Ibn Rajab Hanbali and his aqaid

1. Ibn Rajab Hanbali on aqeedah of Ibn Taymiyah.

2. Ibn Rajab on taking blessings from others.

3. Ask Allah for his help and leave asking others.

4. Ibn Rajab on Shatnoofi who wrote a book of lies on virtues of Shaykh Jilani.

5. Ibn Rajab on Hulool, Ittihad and wahdatul wajood.

6. Ibn Rajab Hanbali on Ibn al Qayyim.

7. Ibn Rajab on making any other day as Eid other than two eids.

8. Ibn Rajab on the location of Souls of the dead.

9. Ibn Rajab on knowledge on the day of judgement is ONLY known to Allah.
10. Ibn Rajab on Making mosques over the graves

b) Ibn Rajab said in his book regarding Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
الإمام الفقيه، المجتهد المحدث، الحافظ المفسر، الأصولي الزاهد. تقي الدين أبو العباس، شيخ الإسلام وعلم الأعلام، وشهرته تغني عن الإطناب فعب ذكره، والإسهاب في أمره

Imam, Faqeeh, Mujtahid, Muhaddith, Hafidh, Mufassir, Asooli, Zahid Taqi al-din Abul Abbas Shaykh ul Islam, The prominent among the prominent.. [Dhayl Tabqaat al Hanabilah 2/387]

a) Ibn Rajab al Hanbali said
وجاء إليه رجل فمسح يده ثيابه ومسح بهما وجهه ، فغضب الإمام أحمد وأنكر ذلك أشد الإنكار وقال : عمن أخذتم هذا الأمر ؟
A man came to him(Imam Ahmad) and he wiped his hands on his clothes, And wiped his face, Imam Ahmad became angry and denied that of the most denial and said: from whom you have learnt this?[ الحكم الجديرة بالإذاعة. Page 46 and 47]

b) Ibn Rajab Hanbali blasted those who go into extremes in veneration of their Shaykh and take blessings and ask help etc.

He said

وفي الجملة فهذه الأشياء فتنة للمعظّم وللمعظّم لما يخشى

عليه من الغلو المدخل في البدعة ، وربما يترقى إلى نوع من الشرك . كل هذا إنما جاء من التشبه بأهل الكتاب والمشركين الذي نهيت عنه هذه الأمة . وفي الحديث الذي في السنن : ” ان من إجلال الله إكرام ذي الشيبة المسلم ، والسلطان المقسط ، وحامل القرآن غير الغالي فيه والجافي عنه ” . فالغلو من صفات النصارى ، والجفاء من صفات اليهود ، والقصد هو المأمور به .

وقد كان السلف الصالح ينهون عن تعظيمهم غاية النهي كأنس الثوري وأحمد . وكان أحمد يقول : من أنا حتى تجيئون إلى ؟ اذهبوا اكتبوا الحديث ، وكان إذا سئل عن شيء ، يقول : سلوا العلماء . وإذا سئل عن شيء من الورع يقول : أنا لا يحل لي أن أتكلم في الورع ، لو كان بشر حياً تكلم في هذا .

وسئل مرة عن الإخلاص فقال : اذهب إلى الزهاد ، إي شيء نحن تجيء إلينا ؟ وجاء إليه رجل فمسح يده ثيابه ومسح بهما وجهه ، فغضب الإمام أحمد وأنكر ذلك أشد الإنكار وقال : عمن أخذتم هذا الأمر ؟

Conclusion is that all these practices are the source of fitna for the one who venerates. And there is a fear of him indulging in an innovation due to this veneration and sometimes extreme veneration can take him to the shirk.

