MIRACLES - ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN BRIEF-PART 6.

From the Layman’s Desk-7: Miracles–Islamic perspective in brief: Part 6
– Continued….


In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.


“And thou (Muhammad) threwest not when thou didst throw (a handful of dust in the Battle of Badr), but Allah threw.”(Quran: 8:17)



Mujizah and Karamah are two broad categories of Miracles in Islam:


A miracle is broadly categorized as ‘Mujizah’ and ‘Karamah’, and as stated before, are actually the actions of Allah. In Islam, the phenomena that happen beyond the laws of causation are distinguished by their sources, that is at whose hands they are shown, as we shall see below:


1. The miracles wrought by Prophets and Messengers of Allah are called Mujizaat. The literal meaning of Mujizah is something that “incapacitates”, i.e. it is derived from the word ‘ijaaz’ which means “inability”


2. The miracles or marvels attributed to Awliya-Allah are called “Karamah” or “Karamaat” which is a gift of Grace or  a “token of honour”.   In English language the word is commonly termed as miracle.  However, some orientalists do make a distinction by terming Mujizah as “Evidentiary Miracle” and Karamah as “ non-evidentiary miracle, Marvel, etc”.   Generally, no Wali claims that he can work miracles and can make on attain whatever one wishes.


3. Those that happen through the disbelievers are called “Sihr” i.e. magic.


4. Those that happen at the hands of those whose sins are many (Fasiqs) are called “Istidraj” which proves the person to be an imposter and are a means to degrade and demote him gradually. The marvelous acts related to Shaddad, Nimrod and Pharaoh fall under divine deception. So also the extraordinary acts of Dajjal that are related from many ahadeeth (prophetic traditions) about the future events fall under Divine deception.


5. Those that happen in any community from people who are not Awliya-Allah (Friends of God) is called Firasat (say, Clairvoyance). However, if it is the effect of the light which Allah sets in the purified heart of the Awliya-Allah, Firasa is reckoned among the gifts and is accepted as evidence of holiness. The exalted position of the Awliya’s “Firasat” is evident from the hadith: “Beware of the vision of the believer, for he sees with the light of Allah.” The miracles of Hazrat Abu Sa’id Fazlullah ibn Abi’l Khayr mainly consisted of the powers of Firasa.


6. ‘Kashf’ or spiritual unveilings are the knowledge disclosed to the soul of the one who constantly remembers and worships Allah. Kashf consists, according to al-Sharif al-Jurjani's definition in his Kitab al-ta`rifat, in "apprehending beyond the veil of ordinary phenomena, whether by vision or experience, the meanings and realities that pertain to the unseen. It is a kind of intuitive knowledge or discovery that exemplifies Awliya-Allah whose ranks are raised by Allah with the affirmation. The reality of Kashf is established in Sacred Law and it refers to a hidden knowledge of a tremendous nature - what has also been called the “Secrets of Allah the Exalted.” Kashf is reliable if it is in conformity with Islam. The vision seen while one is awake is Kashf and that seen in a dream is called Ru’ya. The purer and the cleaner the mirror of the mind is, the more correct and reliable is the Kashf and the Ru’ya. Prophet’s dream are absolutely reliable, and most dreams of Awliya too are reliable since their ‘baatins’ (states of inner conditions) are polished like bright mirrors because of their obedience to prophets. Allah mentions in the Qur'an thus: "Allah has fulfilled the vision (ru'ya) for his Messenger in very truth" (48:27). The Prophet said: The vision or dream (al-ru'ya) is one-fortysixth part of prophecy.


7. The process of receiving the gift (karamah) for the saint is through ilham (inspiration). In addition to those mentioned above, the others are mubashshira (glad tidings from Allah), mushahada (mutual vision) or mukhataba (divine conversation).


Distinction between Mujizah and Karamah: Just a few points:


The holy Qur’an as well as the prophetic traditions are replete with the examples of Mujizaat worked by the Prophets and Messengers. The Holy Qur’an ratifies the miracles of Moses and Jesus, including the Virgin Birth of Jesus, amongst those of other prophets of Bani Isra’il. Since there are no disagreements regarding the Mujizaat, we won’t delve into these.


We have mentioned before that the miracles worked by Messengers and Prophets of Allah are called Mujizaat and those worked by other than Prophets and Messengers, such as Awliya-Allah, are called Karamaat. In his celebrated Kashful Mahjoob (Unveiling of the Veiled), Hazrat Ali bin Uthman al-Hajwiri, who is also known as Data Ganj Baksh ® in the sub-continent of India and Pakistan, has dealt with this subject at length nearly a thousand years ago. To put it very succinctly, this is what he says: Mujizaat involve publicity since they affect others. Karamaat involve secrecy since they are peculiar to the person by whom they are performed. The doer of Mujizaat is quite sure that he has worked a miracle while the doer of Karamaat is not sure, whether he has really worked a miracle.


