Imam ibn Katheer in his book of Islamic history- Al-bidaya Wal Nihaya comments on ibn Arabi “He has a book named beads of wisdom in which there are many things that are apparently clear kufr.”

4. Adh-Dhahabi (d 748 H) said: “If Ibn Arabi’s book (Beads of wisdom) does not contain clear Kufr, then there is no Kufr in the world.”

5. ‘Ala’ al-Di Al-Bukhari Al-Hanafi declared that: “The one who does not consider Ibn Arabi a kaafir (non-Muslim), then he himself is a kaafir!”

In fact, Keller not only quotes Ibn Arabi, but he also defends him.  Keller, in his translation of Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri’s “Umdat al-salik” writes:

Muhyiddin ibn Arabi is Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Arabi, Abu Bakr Muhyi al-Din al-Hatimi al-Ta’i, The Greatest Sheikh (al-Shaykh al-Akbar), born in Murcia (in present-day Spain) in 560/1165. A “mujtahid” Imam in Sacred Law, Sufism, Qur’anic exegesis, hadith, and other Islamic sciences, and widely regarded as a friend (wali) of Allah Most High, he was the foremost representative of the Sufi school of the “oneness of being” (wahdat al-wujud), as well as a Muslim of strict literal observance of the prescriptions of the Quran and sunna.

Ibn Arabi’s creed is very clear to those who read his works.  He advocates the concept of Hulool, which is a stepping-stone to the concept of Oneness of Being or “Wahdat al-Wujud”.  In simple terms, Oneness of Being means that none exists but Allah, so everything one sees is Allah or a manifestation of Allah and this is the Tawhid (oneness or unity) according to some extreme Sufis.

The purpose of the following examples is to show beyond the shadow of a doubt what the creed of Ibn Arabi is:

1. Ibn Arabi declares the worshipers of the Golden Calf were not committing shirk. Found under section: "The Seal of the Wisdom of the Imam in the Word of Harun (Aaron)"^[4]
2. Ibn Arabi criticizes Noah as a messenger.  Found under section: "The Seal of the Wisdom of the Breath of Divine Inspiration in the Word of Nuh (Noah)"^[5] 
3. Ibn Arabi declares the Pharaoh died a believer (Muslim).  Found under section: "The Seal of the Wisdom of Sublimity in the Word of Musa (Moses)"^[6]

Ibn Arabi also says in his book “Fusus al-Kikam”^[7]:

1. “He is the observer in the observer, and the observed in the observed.  None sees Him, save Himself. None perceives Him, save Himself. By Himself he sees Himself, and by Himself he knows Himself. His Veil is part of his Oneness; nothing veils other than he. . . His Prophet is he, and his sending is He, and His word is He.
2. He who knows himself understands that his existence is not his own existence, but his existence is the existence of God.”

Yet with all these proofs, Keller still calls Ibn Arabi “the Greatest Shaykh”!  Ibn Taymiya writes in his book al-Uboodiya about Ibn Arabi and those who adopt his beliefs:

The most horrifying Kufr

Therefore, anyone who witnesses the universal truth without the religious truth will hold equal all these types of people whom Allah (SWT) has made an ultimate distinction between. This reconciliation will eventually conduce him to even reconcile between Allah (AWJ) and the idols, as Allah (SWT) said about this type of people.

By Allah, we were truly in a manifest error. When we held you (false deities) as equals (in Al-'Ibaadah) with the Lord of the Worlds. [Ash-Shu'araa:97-98]

They eventually reach the point where they reconcile between Allah (AWJ) and every existing being. And they considered all that which He (AWJ) deserves of 'Ibaadah and obedience as being due to every existing created thing since they made His (AWJ) existence the same as the existence of the created things. This is of the most horrifying Kufr and atheism towards the Lord of all the beings. They reach by their Kufr the point where they do not bear witness that they are 'Ibaad-u-Allah, neither by the meaning of the subdued ones nor by the meaning of the worshiping ones. They witness that they themselves are the Truth as has been declared by their false idols, e.g. Ibn Arabi who wrote "Al-Fousous," and other slandering atheists such as Ibn Sab'een and his like. They even witness that they are simultaneously the worshipers and the ones being worshiped.

