Correct Salawat and Modernist Deviations

THE  MODERNIST DEVIATION S AND CORRECT  SALAWAT

UPON THE NOBLE MESSENGER :

- Abu Zuhri Shin (Dailin Nur Institute)

 
 
Audzu bi�Llahi minasy-syaitanir rajim. BismiLlahir Rahmanir Rahim.

I ask Allah protection from the accursed syaitan

and I begin in the Name of Allah the all Merciful and most Merciful.

There is no strength and power except by Allah, the High , the Vast.

 
Huwal lazi arsala Rasulahu bil-huda wa dinul-haqq.

Li-yuzhirahu alad dini kullih.

Wa kafa bi�Llahi syahida. Muhammadun RasuluLlah wal-lazina ma-�ahu

asy-syida-u alal-kuffara ruhamau bainahum.

 
Subhanaka la ilma-lana illa ma alam-tana innaka Antal Alimul-Hakim.

 
Allahumma salli ala sayyidina Muhammadin abdika wa rasulika nabiyyil-ummiyyi

wa ala alihi wa ashabihi wa sallim tasliman

adada khalqika wa ridha-a nafsika

 

In my short life journey as Muslim more than 20 years ago, I had read many books, magazines and all kind of publications related to da�wah and teaching of Islam. However, there is one aspect of the author or the book contents that intriqued me deeply. How could a muslim writer/author possibly mispresent and undervalue the honor, love, esteem and respect for the Noble Rasul by replacing the divinely order of invoking the blessing of Allah (salawat) and peace for Rasul with just a greeting of peace ( alaihi salam ).

 

This essay will make a survey of the books written or translated by the so called muslim scholars ( a recent phenomenon ) which fall short in two ways in regard to the mention of the name of the Prophet and Messenger Muhammad, blessing of Allah and peace be upon him .First , they do not mention at all the standard salawat  ( sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam in Arabic) after quoting/mentioning the Prophet name in their books. Second, especially the modernists wrongly saluted after the Prophet name with just-� peace be upon him� which in Arabic � �alaihi salam� . This greeting of peace were a sunna and commanded by Allah in His Book as a honour and prayer upon all the other Prophets and Messengers ( .. wa salamun alal-mursalin wal-hamduliLlahi Rabbil-alamin ). If we read clearly on all the classical Islamic texts, there are a great different between salawat upon the Prophet Muhammad and salam to the other Prophets . The command of Allah to bless (salawat) and make salutation of peace (salam) upon the Prophet is stated in the ayat of Quran : Inna Allaha wa malaikatahu yu-salli alan-Nabiyyi. Ya ayyuhal lazina amanu sallu alaihi wa sallim tasliman ( Verily Allah and His Angels bless the Prophet. O you who have iman, bless him and give salam/peace salutation upon him) Q  :     

 

We are not concerned with the kuffar writers who penned various unseemingly names, titles or wrong identifications on the Arabic/Islamic words in their books but these errors by modernist muslims in the age of multimedia information technology are bordering on innovations (bida�a) and dishonor/disrespect as an open wrong action itself. There is another ayat which Allah warned us : �Oh believers , do not call the name of the Prophet as you call out the names among yourselves� ( Q        ).

 

We will present several case studies on the current publications/books by muslim writers on this subject / errors perpetrated  even by the official Islamic da�wah organization in their pamphlets and publications.
 

Case 1 : The Basis of Muslim Belief by Gary Miller ( Abdul Ahad Omar )

-40 pages, first print by Persatuan Darul Fitrah Malaysia in 1990

and second print by Saba Islamic Media / Islamic Book Trust in May 2000.

 

This booklet start without the traditional adab of mentioning/praising the Name of Allah and blessing/salawat on Prophet Muhammad sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam. It stated the author was a former mathematician and christian theologian. No other informations are available about the author, well who is this guy telling us about Islam and the Quran or any Truth ? According to the Hadith transmission principles or ilm al-rijal, this writer is unknown, what he says or write cannot be verified and far from being trusted except by the unsuspected readers. He may say many right things about Islam and point out the truths in the Quranic verses, but that is another matter. What about the unseemingly  remarks and errors he had committed in the book ?
 

The first error occur in page 2, paragraph 4 : ��those people who kept company with the Prophet, peace be upon him (pbuh) , had access to no more information than we have today�. Even this sentence can be disputed beside the error on the �peace be upon him�. Surely, many of the Prophet Companions radhi�Allahu anhum ( may Allah be pleased with them) had greater access or acquired more Divine /Prophetic knowledge than most of us ! We rely on textual/book knowledge while the Companions are learning and taking it directly from the source. The error of �pbuh� were repeated 5 times in the book. The author also failed pray for peace/salam to the other Prophets such as Moses, Jesus and Adam mentioned in the book, may Allah grant peace to them ( alaihi salam ).