According to Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh ®, however, the quality of ijaaz (inimitability) is the same as in the other and not affected. He gives a classic example: When the infidels were putting Khubaib ® on the gallows in Makkah, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) who was with his Companions in the Masjid at Madinah Munawwara told them what was happening to Khubaib ®. Allah also lifted the veil from the eyes of Khubaib ® so that he saw the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and greeted him (s). Allah caused the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) to hear that salutation so that he gave the answer, and He also caused Khubaib ® to hear that answer. Both were extraordinary acts but one was an example of Mujiza and the other, that of a Karaamat.


Data Ganj Baksh ® makes another important statement: There is no difference in absence in time and absence in space. For Khubaib ® the Karaamat was wrought when he was absent from the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) in space.  The later days miracles were performed by those who were absent from the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) in time.  Data Ganj Baksh ® says that this is a clear proof that a Karaamat cannot be in contradiction with ‘ijaaz, i.e. the miracles performed by prophets.  Karamaat are not established unless and until they testify to the truth of the one performing the mujizaat. Therefore, Karamaat are not given except to a pious believer who gives such testimony. The Muslim saints are witnesses to the truth of the mission of Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and therefore, it is impossible that Karamaat may be worked by unbelievers because as the law of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) is permanent, so must the proof (hujjat) be also permanent.  All Karamaat of a saint or Wali are the mujizaat of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam).


To continue Insha Allah….


Nasir

MIRACLES- ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN BRIEF-PART 4.

From the Layman’s Desk-7: Miracles –Islamic Perspective in brief:
Part 4 - Continued.....



In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.


“His command when He desires a thing is just to say to it, ‘Be!’ and it is.” (Surah Ya Sin, 82)

Allah is the Real Doer, Causator and Creator of Miracles:

Now before we come to “Miracles” it is important to draw the attention of the uninitiated non-muslim readers that while in non-Islamic religions “miracles” are usually directly attributed to the human agency that seems to be the author, this is not so in Islam because human attribution is not allowed.


Imam Tahawi, who was one of the Salafs (not to be confused with modern Salafi sects), says: Nothing happens except what Allah wills. Everything happens according to His decree and will, and His will is accomplished. The only will that people have is what He wills for them. What He wills for them occur and what He does not will, does not occur. Allah has been always the Creator and the originator and the Lord.


Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Allah is the Creator of all things.” (Sûrah al-Zumar:62 , and Sûrah al-Ra`d: 16). There are quite a few verses of this kind in the Holy Qur’an that say that it is Allah the Almighty who is the Creator, Real Doer, Author, Originator, and the Causator. This applies not only to the creation of the universe and creatures and all that is there,\ but also to day to day activities and occurrences and miracles. Everything takes place in the universe because of the decree of Allah. Therefore, the bottom-line is that while the miracles may be attributed, as the case may be, to prophets and the Awliya-Allah or a pious person, in our hearts we must always know and believe that it is Allah alone who is the Causator, Doer and Creator of Miracles. Therein remains our safety as far as the religion of Islam goes.

Hazrat Bayazid Bistami ® stated that ‘Maarifat’ (Gnosis) consists in knowing that without Allah’s permission no one has the least control of his kingdom. It is Allah who creates the ability to act and puts the will to act in the heart since the human actions are metaphorical and Allah is the Real Causator. It is only when Allah gives strength that we are able to carry on the spiritual exercises. Bishr al-Hafi ® whom even Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal used to consult, stated that an individual and his actions are created by Allah. Allah being the Provider, if He makes a creature the means of giving you sustenance, consider it that it has come from Allah and not the creature.

Before we come to the "Miracles" there is one more aspect to be understood about the miracles.  It is this:

Miracles are downplayed in Islam:



The Holy Qur’an sent down upon the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) is the greatest sign sent down to mankind. Generally, not much weightage is given to miracles. The Holy Qur’an says: And yet they say, “Why are signs not sent down upon him from his Lord? Say: “The signs are indeed with Allah, and I am but a clear warner.” (29:50).

Indeed, Awliya-Allah have also not attached much significance to miracles and marvels.

When the great saint of Mayhana, Hazrat Abu Sa’id Fazlullah ibn Abi’l Khayr ® (967-1049 c.e.) was told that so- and-so walks on water, he replied that it was easy since frogs and water-fowls do it.  When someone drew his attention that so-and-so flies through the air, he merely replied that so do the birds and insects.   Again, when someone told him that somebody goes from one town to another in a moment, he replied that things such as these are of no great value since even Satan travels from East to the West in a moment. According to him, the true saint eats and sleeps and has social intercourse with the people. He even marries and lives among them. He carries on buying and selling in the market. However, he never forgets Allah even for a single moment. It is true that some of them renounced worldly activities in order to worship Allah unhindered. However, that was nothing new since we have the example of Ashab us-Suffa (People of the Verandah), i.e. the Companions of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) who resided in the verandah of the Masjidun Nabawi and who were extremely poor, and about whom it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: “Do not drive away those who call unto their Lord, at morn and eve, desiring His face” (6:52).   Despite their privations and sufferings, the Ahle Suffa were great lovers of Allah and His Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam).    It is significant to note that included among these are such famous names as Bilal ibn al-Rabah, Salman al-Farsi, Abu Dharr al-Ghiffari, Abdullah ibn-Masood, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abu Huraira, Muadh b. al-Haris and others (may Allah be pleased with them all), some of whom even attained martyrdom in several battles of nascent Islam.


