Ibn Taymiyyah and Early Scholars on the “Kun” Power: Clarifying the Misconception about Awliya

وقد وقع ذلك لجماعة من جهال الصوفية فيقولون فلان أعطي كلمة كن ويسألون أن يعطوا كلمة كن التي في قوله تعالى إنما أمرنا لشيء〔 إذا أردناه أن نقول له كن فيكون 〕 وما يعلمون معنى هذه الكلمة في كلام الله تعالى ولا يعلمون ما معنى إعطائها إن صح أنها أعطيت ، وهذه أغوار بعيدة الروم على العلماء المحصلين فضلا عن الصوفية المتخرصين فيهلكون من حيث لا يشعرون ويعتقدون أنهم إلى الله تعالى متقربون وهم عنه متباعدون عصمنا الله تعالى من الفتن وأسبابها والجهالات وشبهها .

“This phenomenon has occurred among a group of ignorant Sufis. They claim that so-and-so was given the ‘Kun’ (Be!) word and ask to be granted this ‘Kun’ word mentioned in Allah’s verse: ‘…when We intend something, We only say to it: “Be!” and it is.’
However, they do not comprehend the meaning of this word in Allah’s speech, nor do they understand what it means to be granted it, assuming it is even possible. These are profound and distant concepts, inaccessible to even accomplished scholars, let alone pretentious Sufis. They will perish without realizing it, thinking they are drawing closer to Allah Almighty when, in fact, they are moving further away. May Allah protect us from trials, their causes, ignorance, and their semblances.” [Anwar ul Buruq, p. 263]

He also said,

أن تعظم حماقة الداعي وتجرؤه فيسأل الله تعالى أن يفوض إليه من أمور العالم ما هو مختص بالقدرة والإرادة الربانية من الإيجاد والإعدام والقضاء النافذ المحتم ، وقد دل القاطع العقلي على استحالة ثبوت ذلك لغير الله تعالى فيكون طلب ذلك طلبا للشركة مع الله تعالى في الملك وهو كفر

“The supplicator’s immense foolishness and audacity leads him to ask Allah Almighty to entrust him with matters of the universe that are exclusive to Divine power and will, specifically:

1. Creation (الإيجاد)

2. Destruction (الإعدام)

3. Irrevocable decree (القضاء النافذ المحتم)
   Rational evidence unequivocally indicates that attributing these matters to anyone other than Allah Almighty is impossible. Therefore, requesting such authority is essentially seeking partnership with Allah in sovereignty, which constitutes Kufr (كفر).” [Anwar ul Buruq, p. 263]

Before Imam al-Qarafi, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani said something similar regarding the doomed sect who believe that Awliya and prophets were given powers.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, rahimahullah, said about the false beliefs of a doomed sect:

وأما المفوضية: فهم القائلون إن الله فوض تدبير الخلق إلى الأئمة، وإن الله تعالى قد أقدر النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- على خلق العالم وتدبيره، وإن كان ما خلق الله من ذلك شيئًا
As for the Mufawwadiyya: they are those who say that Allah delegated the management of creation to the Imams, and that Allah Almighty actually empowered the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with the ability to create and manage the world, even though what Allah created of that is nothing at all.
(Ghunia Tul Talibeen 1/182)

He also said:

فتشت الأعمال كلها، فما وجدت فيها أفضل من إطعام الطعام، أود لو أن الدنيا بيدي فأطعمها الجياع، كفي مثقوبة لا تضبط شيئا، لو جاءني ألف دينار لم أبيتها، وكان إذا جاءه أحد بذهب، يقول: ضعه تحت السجادة
“I examined all deeds and found none better than feeding people. I wish the whole world were in my hand so that I could feed the hungry. My purse has holes and cannot hold anything. If a thousand dinars were given to me, I would not keep them, and when someone brought me gold, I would say: ‘Put it under the mat.’”
(Muhammad ibn Shakir d. 764 AH in Fawātu al-Wafayāt – al-Kutubī 1/703; Dhahabi in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala 20/447)

Shaykh rahimahullah was asked about the year of his birth and he said:

لا أعلمه حقيقة، لكني قدمت بغداد في السنة التي مات فيها التميمي، وعمري إذ ذاك ثماني عشرة سنة
“I do not know it exactly, but I came to Baghdad in the year in which al‑Tamīmī died, and at that time I was eighteen years old.”
(Mir’āt al‑Janān 3/347)

This is clear proof that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, rahimahullah, was neither a Mushkil Kusha nor one who controls the worlds.