This, indeed, is not the witnessing of the truth, neither the universal one nor the religious one, but it is rather a going astray and a blindness from witnessing the universal truth, for they made the existence of the Creator the same as that of the created. They made every good and bad quality as an attribute to both the Creator and the created, for they consider the existence of the former as being the same as the existence of the latter. But the believers in Allah (SWT) and His Messengers, both commoner and elite, are the people of the Quran, as the Prophet PBUH said, "Verily, Allah has (favorite) people amongst mankind." He was asked, "Who are they? O Messenger of Allah." He replied, "The people of Al Quran, they are people of Allah and His elite."

The Kufr of those who believe in the incarnation

These people know that Allah (SWT) is the Lord, the Owner, and the Creator of everything. And that the Creator is different from the created being. He (SWT) is neither incarnated in the being nor combined with him, nor is His (SWT) existence the same as the being's existence. Indeed, the Christians were not declared by Allah (SWT) as Kuffar (unbelievers) except for that they believed in the incarnation and combination of Allah (SWT) with Al-Maseeh (Jesus). So how about those who made this true about every creature? Yet, they know fully well that Allah (SWT) ordered obedience to Him (AWJ) and obedience to His Messengers, and that Allah (SWT) does not like corruption nor approves Al-Kufr for His 'Ibaad. And all the creation ought to worship Him (SWT) so that they obey His commands, and ask for His aid to fulfill that; as He (AWJ) said in the Opening of the Scripture: It is You we worship and it is You we ask for help. [Al-Faatihah:5]

The above examples are just a brief illustration of the misguidance of Nuh Ha Mim Keller.  Muslims, especially young ones, have to know the truth about such people so they’re not deceived by their appearances or words.  Even the name that Keller adopted (Ha Mim) shows his commitment to bida’a.  Keller explains Ha Mim as: “Ha Mim Ha Mim, Ha Mim, Ha Mim, Ha Mim. The matter be done, the victory come, against us they shall not be helped”.

Hamza Yusuf Hanson

Hamza Yusuf started life as Mark Hanson in Walla Walla, Washington, USA.  He is the son of two US academics of a Catholic and Greek Orthodox background.  He accepted Islam in 1977, a few months before his 18^th birthday. In 1984, Hamza Yusuf entered the Bilal ibn Rabah Madrasa of Tizi, Algeria and studied with Sidi Bou Sai'd. After being expelled from Algeria by the government, he traveled to a unique madrassa in Mauritania and studied with the Murabit al-Hajj bin Fahfu where he continues his studies periodically.

Hamza Yusuf and Habib 'Ali at the feet of Murabit al-Hajj (Hamza Yusuf’s Sheikh in Saharan desert of West Africa).  Habib 'Ali is a young master of tasawwuf and a teacher at the Dar Al-Mustafa Institute in Tarim, Hadramawt south Yemen.

On May 4th, 1997, Dr. Anne-Marie Schimmel, former Harvard Professor of Oriental Studies and Sufism, presented a lecture entitled “Sufism and its Influence on Europe” at Stanford University. Sponsored by the Stanford Islamic Society, the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and endorsed by the Muslim Community Association's (MCA) newsletter, the lecture was extremely well attended^[8].

In here lecture, Dr. Schimmel related the famous story of Rabiah al-Adawiyah when she went through town with a bucket of water to put out the hell fire and a torch to burn Paradise so that people would devote themselves only to the worship of Allah for Allah’s sake alone and not commit shirk by longing after His creation or running from His punishment.

Comments: This is an example of the foolishness of Sufis.  Does anyone in his or her right-mind believe he/she can put out the hellfire and burn paradise?

Following the brief question and answer session, Marghoob Quraishy^[9], concluded Dr. Schimmel’s portion of the program with praise of her academic achievements and erudition.  He then stated that "it requires another Sufi, Hamza Yusuf, to conclude this session."

Hamza Yusuf then concluded with a lecture of his own entitled “Tasawwuf/Sufism in Islam”^[10], detailing the fact that Sufism is an integral part of Islam, often envied by those who either have no aspiration or who are unable to attain the level of faith and certainty characteristic of the Sufis.

In his lecture, Hamza Yusuf tried to explain why scholars wrongly rejected Sufism and considered it a bida’a.  He said:

“The fourth reason is fear for the generality that they might be lead astray by following esoteric doctrines without upholding the letter of the law as happens to many ignorant people. So ignorant people might hear some statement, which is said by a Sufi, and they completely misunderstand it. And Abu Yazid al-Bistami put in Imam Dhahabi's tabaqat is considered a faqih (jurisprudent). Imam Dhahabi is considered a student of Ibn Taymiya and he considers Abu Yazid al-Bistami a reasonable and sound source of hadith. Yet Abu Yazid al-Bistami is the one who is noted for saying 'Subhanee' which means 'Glory to Me!' This is known in the technical vocabulary of the Sufis as a shatha, an ecstatic utterance.”