When Hazrat Bahaudin Naqshbandi was asked about showing miraculous power, he said: “What more miraculous power do you want than that we are still walking on this earth with all these sins upon us and around us.” Hazrat Shihab ad-din Suhrawardi (d.632H/1234 c.e.) mentioned in his Awaarif Al-Ma’arif that “Marvels and Karamaat are of no value in comparison with the heart’s dhikr of Allah”.


Hazrat Bayazid Bistami ® says: I seek His Grace from the Bestower of Graces. I don’t seek miracles. He also said that if you see a person sitting cross-legged in the air, don’t be fooled by his act!  Observe his approach and attitude to the compulsory acts (Faraaiz, Waajibaat) and prohibited acts (Haraam, Makrooh Tahreemi) and detestable acts (Makrooh) and other restrictions and etiquettes of the Shariah. (Risalah Qushayriya)


Further, according to Imam Muhammad Mathum (d.1074H/1668 c.e.) of Sirhind, knowing Allah is more valuable than possessing Kashf and Karamah. The reason is that being a knower of Allah (Aarif Billah) entails the secret knowledge about Allah’s Essence and Attributes; while Karamah or marvels manifest secret knowledge about creatures. Awliya-Allah don’t want marvels because they don’t desire knowledge about the creatures. As Allah loves his Awliya very much, He does not keep them preoccupied with creatures. Those who are addicted to the world cannot recognize and do not like men of Allah who can comprehend and reveal secrets about creatures better than others provided they choose to think about them.


In short, it is important to realize that just as the pre-eminence of prophets depends not on miracles or evidentiary miracles but on their exalted ranks and being preserved from the defilement of sin, similarly, working miracles or ‘Karaamaat’ is not an end in itself for a Vali (Saint).  As Dr. Tahir al-Qadri explains, Miracle is not Vilayat (Sainthood), and Vilayat is not a miracle. A miracle is just a by-product of being a Vali because for a Vali a miracle is not a product. According to him, there is Ijma (consensus) among the scholars that a Karamat is “Nafs-ki-Talab” while “Allah’s Talab” is Isteqaamat (remaining firm on the right path, or rectitude, steadfastness). Isteqaamat is higher than Karaamat. There have been many Friends of Allah who have had no miracles, and what is more, there are many unknown Awliya-Allah who are unknown to the world. As far as the Vilayat is concerned, all Awliya-Allah are equal, but they differ as far as the status is concerned.


To continue....
 
NASIR

MIRACLES -–ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN BRIEF-PART 2.

From the Layman’s (Nasir Ali) Desk-7: Miracles –Islamic perspective in brief: Part 2.



In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.


As we noted in Part 1 of our Article, Allah declares war on the enemy of His Friend.   Ibn Taimiyya said that Allah is expressing: "I will seek revenge like an aggressive lion against anyone who comes against My saints."

There was a disciple of Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi ® who bore him a grudge and therefore left him. One day, however, he returned to the Shaykh with the intention of testing him. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi ® was aware of the intention. So he asked him, “Do you need a formal answer or a spiritual one?” “Both,” said the disciple. Replying to him, the Shaykh said: If you had tested yourself, you wouldn’t have the need to test me. And the spiritual answer is, I depose you from the Saintship. The disciple’s face turned black immediately and the light of certainty (‘Yaqeen”) also vanished from his heart. The disciple abandoned his foolish self-conceit and implored the Shaykh to forgive him. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi ® told him: Don’t you know that Awliya-Allah possess mysterious powers? You cannot endure their blows.” Saying this, and considering the repentance of the disciple, the Shaykh blew a breath over his face and the disciple was restored to his original self. 

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti ® narrated that there was a man who hated the Awliya-Allah. After he died, he was placed in a grave where the people tried to turn his face towards the Qibla. To their astonishment, as much as they tried, that man’s face always turned away from the Qibla. A voice from nowhere announced that it would be an exercise in futility trying to turn his face to the Qibla because that man used to turn his face in disgust on seeing the Awliya-Allah. “I will turn away My face from him. He is a condemned soul, and on the Day of the Judgment such people would appear with faces of the donkeys.” That is one of the ways how Allah deals with those who bear grudge against Awliya-Allah.


Of course, there are also instances when Awliya-Allah suffer the ignominy heaped upon them but they bear it without complaint – which goes to show their extreme forbearance, tolerance, and patience with the ignorant for the ‘Rida’ of Allah, depending upon their ranks.

Awliya-Allah are the persons of Ahl-e-Tassawwuf: 

Allah has exalted the status of knowledge and power of the Awliya. Allah says about them:  “Whosoever mortify themselves for Our sake, We will assuredly guide them in Our ways."

(Qur’an: 29:69).

Shaykh Hakim of Tirmidh in the second chapter of his Adab al-muridin describes such mortification or striving as a kind of door which leads to nearness to Allah. Now attaining this nearness (which is not physical) is itself not easy because it requires the mastery of bringing the carnal soul (Nafs-e-Ammaara) under control which in itself is ‘Jihaad-e-Akbar’ ( the greater Jihad) as per the famous hadith of Mohammed Mustafa (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) which he (s) stated to his Companions while returning from a battle which he (s) merely termed as “Jihaad-e-Asghar” (i.e. Lesser Jihad).