Before Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, Imam San’-Allah al-Halabi al-Hanafi, the Imam of Makkah of his time (d. 1120 AH), said in his book Sayful-Allah ala man Kad’dab ala Awliyaa-Allah:

هذا وإنه قد ظهر الآن فيما بين المسلمين ، جماعات يدعون أن للأولياء تصرفات في حياتهم ، وبعد الممات ، ويستغاث بهم في الشدائد والملمات ، وبهم تكشف المهمات ، فيأتون إلى قبورهم ، وينادونهم في قضاء الحاجات ، مستدلين على أن ذلك منهم كرامات. وقرّرهم على ذلك من ادعى العلم بمسائل، وأمدهم بفتاوى ورسائل، وأثبتوا للأولياء – بزعمهم- الإخبار عن الغيب بطريق الكشف لهم بلا ريب، أو بطريق الإلهام أو منام! وقالوا: منهم أبدال ، ونقباء ، وأوتاد ، ونجباء ، وسبعة وسبعون ، وأربعة وأربعون ، والقطب هو الغوث للناس ، وعليه المدار بلا التباس ، وجوزوا لهم الذبائح والنذور، وأثبتوا لهم فيهما الأجور. وهذا الكلام فيه تفريط وإفراط ، بل فيه الهلاك الأبدي ، والعذاب السرمدي ، لما فيه من روائح الشرك المحقق ، ومضادة الكتاب العزيز المصدق ، ومخالف لعقائد الأئمة ، وما اجتمعت عليه الأمة

It has now become apparent among Muslims that there are groups claiming that the Awliya’ (saints) have powers to act in this life and even after death, and that people seek their help in times of hardship and calamity, and that through them difficulties are removed. They go to their graves, call upon them to fulfill their needs, claiming that these are karamāt (miraculous favors) bestowed upon them…

Those who claim knowledge of religious matters have supported them in this, providing fatwas and treatises, and they assert that the Awliya’—according to them—are able to know the unseen either through kashf (spiritual unveiling), inspiration, or dreams…

They also claim that among them are abdal, nuqabā’, awtād, nujabā’, as well as the numbers seventy-seven and forty-four, and that the qutb (spiritual pole) is the ghawth for the people, upon whom everything depends without confusion. They have even allowed sacrifices and vows to be offered to them and claim rewards for these actions…

This discourse is both excessive and negligent, and in fact leads to eternal destruction and everlasting punishment, because it contains clear traces of shirk (polytheism), contradicts the Qur’ān, opposes the beliefs of the A’immah (scholarly imams), and is against what the ummah (Muslim community) has agreed upon.
(Sayful-Allah ala man Kad’dab ala Awliyaa-Allah, pp. 22-23)

Qadi Thana’ullah said:

“The statements of the ignorant ones: ‘Ya Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jaylani shay’an lillah‘ and ‘Ya Khawaja Shams al-Din al-Panipati shay’an lillah‘ (‘Oh Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jaylani give something for the sake of Allah’, and ‘Oh Khawaja Shams al-Din Panipati give something for the sake of Allah’) are not permissible. In fact, they are shirk (polytheism) and kufr. But if someone says: ‘Oh my lord, through the mediation of Khawaja Shams al-Din Panipati fulfil the following need of mine…’ then this is correct. If someone says “والذين يدعون من دون الله عبادًا أمثالكم,” this refers to kuffar and idols. And if someone recites as wazeefa “Ya Muhammad, Ya Muhammad,” it is not allowed.”
(Irshad al-Talibeen, pp. 18-19)

This aligns perfectly with what the Qur’an says about the Awliya’:

“No doubt! Verily, the Awliya’ of Allah—no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. Those who believed and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds). For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme success.”
(Yunus 10:62-64)