 

The second comment on this book � there are several painted pictures of human figures in the book, first in page 3. The judgement by numerous hadith forbid the muslims to paint living creatures. It cause more harms than it apparent benefits, spiritually and physically. There other 9 pictures in other pages of the book, so we can think it over after seeing the pictures! Third comment- the author did not tell us which English translation of Quran he is using, probably the edition by Yusuf Ali. Beware if he is using unreliable translations by westerners or certain sectarian groups i.e anti-hadith modernists.
 

Case 2 : Questions This Modern Age Puts To Islam by M.Fethullah Gulen. 250 pages, printed in Turkey 1993.

 

This book also suffer the same weakness by not introducing us who is the author, what are his credentials and we know briefly that he is a follower of the alim Badeeuzaman Said Nursi of Turkey. There is no Bismillah and salawat to the Prophet in the preface/introduction.
 

The first error/mistake occur in page 4, after the name of Prophet Muhammad, the author put the greeting � peace be upon him�. It appear again in page 8, 18, 22, 25 ,35 ,37 ,38�well, since this error were repeated consistently in many pages, we cannot assumed the author did not know the full and correct way to bless the Prophet : sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam or S.A.W in shortened form.
 

The author was well educated in Arabic/Islamic source books when he quoted many hadiths from Bukhari, Muslim,Tarmizi, Ibnu Majah and renowned ulama such as Ibnu Hajar, Ibn Saad, Ibn Hanbal and Tabari. Something may go wrong somewhere. Did  the author do not love and respect the Prophet as tirelessly pursued by the imam/ulama when they put the salawat ( sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam) in every pages of their books whenever the Prophet name in mentioned ? Although it is  permitted to mentioned just once the salawat but it still must conform to the numerous honorific names accorded to the Prophet. We list a few as below :

RasuluLlah      � The Messenger of Allah

Nabiyyu�Llah    - The Prophet of Allah

Khatamul Rasul � The Seal/Last Prophet

Nabiyyi Ummi- The Unlettered Prophet

Nabiyyi Karim � the Noble Prophet

Khairil Anam/khalqihi � the Best of Creation

Nabi al-Mustafa � the Chosen Prophet

Nabi ar-Rahmah � the Merciful Prophet
 

For the details reference to the other names of the Prophet, please refer to famous book as-Shifa li-taaruf huquqil Mustafa by Qadi Iyad, available in English translation. It also contain judgments against people who deliberately belittle, slander and diminish the worth/honor of the Prophet . Already in the Quran, Allah the Exalted , taught the believers not to call His Prophet by his name : Oh Muhammad but to say: Oh Messenger or Oh Prophet . Normally, the great imams do not record or write in their books/transmission of hadith the name Muhammad unless very necessary and with great care, to add the salawat after the name.
 

We are very pleased to ask the reader to read and study the most beautiful and exhaustive book on The Blessings of The Prophet by Shaykh al-Jazuli called Dalailul Khairat. Many translated versions in English and Malay are available. Any muslim after finish reading and understand the rich and deep meanings of all kind of blessings, peace, salutation, honor and intercession prayers ( salawat, baraka, karama, taslima, tawasul etc.) on the Prophet in Dalailul Khairat,  will emerge changed and transformed. In contain more a hundred names of the Prophet and a string of salawat by various Imams, Sufis, Awliya and from the Companions radhi�Allahu anhum. Not only that but the prayers include all other Prophets/Messengers with their unique stations with Allah Taala and also include the Angel/Malaikats as well.
 

Case 3 : The Religion of Abraham and The State of Israel- A View From The Quran by Imran Hossein.106 pages. First print 1997. Masjid Darul Quran New York,USA  and 3th edition by Ummavision Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.

 
   The author Imran Hossein was well educated and as student of a sufi shaykh and Islamic scholar in Pakistan .He is active as preacher in the West and a productive writer going by the preface of the book. His Islamic learning and background was thoroughly documented and can be verified/contacted.
 

   Unfortunately , this book left out the beginning in the Name Of Allah and the Blessing upon the Prophet. It seems his teachers and his da�wah works are more important than affirming the praise , reliance , help and guidance from Allah and affirming the connection to the Prophet, his family and Companions.

 
    Second comment : for the beginner, they may not know what the letter ( s ) stand for after the mention of the name/word Prophet Muhammad in various pages in this book. The author also put the abbreviation of ( st ) after the name of Allah, what this means ? It never explained anywhere in this book. So we have to guess ! If I not wrong, ( s ) means � sallaLahu alaihi salam� then it is acceptable but still show lacks of adab toward the Prophet by not fully explaining it . Whoever is stingy with his praise/salawat in this world will suffer great loss in the akhirah. If ( s ) means � alaihi salam/peace be upon him� this is unforgivable judging from the author training from a sufi teacher and great ulama from Pakistan.
 