Al-Bistami, who first invented the concept of Fana’, says “I made tawwaf around the Kaba’ for a period of time.  But when I witnessed the Truth, I saw the Kaba’ making tawwaf around me”.  He also says “Allah took me to a level where I can see the whole of creation between my two fingers”.  Ibn Taymiya said in this regard “Many of those devotees sees the Kaba’ making tawwaf around them, they see a grand throne and a picture on it, and they see people ascending and descending from the throne so they think they are angels and they think the picture is Allah (High is He above these heresies) when in fact it is Satan.  This story occurred to more than one, some of whom were protected by Allah and knew that this is Satan; like Abdal Qadir Jilani.” (Majmu'a Fatawa, Vol.1 p.171-175).

Sufis, such as Hamza Yusuf, often try to justify words like those said by al-Bistami, by quoting Ibn Taymiya in Volume 2, pages 396-397 of Majmu'a Fatawa, Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiya speaks about fana’ also known in Sufism as annihilation:

"This state of love is the state of many people that are from the people of Love to Allah `azza wa jall, they are the people of the love of Allah and the People of the Will (al-irada) of Allah, it is typical of many of the people that love God and seek Him. Because that person has vanished in his lover, in Allah `azza wa jall through the intensity of the love, because he vanished in Allah's love, not his own ego's love. And he will recall Allah, not recalling himself, remember Allah, not remembering himself, visualizing Allah [yastashhid], not visualizing himself, existing in Allah, not in the existence of himself. When he reaches that state 'Ana al-Haqq' (I am the Truth) or 'Subhanee' (Glory to Me!) and he will say 'maa fil jubba ill-Allah' (there is nothing in this cloak except Allah), because he is drunk in the love of God and this is a pleasure and happiness that he cannot control."

Further on Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiya says:

“This [matter] has in it Haqq and there is in it Batil. But when someone will enter a state with his fervor intense love (`ishq) to Allah, he will enter a state of absentmindedness, and when he enters a state of absentmindedness, he will find himself as if he is accepting the [concept] of ittihad [union]. I do not consider this a sin. Because that person is excused and no one may punish him as he is not aware of what he is doing. Because the pen does not condemn the crazy except when he is restored to sanity.”

However, they fail to quote the rest of Ibn Taymiya’s words that we quoted earlier in this article.  As we showed in Part I of this article, Ibn Taymiya tried to find reasons to justify what some Sufis said (like the concept of fana’).  He tried to find rationales that lead someone like al-Bistami to utter words of heresy.  His rationale was that such a person could either be in a state of insanity or absentmindedness.  However, Ibn Taymiya clearly stated that such words are Kufr and did not justify them by any means^[11].  Furthermore, if Al-Bistami was insane or absentminded when he utters these words, how do we explain Sufis that publish similar statements on their websites and in their books – what kind of state can they be in not to recognize the heresies of their statements?!

Once again here’s what Ibn Taymiya said in clear unmistakable words regarding such people as al-Bistami, Ibn Arabi, Ibn Sab’een, etc.:

They eventually reach the point where they reconcile between Allah (SWT) and every existing being. And they considered all that which He (SWT) deserves of 'Ibaadah and obedience as being due to every existing created thing since they made His (SWT) existence the same as the existence of the created things. This is of the most horrifying Kufr and atheism towards the Lord of all the beings. They reach by their Kufr the point where they do not bear witness that they are 'Ibaad-u-Allah, neither by the meaning of the subdued ones nor by the meaning of the worshiping ones. They witness that they themselves are the Truth as has been declared by their false idols, e.g. Ibn Arabi who wrote "Al-Fousous," and other slandering atheists such as Ibn Sab'een and his like. They even witness that they are simultaneously the worshipers and the ones being worshiped.

Hamza Yusuf then claims in the next paragraph:

“Imam Nawawi was a great Sufi, [Qadi] Iyad was a great Sufi, Ibn Hajar Asqalani was a great Sufi, and Imam Ibn Jawzi was a great Sufi. All of these great imams were known to be Sufis of great stature.”