Observance of the outer state by man is "mortification".  "Guidance" consists in Allah's maintenance of man's spiritual feelings of Inner Truth or Inner Reality.  Thus there are two aspects:  The first is the Shariat consisting of the outer state or external ordinances.  The second is what is at the heart of the revelation - which is called Haqiqat.  Shariat cannot be maintained without the Haqiqat and conversely,  Haqiqat cannot be maintained without the Shariat.  Those who uphold both Shariat and Haqiqat are called people of Tasawwuf or the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat that consists of the four schools of thoughts namely, the Hanafi, the Shafii, the Hanbali, and the Maliki. 

Again, regarding the Quranic verse, ittaqullah wa yu`allimukumullah ("Be aware of Allah, and Allah Himself will teach you" 2:282), Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani ® points out in Discourse 16 of Futuh al-Ghaib: And fear Allah and He will teach you, then He will invest you with the power of controlling the universe with a clear permission which will have no obscurity in it... and He has done this with many of His Prophets and Awliya and people especially favored from among the children of Adam. Then there is the hadith shareef: “ man `amila bi ma `alima warrathahullahu `ilma ma lam ya`lam ("Whoso acts upon what he knows, Allah will make him inherit a knowledge that he did not have"). Hazrat Bayazid of Bistam cited this hadith in response to a question: "From where and from whom did you get this knowledge which you claim to have?"

Awliya-Allah are the people of Tasawwuf and are also called the "Sufis".  They fulfill the requirements of the 'Deen' (Religion), which consists of Islam, Imaan and ihsaan,  as aptly explained in the Hadith of Jibreel.  With the evolvement of the language, it is "ihsaan" that came to be known as "Tasawwuf" in later centuries, and the two aspects of Ihsan came to be known as Mushahada and Muraqaba, i.e one where one worships God as if he sees God; and the other where one is unable to worships God in the first way, he at least worships God knowing that God sees him.  Awliya-Allah are the most ardent defenders of  Shariat, and their path from the outer Shariat to the inner Haqiqat is known as "Tariqat".  A qualified seeker can traverse this Islamic spiritual path but under the direction of the qualified guide known as Pir-O-Murshid who is well-versed with the Holy Quran and the prophetic traditions (ahadeeth), and practising the Shariat.     Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh says that Law without Truth is ostentation, and Truth without Law is hypocrisy.  Truth or Inner Reality means knowledge of Allah and such religious practices which are made perfect by sincerity.  The word "Awliya" represent conformity with the revealed religion and as such to the truth.  There is no heresy as there is no departure from the revealed religion or from the truth.  Even orientalists such as Louis Massignon and others have irrefutably demonstrated that the doctrines and practices of the Sufis, i.e. the Awliya-Allah, are entirely based on and derived from the Holy Qur'an - which is the very base of Islamic orthodoxy. 

It is to be remembered that the word Sufi should be used only of the Awliya-Allah who have attained the proximity of Allah, though it has become a fashion nowadays to distinguish a Sunni Muslim by calling him a Sufi.  Even a great Awliya such as Hazrat Abul Hasan Kharqani (R) used to say:  "Don't call me Sufi."  Such is the sanctity of this word.  The righteous 'ulema of the traditional four schools of thought are, more or less, Awliya-Allah or Sufis, and no Awliya-Allah are found in other sects.     

Modern scholars and pseudo-sufis have based their school of thoughts on the teachings of the sufi stalwarts of Islam but under their own labels. We need to reject the false Wali and seek the real Wali-Allah.  It is not easy to recognise a Wali-Allah.  But as a general rule one way of recognizing them is to know that “The friends of Allah are those who when they are seen, Allah is remembered” (Majma’uz Zawaid; Vol. 10, Pg. 78, Bazzaar).  Another general way is to rectify our own heart and adopt his company.  If his company generates thoughts and love of Allah in our heart then he is a Wali.  If the heart indulges in worldly thoughts then he is not a Wali since it is said that the heart is a mirror of another heart.   We must also note the observation of the Shariat in him, remembering that even the Sultan of Awliya, Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani Ghausul Azam, did not give up the Shariat, including the ritual prayers.  Or the instance when Hazrat Bayasid Bistami (R) refused to accept a person as a Wali when he learnt that while entering the Masjid that person had put his left foot forward.  There are many examples of such nature. 

At the same time, we must not come to a swift conclusion in judging a person who is known as a Wali because we might commit an error of judgment, which reminds me of the anecdote of Hazrat Bayazid Bistami (R) who,  while travelling to another town during the month of Ramadan,  found that almost the entire town had come to receive him, an Awliya-Allah.  Since he did not like it,  he removed a khubooz (bread) from his sleeve and began to munch on it.  Seeing this, all the people lost faith in him and went back home.  To think about it, the Shaykh had done nothing wrong with the Shariah, since eating and drinking on a Ramadan day is allowed on travelling certain distances.  He did that just to be left alone, but see how the people judged him hastily.    Even Ibn Taimiyya who himself belonged to the Qadri Order, considered Bayazid as one of his masters.  About him he said:  "There are two categories of fana': one is for the perfect Prophets and saints, and one is for seekers from among the saints and pious people (saliheen). Bayazid al-Bistami is from the first category of those who experience fana', which means the complete renunciation of anything other than God. He accepts none except God. He worships none except Him, and he asks from none except Him." He continues, quoting Bayazid saying, "I want not to want except what He wants."