All these practices are imitation of people of the book and mushriqs which are forbidden for this ummah. And the Hadith states which is narrated by the author of Sunan:

(The Prophet (ﷺ) said:) “Glorifying Allah involves showing honour to a grey-haired Muslim and to one who can expound the Qur’an, but not to one who acts extravagantly regarding it, or turns away from it, and showing honour to a just ruler.”…

The righteous predecessors used to negate their veneration strongly. Like Thawri and Ahmad said: Who am I that you are coming to me? Go and write ahadith. And they were asked something they used to say ask the scholars (i.e. so that lay people may not fall into fitna)…

A man came to Imam Ahmad and he wiped his hands on his clothes, And wiped his face, Imam Ahmad became angry and denied that of the most denial and said: from whom you have learnt this?

[ الحكم الجديرة بالإذاعة. Page 46 and 47]

c) He also said:
وهذا مما يدل على أن المراد نفي تأثير هذه الأسباب بنفسها من غير اعتقاد أنها بتقدير الله وقضائه، فمن أضاف شيئا من النعم إلى غير الله مع اعتقاده أنه ليس من الله فهو مشرك حقيقة ومع اعتقاد أنه من الله فهو نوع شرك خفي
“All blessings are from Allah and His virtue, so whoever ascribes any of these blessings to other than Allah with the belief that it is not from Allah is a Mushrik! And whoever ascribes these blessings to other than Allah with the belief that they are from Allah is the type of hidden shirk.”
(Lataa’if Al-Ma’aarif, p. 70)

d) Ibn Rajab Ibn Hanbali comments on the hadith from Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhum: “When you are asking, ask only from Allah and when you are asking for help ask only from Allah.”

He comments:
اعْلَمْ أَنَّ سُؤَالَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى دُونَ خَلْقِهِ هُوَ الْمُتَعَيَّنُ، لِأَنَّ السُّؤَالَ فِيهِ إِظْهَارُ الذُّلِّ مِنَ السَّائِلِ وَالْمَسْكَنَةِ وَالْحَاجَةِ وَالِافْتِقَارِ، وَفِيهِ الِاعْتِرَافُ بِقُدْرَةِ الْمَسْئُولِ عَلَى دَفْعِ هَذَا الضَّرَرِ، وَنَيْلِ الْمَطْلُوبِ، وَجَلْبِ الْمَنَافِعِ، وَدَرْءِ الْمَضَارِّ، وَلَا يَصْلُحُ الذُّلُّ وَالِافْتِقَارُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ وَحْدَهُ، لِأَنَّهُ حَقِيقَةُ الْعِبَادَةِ،
“Know that asking from Allah and not from his creation is necessary. That is because when you are asking you are manifesting humility and obedience to the one whom you are asking from and with that you are also depending on him. Therefore that contains a direct acceptance about the one who is asked is capable of removing harm, to give the desired thing so that there maybe be benefit. It is not permissible to show humility, submission and need except to Allah because these things in reality are worship” [Jamiul Ulum wal Hikam, 1/571,572]

e) Then he mentioned Imam Ahmad
.وَكَانَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ يَدْعُو وَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ كَمَا صُنْتَ وَجْهِي عَنِ السُّجُودِ لِغَيْرِكَ فَصُنْهُ عَنِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ لِغَيْرِكَ، وَلَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى كَشْفِ الضُّرِّ وَجَلْبِ النَّفْعِ سِوَاهُ
Imam ahmad was making a du’a ” Ya Allah! Just as you have prevented my face from falling down from prostrating to somebody other than You, prevent me from asking from others than You.”[Jamiul Ulum wal Hikam, 1/571,572]

f) Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said
(وتحقيق هذا المعنى وإيضاحه أن قول العبد لا إله إلا الله يقتضي أن لا إله له غير الله وإلآله هو الذي يطاع فلا يعصى هيبة له وإجلالا ومحبة وخوفا ورجاء وتوكلا عليه وسؤالا منه ودعاء له ولا يصلح ذلك كله
the creed of a monotheist is that Allah is considered, the one to be obeyed, the one to be feared, the ones to be loved, and the one to make dua to if you associate any of these characteristics to another creature then his monotheism is not sincere [Tahqiq Kalimatul Ikhlaas page no: 23, very rough translation]