This person should be ashamed of himself. He is saying that Ibn Hajar, the great Hadith scholar was a Sufi? The most hateful science to Sufis is the Hadith. Their way of narration is “My heart narrated from Allah” with no Sanad (chain of narration)! Al Nawawi was never a Sufi, he was one of the Muttaqeen not a Sufi that follows ideas like Fana and Baqa and such silly meaningless terms. The biggest joke of all is that he stated that Ibn Jawzi was a great Sufi. Subhana Allah! Ibn Al-Jawzi wrote a whole great book against the myth of Sufism called “Talbees Iblis”. He mentioned throughout the book how deep the Sufis sink, for example “Criticism of Sufis in their sect name and start of it” p163, “Criticism of Sufis in their Cloth and food” p21, “Criticism of Sufis in their way of extracting money from people” p185, “Criticism of Sufis in their dancing and singing” p222, “Criticism of Sufis in their Homosexuality and love of young boys (saying that Allah likes every beautiful, so its ok to do it- to enjoy beautiful boys looks!)” p268, and much, much more. This man does not feel ashamed of saying that Ibn Al-Jawzi is a great Sufi. But, these are the Sufis and this is what they say. So, choose for yourself.^[12]

In attendance during the CAIR sponsored event was Hisham Kabbani, Chairman of As-Sunna Foundation of America^[13], and a large number of his students.

Hisham Kabbani is the representative of the head of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order (Nazim al-Haqqani).  Kabbani is a very controversial figure with many documented extreme views.  However, before we start examining the ideology of Kabbani, we need to establish the relationship between Hamza Yusuf and Hisham kabbani so we clear any doubt about Hamza Yusuf, his teachers and associates.

On May 11, 1997 - Santa Clara Mosque, California: Shaykh Khatry (one of the teachers of Hamza Yusuf of the Muslim Community Association of Santa Clara) traveled to the US at the request of Hamza Yusuf, when the latter was spending a lengthy sojourn in Mauritania with his shaykh. During his stay in the Bay Area, Muslims took advantage of both his knowledge and his light, spending time in private association with him as well as in classes and listening to his Jumu`ah sermons. As-Sunna Foundation of America was pleased that Khatry was able to deliver Jumu`ah khutba at Masjid at-Tawhid and hopes that Khatry will return soon to the area.

At the farewell function, Hisham Kabbani, Chairman of As-Sunna Foundation, spent a considerable time discussing with Khatry the situation in Mauritania. The two-hundred or so attendees were treated to a slide-show by Hamza, detailing his extensive travel and sojourn in the desert of Mauritania.^[14]

On the left: Hamza Yusuf of the Santa Clara mosque, talks with Khatry. On his left are Hisham Kabbani, Chairman of As-Sunna Foundation and the representative of the master of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order.
One the right: Hisham Kabbani and Hamza Yusuf discuss one of the Kabbani’s recent books.

As noted earlier, Hisham Kabbani, Chairman of As-Sunna Foundation is the representative of the master of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order. The Naqshbandi Tariqa is an established Sufi Tariqa that contains serious errors (as we showed in Part I of this article).  Let’s examine some segments of Kabbani’s book “Fundamentals of Tasawwuf”:

"Importance of Taking a Shaikh

In the Naqshbandi Order, the living presence of a connected shaikh is essential. Through his physical and spiritual linkage to the Prophet (s) he establishes the murid's connection. The murid's obligation is to maintain his connection to his shaikh, to hold tightly to the hand of the one within his reach. The shaikh maintains the further connection to the previous shaikhs and to the Prophet(s).

Taking Initiation (Bay^'ah)

The seeker must follow a perfect Master able to guide him to the way of Allah, Almighty and Exalted, and to illuminate for him that way until he reaches the State of Annihilation.  The seeker must give his oath and his promise to his guide, to learn from him how to leave his bad manners and to lift himself to better conduct in order to reach the Perfect Knowledge of Spirituality.

Internal Conduct of the Murid

The seeker must submit to the will of the shaikh and to obey him in all his orders and advice, because the shaikh has more experience and more knowledge in haqiqat, in tariqat and in shari'ah. As the sick person gives himself to his doctor to be cured, so too does the murid, sick in his conduct and behavior, submit to the shaikh's experience in order to be healed.