Awliya-Allah have influenced other religions too.  Quranic verses and the sayings of Baba Farid (Hazrat Shaykh Fariduddin Masood Ganj-e-Shakhar (R)) are found in the holy book of the Sikh, Adi Granth; while the Rosicrucian sect of Christianity has liberally borrowed from the teaching of Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyuddeen Abdul Qadir Jilani. 

The lives of  Muslim Saints are a source of inspiration to the Muslims all over the world -  even in those pockets where their teachings are being suppressed.  Their unswerving love of Allah, their Tawakkal (piety)and Tauheed (Unity of Allah), courage of conviction, strength of character, religious zeal and devotion to earning the pleasure of Allah, sprinkled with countless miracles at their hands, and their empowerment of Allah on this earth and the hereafter have earned them the title of Friends of Allah.     

(Continued in Part 3)....

NASIR ALI

MIRACLES - ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN BRIEF- Part 1.

From the Layman’s (Nasir Ali) Desk-7: Miracles–Islamic perspective in brief: 1.

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Forewords:


Of course, there is a plethora of literature on the subject written by the great scholars and stalwarts of Islam, both past and present, as well as by orientalists. Unfortunately, for those who know only English, much of those great works are not readily available to cherish and savour except for abridged English versions of Kashful Mahjoob, Tadhkirat al-Awliya, the Ihya, some translations of the discourses of Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani ®, and a few others. Therefore, for those who are well-versed with the subject, I am afraid, they will be disappointed here. My only reason for foraying into this subject as a layman is that maybe my two cents will expiate some of my sins and earn me some reward from Allah who loves his Awliya whom I love for the sake of Allah.


Miracles are mentioned in all Religions and Cultures:


We do know that a miracle is an extraordinary act created by Allah outside his usual custom, i.e. beyond the scope of scientific and natural laws.


Miracles are common to all religion and culture. Old Testament and Hebrew scriptures contain many accounts of miracles. So do the Buddhist and the Hindu scriptures. They attribute miracles to God, prophets, saints, sages, and holy men. In non-Islamic religions and cultures, we hardly find any distinction being made in the categories of so-called miracles. As far as working miracles by personalities are concerned, some religions believe that only the dead can work miracles and not the living ones whereafter they are canonized as saints. Sometimes the word “Miracle” is used in a metaphorical sense to the happenings in daily life whence the Hindi expression: “Chamatkaar ko Namaskaar Karna”. Sometimes, even magic, hypnotism, mesmerism, charlatanism, clairvoyance, out-of-body experience, and the like are termed as a “Miracle” by incredulous people. This is one of the reasons why there is such a proliferation of fake gurus or a ‘Babas’ or ‘Pirs’ in our society. However, trickery and self-aggrandisement do not preclude the occurrence of real miracles. Islam too has a fair share of real miracles, but with a unique difference as we shall see in due course.


Miracles of the prophets are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and the ahadeeth (prophetic traditions) and Islamic hagiography which are generally accepted by the entire Muslim communities. However, as a minute section frowns upon the very mention of Awliya-Allah and their miracles, or deny their high-rank and status by imagining that every believer is of the status of a Friend of God, we shall be restricting ourselves to the miracles of Awliya-Allah. There is, of course,  the general closeness of every believer to Allah, which is categorized as Wilayat-e-Amma. This is because Allah declares in the Holy Qur’an: We are nearer to him than his own jugular vein” (Surah Qaaf, verse 16).  So we need to get an idea of what or who is a Friend of God (Wali or saint).


Briefly, who are Awliya-Allah?


Scholars tell us that an Arabic word has a number of meanings but for simplicity, let’s restrict ourselves to the meaning of “Awliya” as the plural of “Wali” or Friend of God or Saint, and the word Wali being derived from “Wilaya” which means nearness or closeness (‘Qurb’) or Sainthood. This word with different forms appear in the Holy Quran over 200 times in different context and also means “Patronage, ”Protection,” and even “Intimacy”. The Holy Qur’an also categorises the believers as ‘Muqarrabin’ (i.e. those brought near or favourties of Allah), Sabireen (Patient Ones), Muttaqoon (God-conscious) Abrar (the Virtuous), Zuhhad (the Pious ones), Siddiqun (the Truthful ones), Saalihoon (the Pious Ones), Qanitoon (The Obedient Ones), Mohsinoon (The Doer of Good),  Zakiroon (Those who remember Allah much),  Muminoon (the Believers),  besides using the word Awliya-Allah.  These qualities are found in the Awliya-Allah.