Now what the ( st ) stand for after the mention of the name Allah ? I leave it to the reader to guess. How can a muslim scholar make anyone guessing his abbreaviated letters in his da�wah books ? Now if turn to the classical kitabs, the Prophet sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam had taught us how to praise Allah in several muktabar or mutawatir versions as below :

 
Allah Taala                                             - Allah The Exalted

Allah Subhana wa Taala ( S.W.T)      - Allah, the Glorious,Exalted

Allah Tabaraka wa Taala                     - Allah the Blessed and Exalted

Allah Azza wa Jalla ( A.W.J )                - Allah Exalted and Powerful
 

These 4 ways of praising Allah after His Unique Name are most common. We do not know exactly what the author intend the abbreviation of ( st ) stand for.  The letter sad and ta  also have no meanings in Arabic.
 

   As we flip through more pages of Imran Hossein book, another peculiarity arise. After the mention of other Prophets name such as Abraham, Ishmael, Moses and Jesus ,the ( s ) appear again. Do the ( s ) means � alaihi salam / peace be upon him� ?  If this explanation is correct , then it contradict our earlier guess that ( s ) stands for sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam. By equating the salawat and salam to Prophet Muhammad and other Prophets, the author show disrespect or a matter of modernist deviation or uncritical intellect ? In the tafsir of surah Fatihah, many ulama say the Jew goes wrong not because they are ignorant about the Divine message but they choose to go against it for worldly interests worshipping power, wealth and leadership. The Christians goes wrong by misunderstanding the nature of the Divine Teaching and Miracles brought by Isa alaihi salam. They invented a new form of worship i.e. trinity and priesthood. So if the muslims goes wrong today, they will take the first or second form of deviations. Knowingly not to use the full salawat and salam or they just say �peace be upon him� blindy without any knowledge. May be they are imitating the shia, the orientalists or to be �intelligently economical�. Just put    (PBUH ), (SAW ) or (S) will do. In surah Baqarah, Allah says that this kind of people � have disease in their hearts� , � they utter through their mouths what is not their hearts� and � they said : we believe and want to do good but actually they do evil deeds thinking they can mislead Allah�.
 

Case 4 : What The Bible Said About Muhammad by Ahmad Deedat.

 
   This booklet suffer the same sickness of not saying the salawat correctly upon the Prophet Muhammad after his name was mentioned. Instead it was the salam formula � peace be upon him ( pbuh ) clearly printed at the cover of the book. It occur not once but throughout the book. No excuse for any muslim mubaligh or preacher to make this mistake. Ahmad Deedat was famous for his debates with Christian theologians on the truth of the Bible , Quran and the Final Prophet .As one sufi commented on the abrasive and arrongance of modenist muslims claiming Muhammad as �our� Prophet but actually far from it. He is the Prophet and Messenger of Allah. We can only ask Allah to accept us as the true follower or ummah of the Last Messenger, that we are fit to be honored as his follower. We do not followed fully the path of the Rasul, but it is enough we can follow upon the dusts of the path taken by Rasulullah and his Noble Companions.

 

Case 5 : Kitab as-Salat ( The Book of Prayer) by Nathif Jama Adam

Published by and under supervision by Presidency of Islamic Research IFTA and Propagation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
 1991- 180 pages.

 
    There is no introduction about the author , however in the preface , he praised Allah subhanahu wa taala (SWT) and asked Allah blessing and peace upon the Prophet. Then in page 2 of the book the author start to commit the unjustified error of saying PBUH ( peace be upon him ) after mentioning the Prophet name. The abbreviated meanings of SWT and PBUH were outlined in page 6. The author mentioned 3 names of muslim scholar and friend who helped and advised him in compiling this book i.e. Sheikh Hamoud , Abdalla Karshe and Muhammad Amen Cave of the Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance ( da�wah ).
 