The seeker must not object to the way the shaikh instructs and controls the murids. Each shaikh has his own way, which he has been permitted by his own shaikh to use. Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said, "Whoever opens the door of criticism against shaikhs and their behavior with their murids and their actions will be punished and will be isolated from receiving spiritual knowledge. Whoever says to his shaikh, 'Why?' will never succeed." [al-Fatawa al-Hadithiyya, p. 55]

The seeker must know that the shaikh might make some mistakes, but that these will not prevent him from lifting the murid up to the Divine Presence. So the murid must excuse the shaikh, as the shaikh is not the Prophet (s). Only the Prophet (s) was free of error. Although it is rare, just as the doctor might make a mistake in treating a patient, so too might the shaikh make a mistake in treating his murid's spiritual illness, and that must be excused.

The seeker must respect and honor the shaikh in his presence and his absence, if only because the shaikh can see with the eye of the heart. It is said that whoever is not happy with the orders of the shaikh, and does not keep good conduct and adab with him, will never keep good conduct with the Quran and with the Sunnah of the Prophet (s). Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani said, "Whoever criticized a saint, Allah will cause his heart to wither."

The murid must be sincere and loyal to the company of his shaikh.

He must love his shaikh with an extraordinary love. He must know that his shaikh is going to take him to the Presence of Allah, Almighty and Exalted, and to the Presence of the Prophet (s). He must not look to any other than his shaikh, though he must keep respect for all other shaikhs.

The stages of Dhikr and its fulfillment

“You must know that Allah removed all the veils of ignorance and brought people to the state of vision through their continuous Dhikr. The first stage of Dhikr is the Dhikr of the Tongue, then the Dhikr of the Heart, then the Appearance of the Divine Presence in the reciter of dhikr, making him no longer need to do dhikr." "^[15]

Comments: The Appearance of the Divine Presence; shaikh is going to take him to the Presence of Allah; shaikh might make some mistakes, but that these will not prevent him from lifting the murid up to the Divine Presence.  How does Kabbani explain the verse?

لاَّ تُدْرِكُهُ الأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الأَبْصَارَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ

“No vision can grasp Him. But His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.” (Al-An’am 6:103)

The Sufi Tradition in Toronto

“Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala has blessed Muslims with such mashayikh (spiritual masters) throughout history in all parts of the world. They have drawn people to themselves through their exemplary life-styles and have spontaneously been identified as 'arifeen (knowers of spiritual realities and mysteries).

One such spiritual luminary was Muhyuddin Shaikh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani. Those associated with him are said to be in the Qadiriyyah tariqa, after him. Muhammad ibn 'Ali BaAlawi was another great qutb-ul-gauth (pillar of spiritual succour). Those associated with him are said to be in the 'Alawiyyah tariqa. These spiritual luminaries are as many as the stars in the firmament but some shine more distinctly than others, just as the north star does.

They follow tariqa (sacred spiritual path leading to Allah Ta'ala) established by Gauth al A'zam 'Abdul Qadir Jilani, Muhammad ibn 'Ali BaAlawi, Ahmad Rifa'I Kabeer, Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, Bahauddin Naqshbandi, and Pir Nuruddin al-Jerrahi. The respective tariqas are Qadiriyyah, 'Alawiyyah, Rifa'iyyah, Chishtiyyah, Naqshbandiyyah and Jerrahiyyah, these being the more well established tariqas in Toronto so far.

The Visiting and Resident 'Ulama Toronto has also been blessed by the visiting 'ulama-e-haqq (scholars of truth). Among the most senior of these or representatives of their tariqas are:

• Muhammad bin 'Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani (from Makkah);
• Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqui al-Qadiri and Maulana Nasrullah Khan al-Qadiri (from Pakistan);
• Na'eem Ashraf al-Qadiri and Sayed Mehboob Ali Shah Chishti (from India);
• 'AbdulWahhab Siddiqi al-Naqshbandi, Rahmatullahi 'alaih and
• Muhammad Abubakar BaShuaib (from U.K);
• Mustafa Yucel al-Naqshbandi (from Germany);
• Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, and
• Salisu Shaban al-Tijani (from Ghana).

Muslims of Toronto have also benefited immensely from the visits of scholars from U.S.A whose hearts Allah Ta'ala has opened to Islam, scholars such as Nuh Ha Mim Keller and Hamza Yousef.