Generally, Surah Waqiah of the Holy Qur’an gives the details of the categories of the believers. The highest position is for those who are called “the foremost,” “those brought nigh,” and “these will be those who are nearest to Allah.” In the middle position are those souls who attend to both the worlds who advance upward to the higher world by obeisance and devotion, and who sometimes descend to the lower world for administering their affairs and exercising sway over it. These are the people of the right-hand who will be given their records in their right hand. Most of the “foremost” and the “Right-Hand” will be from the first generation and comparatively fewer will be from the later generations. In Surah Nisa, verse 69, the categories of Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous People are mentioned.


A very famous verse of the Holy Qur’an says about them: “Ala, inna awliya Allah, la khawfun alayhim wala hum yah-zanoon!” , i.e. "Lo! verily the friends of Allah! No fear comes upon them, nor shall they grieve." (Quran-10:62)


For an explanation of the above verse, let’s refer to a prophetic  tradition:


It is reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once said after the salat:


‘O, people! Listen to this, understand it, and know it. Allah has servants who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and whom the Prophets and martyrs yearn to be like, due to their seat and proximity in relation to Allah.” One of the Bedouin Arabs who came from among the most isolated of people twisted his hand at the Prophet and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! People from humankind who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and yet the Prophet's and the martyrs yearn to be like them due to their seat and proximity in relation to Allah?! Describe them for us!"’


'The Prophet's face showed delight at the Bedouin's question and he said: ’ ...


‘They are of the strangers from this and that place. They frequent this or that tribe without belonging to them. They do not have family connections among themselves. They love one another for Allah's sake. They are of pure intent towards one another. On the Day of Resurrection,  Allah will place for them pedestals of light upon which He will make them sit, and He will turn their faces and clothes into the light. On the Day of Resurrection, the people will be terrified but not those. They are Allah's Friends [Awliya'] upon whom fear comes not, nor do they grieve.’


[Haythami in Majma'al-Zawa'id says: 'Ahmad relates it, and Tabrani relates something similar, and the men in its chain of transmission have been declared trustworthy." Also related through several chains by Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunna, al-Hakim in the Mustadrak, Ibn 'Asakir, Ibn Abi al-Dunya in Kitab al-Ikhwan, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Mardawayh, and others].


Now, in the well-known prophetic tradition where Allah states through the mouth of His Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wasssallam) the above Quranic verse is further amplified:

"Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper (walî) of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him (i.e. made ‘Fard’); and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing nawaafil (i.e. supererogatory prayers and doing extra deeds besides ‘Fard’) 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 for My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; 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." (Narrated by Abu Huraira in Bukhari, vol8, hadith 509)


The above Quranic verses and the ahadith shareef, surely sum  up the definition of not of an ordinary believer but that of a pious person who never ceases to strive for attaining the nearness (Qurb) of Allah by carrying out all the compulsory religious obligations, required of a pious believer, and topping that with additional prayers and good deeds to such an extent that he comes under the protection of Allah and attains the position of Wilayat and becomes a Wali. Then Allah becomes his sense of sight and hearing as well as his limbs, and if the Wali were to ask, Allah would surely give him, making him free from fear and grief.


Lest it be misconstrued, let me add that “Becoming free from fear and grief” for Awliya-Allah simply means that for the pleasure of Allah, they remain content with whatever state and condition they find themselves in. Otherwise,  it is well known that the lives of Friends of Allah were full of incredible hardship, suffering, and pain. Higher the rank, the higher the trial.


The other meaning, as I see it is, Awliya-Allah always spoke fearlessly in the face of tyrants who oppressed and mistreated their subject. For example, Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyuddeen Abdul Qadir Jilani ® was one such Friend of Allah whose admonitions the Caliph or Governors of his time could not ignore. Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti ® who settled down in Ajmer, India, against all odds, facing the might of the Raja, his army and his magicians all by himself with the aid of Allah, of course. The last Khilji king of Delhi threatened to hang Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya ® who wouldn’t attend his court, got killed in a court intrigue just before he could implement his order; or when a king of the next dynasty wanted the saint out of the Delhi suburbs before he reached Delhi, the saint uttered: Delhi is still far (Dilli hinoz duur ast). True enough, the king himself could not reach Delhi as he got crushed to death when the palace fell upon him. Thus, there are many such instances when an Awliya-Allah was not seized by the fear of tyrants but it was the other way about. Nor do they grieve even in personal tragedies, thus remaining content with the decree of Allah, as happened in the case of Mansur Hallaj whose mystical utterances of Ana al-Haqq (I am the Truth) was considered as heresy, leading to his imprisonment for 11 long years in Baghdad and final torture and execution in the public by the Abbasid Caliph, Al-Muqtadir.  All the time during his trial and execution he remained unperturbed. Despite the fact that stones were thrown by the public at him, and his eyes were gouged out, his limbs were cut, his nose and ears were sliced off, his tongue was severed, and finally his head was chopped off, he forgave everyone who was present at his execution. He remained content with the decree of Allah!  In passing it may be stated that Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh has drawn our attention to the fact that if the religion of Mansur Hallaj were suspect, Hazrat Shibli (a disciple of Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi ®) would not have stated: “Al-Hallaj and I are of one belief.”