4. Ibn Rajab on Shatnoofi who wrote a book of lies on virtues of Shaykh Jilani.

Ibn Rajab said regarding a Shatnoofi and his book Bahjatul Asrar in which a self made salat al gawthiya is menntioned:

ولكن قد جمع المقرئ أبو الحسن الشطنوفي المصري، في أخبار الشيخ عبد القادر ومناقبه ثلاث مجلدات، وكَتَبَ فيها الطم والرم، وكفى بالمرء كذباً أن يحدث بكل ما سمع. وقد رأيتُ بعض هذا الكتاب، ولا يطيب على قلبي أن أعتمد على شيء مما فيه، فأنقل منه إلا ما كان مشهوراً معروفاً من غير هذا الكتاب، وذلك لكثرة ما فيه من الرواية عن المجهولين، وفيه،من الشطح، والطامات، والدعاوى، والكلام الباطل، ما لا يحصى، ولا يليق نسبة مثل ذلك إلى الشيخ عبدالقادر رحمه الله، ثم وجدت الكمال جعفر الأدفوني، قد ذكر أن الشطنوفي نفسه كان متهماً فيما يحكيه في هذا الكتاب بعينه.

“Shatnoofi has written a three volume book on Shaykh Abdul Qaadir (rahimahullah) and in it he has compiled a mountain of lies. Whereas it is sufficient for a person be declared a liar for him to narrate everything he hears. I have seen some of the quotes in the book but my soul was not content in believing them because firstly the narrations have been taken from unknown people.

Secondly not only are their mountains of lies and allegations on Shaykh Abdul-Qaadir but it is also contrary to the status of the Shaykh if attributed to him. The statement of Shaykh al-Kamaal has also passed by me where he says the things Shatnoofi has mentioned in his book Bahjatul-Israar have caused him to be accused (of lying).”

[Dha’il Tabaqaat 2/194-195].

5. Ibn Rajab on Hulool, Ittihad and wahdatul wajood.

Ibn Rajab Hanbali responding to the meaning taken by sufis from the hadith that it means Wahdatul wajood, hulool and ittihaad.

The Hadith

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “Allah said, ‘I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine (وليا).And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, “SO I BECOME HIS SENSE OF HEARING WITH WHICH HE HEARS, AND HIS SENSE OF SIGHT WITH WHICH HE SEES, AND HIS HAND WITH WHICH HE GRIPS, AND HIS LEG WITH WHICH HE WALKS” and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge)..

I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.” [Sahih al Bukhari Volume 8, Book 76]

Ibn Rajab said in Jam’e al aloom
، ولا إرادة إلا لما يريده منه مولاه، فحينئذ لا ينطق العبد إلا بذكره، ولا يتحرك إلا بأمره، فإن نطق، نطق بالله، وإن سمع، سمع به، وإن نظر، نظر به، وإن بطش، بطش به)

He Intends only what Allah wants,This person only feel Allah’s dhikr, he doesn’t move without his permission, He speaks only with the help of Allah, He hears His help, and if he see then only with the will of Allah, catches with his taufeeq. [end quote]

He went on
ومن اشار الى غير هذا فانما يشير الى الا لحاد من الحلول والاتحاد والله ورسوله بريئان منه

That person who takes out any other meaning except this; he is indicating to Hulul and Ittehad, from which Allah and his Rasool are free.[Jam’e al-Aloom Page 384]

6. Ibn Rajab Hanbali on Ibn al Qayyim.

He Said:

ولا رأيت أوسع منه علماً، ولا أعرفَ بمعاني القرآن والسنة، وحقائق الإيمان منه، وليس هو بالمعصوم، ولكن لم أر في معناه مثله.

I have not seen anyone more broader in knowledge than him neither anyone I know who knows the meaning of Quran, Sunnah and the realities of iman more than him. He was not infallible..

[Dhayl Tabqaat al Hanabilah 2/248]