This feeling of international brotherhood has been strengthened with increasing access to the Internet, which links Sufi tariqas across the world in the World Wide Web. Zikr groups that have developed web-sites are:

• 'Alawiyyah (Iqra Islamic Publications)
• Canadian Society of Muslims
• Jerrahi Sufi Order of Canada which is affiliated with The Jerrahi Order of America
• Minhaj ul Quran
• The Sufi Study Circle of the University of Toronto
• World Islamic Mission

Among the resident senior 'ulama, imams and mashayikh are (in alphabetical order according to country of origin):

Hafiz 'AbdulHaleem 'Aleem (from Afghanistan), Haji Shameer Khan and Muhammad Yusuf (from Guyana), Syed Mumtaz Ali saheb (from India), Yousef Bakhour and Yusuf Chebli (from Labanon), 'Abdulshakur Dulloo (from Mauritius), Qazi Bashiruddin Farooqui (from Pakistan), Umar al-Qadiri (from Somalia), Ahmad Talal (from Syria), and Muzaffar Kosar (from Turkey).”^[16]

Comments: The previous text was taken off a Toronto Sufi website.  It refers to Ha Mim Keller and Hamza Yusuf as being highly regarded Sufi teachers from the United States along with other Toronto Sufi masters.

Another master that is often mentioned by Hamza Yusuf is Ahmad Zarruq.  Hamza Yusuf quoted Ahmad Zarruq in his lecture on Sufism saying:

"Finally [Sidi Ahmad Zarruq] said, 'Thus people are inclined to become inflamed with the Sufis, more so than with any other group.'  This was a traditional area in which the government would try to influence the Sufis because they knew that they had such a vast amount of power over the common people “

Let’s find out who Ahmad Zarruq is and what kind of power Ahmad Zarruq (as cited by Hamza Yusuf) meant.

Ahmad Zarruq (a Sufi born in Morocco in 842 H). Ahmad Zarruq described himself in his poem Al-Manthoomah ala Safeenat An-Najaat, as someone who has been given the possession of the entire East and West, running the affairs, giving and taking souls, brining life to the dead hearts, and more! After such description he offers his help by saying: And in case you are in a state of distress, depression and adversity, then call (saying) "O Zarruq, and I will come in haste" (Kashf p.585)

Ahmed Zarruq praises himself in his poem Al-Manthoomah Ala Safeenat an-Najaat, it goes many steps behind simply making tazkiyah of the self but rather it reaches the stage of possible shirk, claiming that he can intercede on their behalf when they are in trouble. The exact statements are found from An-Nafhah Al-Aliyah fee Awraad Ash-Shaathiliyyah p.27.

Ahmad Zarruq is also capable of removing ills.  Accordingly Barailwee scholars relate this Arabic poetry in their books,

Meaning, I am the collector of my Mureed’s dispersions when the difficulties of the world are troubling him.  If in distress he calls ‘O Zarruq’, I’ll come without ado.  [Hayaat almmaat by Barailwee recorded in Fataawaa Razwiyaa v.3 p.300 and Jaa’ al-Haq p. 199]

Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlwi, in his book, "Bustaanul Muhaditheen", praises Ahmed Zarruq, by describing him as follows: "The Highly Exalted Shaikh, Leader of the Ulema and the Governor of the Awliya. This great Saint is also among the Abdaal Sab'a (The Seven Magnificent Abdaal) and is an authority amongst the Sufis. Among his illustrious students are personalities like Shamsudeen Lagaani and Shahabudeen Qastalaani. The Saint was a master in Shari'ah, Haqiqat and all Mystical Facets. Some of his books can be consulted to gain a better appreciation of his immense qualities."

Shah Abdul Aziz further states: "In brief, the Saint was a man of exceptional attributes, to fully comprehend his qualities is indeed beyond comprehension."

Shah Abdul Aziz, then quotes two sentences stated by Hazrat Ahmed Zarruq, which further highlights his greatness, "I indeed bless my (Mureeds) with tranquility during times of difficulty and perplexity, when cruelty and evil oppresses them and in times of misery and fear. Therefore (during these times) call to me 'Ya Zarruq', I will immediately come to your assistance."

Comments: It is the consensus of scholars of Ahl As-Sunnah that those who call upon other than Allah SWT for their needs are committing major Shirk.  To call upon other whether as an intermediary or to think that the dead can actually reply to dua’a is absolute Shirk.  Allah SWT says:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ ، مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

O men! Here is a parable set forth! Listen to it! Those, on whom besides Allah, ye call, cannot create (even) a fly, if they all met together for the purpose! And if the fly should snatch away anything from them, they would have no power to realize it from the fly. Feeble are those who petition and those whom they petition!