In Kashful Mahjoob, Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh ® has beautifully explained the concept by quoting Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi ® on “fear” that a saint has no fear since it involves expectation of some future calamity or loss of the desired object whereas a saint is the Son of his Time (‘ibni waqtihi’) who has no future to fear nor has any hope of relieving the misfortune or gaining an object of desire as that involves the future. Nor does the saint grieve because he is in the radiance of satisfaction (‘Rida’) and in the garden of concord (‘muwaafaqat’). According to Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh ®, Fear and Grief, Hope and Security belong to the interest of the lower soul.


Awliya-Allah are known by various names, depending on their rank with Allah. To add some more: Muhaqqiq (Fully Realised), Aarifeen (sing.Arif – Intimate or experiential knowers), Qutb (Pole or Axis), Awtaad (Pegs), Abdaal (Substitutes) and so on.  A great scholar of Islam Imam al-Qastalani (Reh.) wrote:


"One of the karamat Allahu ta'ala has bestowed upon this umma is that there are qutbs, awtad, nujaba' and abdal among them.


Anas ibn Malik ® said that the abdal consists of forty persons. The hadith ash-Sharif quoted in al-Imam at-Tabarani's Awsat declares, 'There will always exist forty persons on the earth each of whom is blessed like Ibrahim (a.s.). It rains because of their Baraka. Allahu ta'ala appoints another one when one of them dies. ' Ibn 'Adi said, 'Abdal embodies forty persons.'


The hadith ash-Sharif reported by Imam Ahmad declares, "There are always thirty persons among this umma each of whom is blessed like Ibrahim (a.s.)."

The hadith ash-Sharif reported by Abu Nuaym (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala) in the book Hilya states, 'There exist some good people among my umma in every century. They are five hundred in number. Forty of them are abdal. They exist in every country.'


There are many other hadiths on this subject. The hadith ash-Sharif reported as marfu' again by Abu Nuaym in Hilya declares, 'There always exist forty persons among my umma. Their hearts are like Ibrahim's(a.s.) heart. Allahu ta'ala redeems His human servants from disasters for their sake. They are called abdal. They do not attain to that degree by performing salat, fasting or giving zakat.' Ibn Masud ® asked, 'Ya Rasul-Allah! By what means do they attain that degree?' 'They attain it by being generous and by advising Muslims,' said the Prophet. It was declared in another hadith ash-Sharif, 'The abdal among my umma do not curse anything.


Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (Reh.) wrote in his book Ta'reekh al-Baghdad, 'The nuqaba' comprises three hundred persons. The nujaba' comprises seventy; the abdal forty; the akhyar seven and the 'amad represents four persons. There is one ghawth. When human beings need something, the nuqaba' pray first. If it is not granted [by Allahu ta'ala], then the nujaba' pray. And if not granted again the abdal, akhyar and 'amad pray sequentially. If all are not granted, the ghawth, whose prayer will certainly be granted, prays.'


" [Translation of Al-mawahib al-ladunniyya, p. 512.]"


The prophets are infallible (masoom) and form the highest rank. Among the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) coming after the prophets (a.s.) the superior are the Sahabas (the Noble Companions of Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and the most superior amongst them are the Righteous Caliphs (Khulfa-e-Raashideen) namely, Hazrat Abu Bakr ®, Hazrat Umar ®, Hazrat Uthman ®,  and Hazrat Ali ®. All the Sahaba, generally, are also Awliya. But all Awliya are not Sahaba. The family of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and the Ahe-e-Bayt also occupy a special place among the Awliya and deserve a separate topic. Thereafter comes the group of actual Awliya-Allah who founded the various Orders for the spread of Islam throughout the world peacefully, headed by Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyuddeen Abdul Qadir Jilani Ghaus-ul-Azam of the Qadiri Order (Silsila).


The fact that there are many unknown saints whom even Hazrat Khizr (a.s.) doesn't know, is generally well-known. Also, some have been Awliya-Allah since their birth as in the case of Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyudeen Abdul Qadir Jilani ®.  The Sufi Shaykh, Imam ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad of Arabia, explains that possessor of the supreme degree of veracity is called Qutb al-Ghawth. He adds, “As for the Qutb (Pole), the Ghawth, he is one in each time. He is the all-comprehensive Fard, and is known among the People as the viceregent (Khalifa), and the Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil). Pole were of three kinds, the Pole of Sciences, such as the Proof of Islam al-Ghazali, the Pole of Spiritual States, such as Abu Yazid al-Bistami, and the Pole of Spiritual Stations, such as Shaykh ‘Abdal-Qadir.  Imam Abul-‘Abbas al-Mursi is also reported to have said, “Al-Junayd was the Pole of knowledge, Sahl the Pole of Stations, and Abu Yazid the Pole of States.”

In short, superiority of the status of Awliya is not dependant on miracle they work, but are dependant upon their proximity to Allah and His love for them and their desire to be with Allah to the exclusion of all others, with no desire for the Jannah or the Houris or the world or the ability to work miracles, or for any other purpose . Awliya are the inheritors of Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) when he said, the scholars of the ummah are the inheritors of the prophets. Imam Sayuti said: The Awliya of Allah are those, if you see them, Allah is mentioned, and if they are absent, they are missed and if they come Allah will be mentioned”.