    It was known to us that the Wahabi influence were dominant in the Saudi state, they are strict against innovation/bida�a and could not tolerate Sufism or mazhabs. But the proofs from publication of this book by an arab writer and supervised by official Saudi da�wah organization showed that they knowingly omitted to bless the Prophet. They choose to pray peace / salam upon the Prophet as represented by the term PBUH that appear many times throughout the book. This cannot be a mistake or error but sheer arrogance and disrespect shown toward the Prophet sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam in this book after scrunity by a collective team of so-called scholars and its publication was funded by the da�wah authority. It was not committed by a single author but backed up by a group of people and official da�wah organization ! It should be banned or corrected by the Saudi government which make great seizures of Islamic books brought in by  muslims from other countries during the Hajj or Umrah seasons. Do not be overawed by the claim of Islamic Shariah and the grand title Khadimul Haramain ( Servant of the Two Holy Mosques � Makkah and Madinah ) adopted by the present saudi rulers who permitted the unabated bombing and killing of innocent muslims in Iraq by kuffar forces stationed in the Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia. If anyone want to know the real Saudi history, please refer to numerous Hilmi Isik Publication from Turkey and fatwas by great ulama of Sunnah wal-Jamaah. Based on the above findings, it seems the deviant natures of Saudi ideology mixed nicely with other modernist of mutazili, khawariji, shia and anti-mazhab movements. We should also note that there many genuine,true and sincere arab muslims who are against and struggling quietly against the current Saudi pseudo muslim regime.
 

How true that Rasul sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam had said that the ummah will be split into 73 sects in the last days, each claiming they are correct and other are wrong. I will quote a beautiful doa which remind us to love and honour the Prophet and to die as true muslim and longing to meet Allah Taala . It was from the Miftah al-Wird of Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Habib, one of our great teachers from Morocco as follow :

 
Allahumma bi-jaahi Nabiyyikal Mustafa

Wa Rasulikal Murtadha , thahhir qulubina min kulli wasfin

Yu-baiduna an musyahadatika wa mahabbatika

Wa amitna ala Sunnati wal- Jamaati

Wal syauqi li-qaika- Ya Dzal Jalali wal Ikram 3x
 

( Oh Allah , we ask You by the rank of Your Chosen Prophet

and Your Favored Messenger , purify our hearts from

everything that hinders us from Your Witnessing and

Your Love. Make us die on the Path of Sunna (of the Prophet)

and Jamaah( of the blessed and right guided Ummah)

And with yearning toward  meeting  You

 

We ask Allah taala to give us knowledge,courage and discrimination to correct and counters the ignorance and arrogance forces that flooded the muslim world with devious teachings and subtle ideology that pulling us away from the pure Din of Islam and the illuminated Sunna of the Prophet. Shaykh Abdal Qadir al-Murabit had pointed out correctly in Root Islamic Education that most modernist muslims goes wrong when they wanted to reform Islam not according to pure salafi sources but by imitating the wrong ways of the jew and Christian. The first group goes astray knowingly against the command of Allah and His Messenger. The second group goes wrong in their worship without real knowledge and cherish innovation / bida�a. We have presented 5 case studies on a sample of books by modernist muslims from different continents to show that this phenomenon is not limited to certain groups or countries.
 

Ahmad Deedat is a Indian muslim self taught preacher from South Africa, Imran Hossein is from Bermuda , studied in Pakistan and now residing and serving as an imam in New York USA, Dr. Fetulla Gulen is a Turkish professor, Nathif Jama Adam is from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and lastly Abdul Ahad Omar ( Gary Miller) is a professor and an ex-christian theologian from Canada. There might be much more such negative, disrespect, ignorance, sectarian ideology or arrogance mistake/error or subtle diminishing acts committed toward the Noble Messenger sallaLlahu alaihi wa salam that continued to surface and circulated in the mass media, publications and so called da�wah materials in the open market. Do not worry , let us end and draw guidance and strength from the inspiring prayer from the Dalailul Khayrat :

Allahumma aj-alni mimman lazima millata

Nabiyyika sayyidina Muhammadin

sallaLlahu alaihi wa sallam , wa azzama hurmatahu ,

wa a-azza kalimatahu wa hafiza ahdahu wa dzimmatahu

wa nasara hizbahu wa da�watahu

wa kath-thara taabi-ihi wa firqatahu wa waafa zumratahu

wa lam yu-khalif sabilahu wa sunnatahu.

( Oh Allah , make us among those who uphold the Way of Your Prophet our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace

and to exalt his honour and to esteem his words and to fulfil his order

and protection and to help his party and da�wah and to increase his

followersand community and to gather among his people

and to undertake his path and sunna )
 
Subhana rabbika , Rabbi izzati amma yasifun
wa salamun alal-mursalin wal-hamdu liLlahi Rabbil alamin.

 
REFERENCES :

1.      as-Shifa( The Messenger) by Qadi Iyad

2.      Root Islamic Education by Shaykh Abdal Qadir as-Sufi

3.      Dalailul Khairat � Shaykh Jazuli as-Shadhili

4.      Basic Research � Shaykh Ajiba

5.      Riyadhus Salihin � Imam Nawawi

6.      The Reformers of Islam � Hilmi Husayn Isik

7.      Letter To An Arab Muslim � Shaykh Abdal Qadir as-Sufi

8.      Miftah alFalah-Key To Salvation � Ibn Athaillah

9.      Knowledge of God � Shaykh Alawi