No just estimate have they made of Allah: for Allah is He Who is strong and able to carry out His Will. (al-Hajj 22:73-74)

“Iman San’ani says about the mushrikeen of these days like the worshippers of graves and awliya’a: ‘if you say: Do these people that believe in graves, awliya’a, fussaq, and khula’a are mushrikeen like those who believe in idols?

I say: yes, they committed what the other [kufar of Quraysh] committed and they are equal to them in their actions.  In fact, they [those who believe in graves and awliya’a] exceeded them [the kufar of Quraysh] in their belief, obedience, and worship, so there’s no difference between the two [peoples].

So if you say: those who worship the graves say that we do not make Shirk of Allah and we do not associate partners to Him; and that our refuge in the awliya’a and belief in them is not Shirk.

I say: yes, “they say with there mouths what is not in their hearts”.  Their ignorance is the meaning of Shirk, because their glorification of awliya’a and slaughter for them is their Shirk.  Allah SWT says “Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice” meaning not to anyone but Him, and He SWT says “And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): so invoke not anyone along with Allah”

We know the Prophet PUBH called Riya’a [a kind of] Shirk. So what about what we mentioned [about those who glorify awliya’a]?

Hence, the actions that they commit towards their awliya’a are exactly what Mushrikeen did and are why they were Mushrikeen.  Their claim that “we do not associate with Allah anything” is useless because their actions refute their words.

So if you say: they are ignorant that they are Mushrikeen?

I say: The scholars have clearly stated in the books of Fiqh under the Chapter of Apostasy: whoever says the words of Kufr should be called a Kafir, even if he does not intend its meaning.  This is only indicative that they do not know the reality of Islam, or the meaning of Tawhid so then they became non-believers [kuffar in the major kufr sense]” ^[17]

The scholars exempted two cases from this ruling:

1. A person who does not know that these words mean kufr, that is although we understand them as calling upon other than Allah, they may not intend it to be calling upon other than Allah (i.e. the intention is different than understanding);
2. And one says such words out of fear of being killed (this is a large subject in Fiqh, the reader can go back to the well-known books of Fiqh to review the opinions of the scholars)

Those who adopt these practices, such as making dua’a to the dead, are very close to Kufr.  However, unless they realize the magnitude of their actions, it is very well known what the ruling of Islam is in such cases. 

These are the people that Hamza Yusuf cites, follows, and promotes their teachings; the examples of Ahmad Zarruq, Hisham Kabbani, Nuh Ha Mim Keller, and Abdal-Hakim Murad (to be discussed in the next section).

I ask the reader, is this someone who you want to learn genuine teachings of Islam from and trust your children to?

Abdal-Hakim Murad

Abdal-Hakim Murad, also known as Tim Winter, is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, England.  Murad, who’s a close confident of Hamza Yusuf, is a teacher in the Deen Intensive program,.  He is a murid of the late Mashur al-Haddad in the Ba-Alawi tariqa^[18] (close to the Qadiriya order)^[19].  He is also an editor of Academic Journal of Sufi Illuminations.

Murad wrote a number of articles in which he claims Sufism as the true path of Sunnah.  These articles include:

• Islamic Spirituality: the Forgotten Revolution (www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/ahm/fgtnrevo.htm)

• Islam and the New Millennium (www.sunnah.org/audio/millen.htm)

• Rrecapturing Islam From the Terrorists (http://www.islamfortoday.com/murad01.htm)

• The Poverty of Fanaticism (www.islamfortoday.com/murad02.htm)

• The Sunna as Primordiality (www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/ahm/sunnah.htm)

Murad writes: “Tasawwuf, variously referred to as Sufism, Islamic mysticism, Islamic spirituality, and Islamic psychology or psychotherapy has suffered at the hands of a sustained critique in the Islamic world during the twentieth century (CE).”

He writes in his article “The Trinity a Muslim Perspective”:

The final point that occurs to me is that the Trinity, mapped out in awesome detail in the several volumes devoted to it by Aquinas, attempts to presume too much about the inner nature of God. I mentioned earlier that Islam has historically been more skeptical of philosophical theology as a path to God than has Christianity, and in fact the divine unity has been affirmed by Muslims on the basis of two supra-rational sources: the revelation of the Quran, and the unitive experience of the mystics and the saints. That God is ultimately One, and indivisible, is the conclusion of all higher mysticism, and Islam, as a religion of the divine unity par excellence, has linked faith with mystical experience very closely.