Regarding the statement in the hadith of Abu Huraira ® in Bukhari, vol8, 509, that we mentioned before: ‘I shall declare war on him who shows hostility to Wali of Mine…even the rigorous Ibn Taimiyya has gone on to explain the statement to mean that Allah is expressing: "I will seek revenge like an aggressive lion against anyone who comes against My saints."


Continued in 2. 

NASIR ALI. 

Part 1: KHIZR (A.S.) - HIS MYSTERIOUS PERSONALITY AND AURA.

From the Layman's Desk- 3: KHIZR (ALAI HISALAAM) – HIS MYSTERIOUS PERSONALITY AND AURA - PART 1.



In the name of Allah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful.



There are certain questions commonly asked about Khizr (a.s.): Where does he live? Is he still alive? Is he a Prophet, or a Wali-Allah? Is his rank higher than Moses (Musa a.s.)?


Where does Khizr (a.s.) live?



According to Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyyudeen Abd al-Qadir Jilani ®, among the saints are those who during their sleep eat and drink from the food and drinks of the Paradise. They also see the contents of the Paradise. Among such saints are those who become free of any need for food and drink and who retreat from the creatures, become invisible to them, and live on earth without dying, such as Ilyas and Khizr (a.s.). Allah has a large number of them being a veil on this earth. They can see people, yet people cannot see them. The saints among them form a majority but the eminent represent only a minority – a few isolated individuals to whom everyone comes and draws near. The food and drinks of the angels is the remembrance and glorification of Allah and the recitation of “There is no god save Allah”. For these few individuals among the saints, this becomes their food.



According to the author of al-Insanu’l Kamil, Abd al-Karim Jili who was born exactly two hundred years after the passing away of the Saint of Jilan, the earth of the souls (ardu’l nafoos) was created by God as whiter than milk and sweeter than musk but when Adam walked in it after his Fall, it become dust-coloured except one region in the north which was never reached by any sinner. (Note: Adam a.s. cannot be called a “sinner”) This region is ruled by Khizr a.s. and inhabited by the men of the Unseen World (Rijalul Ghaib) who are exalted saints and angels of whom six classes are described which we need not mention here. According to Mathnavi, the Mithal World (i.e. the Alam-i-Ghayb or Alam-i-Mithal which is the World of Similitudes which is dimensional and characterized by colour like the world of dreams) is not open to the ordinary eyes. It has different sky and sun and also has clouds and rains of its own. But it is not the world which comes after death which is also called Mithal or Barzakh.

According to al-Tabari (i.442), he is believed to be living on an island, while according to Imam Bukhari (Tafsir Surah 18, Ch.3), he lives on a green carpet called "tinfisa" in the heart of the sea. 

According to some ‘Ulema, Khizr (a.s.) spends most of his time in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. Some local populace even point out that he had stayed for a long time in the citadel of Salah al-Din Ayyubi in the city of Alleppo in Northern Syria, and in Amman in Jordan.



Is Khizr (a.s.) still alive?

We are told by the famous exegete of Qur’an,  Ibn Kathir  in his Tareekh, that Khizr (a.s.) was the son of Adam (a.s.) who prayed to Allah that his son may be granted a long life till the Day of Judgment. Adam (a.s.) then gave his son the tidings of his long life and instructed him to bury him after his death. Much later, during the time of Noah (Nuh a.s.) when there was destruction by the floods, and Noah had sailed in his ark with a handful of believers that included Khizr (a.s.).



However, Ibn Kathir, holds  that Khizr (a.s.) was alive from the time of Adam to Moses (Musa a.s.) but not thereafter,  which  is not supported by the majority of Islamic scholars. Even during the time of Taba’tabi’een i.e. the generation that came after that of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (s), and after the generation of the Tabi’een who had seen the Companions, it was common knowledge that Khizr a.s. was alive and that his death will occur only during the time of Dajjal the false prophet, whose appearance is considered among the greater signs of the imminent Qiyamat or the Day of Judgment. Accordingly in Sahih Muslim (i.e. the authentic compilation of the Hadiths or prophetic traditions according to Muslim) we find the following hadith narrated b Abu Ishaaq who was from the Taba’tabi’een:



Dajjaal will kill a person once and then bring him back to life, then he will ask him, “Do you believe that I am God?” That person will reply, “No! I am convinced that you are the Dajjaal of which the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) informed us”. Dajjaal will throw him in his fire, which in reality will be Paradise.The narrator of this Hadith is Abu Is-haaq who says: It is commonly known that this person would be Khidr (Alay hissalaam). (Sahih Muslim, Chapter on Dajjaal).  Imam Nawawi,  who has written a commentary ('Sharh') on Sahih Muslim, provides  many references as well as the statements of scholars  to prove that Khizr (a.s.) is alive.  



Then in a Hadith narrated by Abu Sa’id (r), Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said: "Dajjal will come but it will be prohibited and impossible for him to enter Madina. He will set up a camp in a barren land outside Madina. One person who will be the best of persons will confront him by saying: "I bear witness that you are the very Dajjal about whom Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has informed us." Dajjal will say to his followers, "If I kill this person and then revive him, you people will still doubt me?" They will reply, "No." He will then kill this person, (according to another narration he will split this person in two) and thereafter revive him. This person will say, "I am totally convinced more than ever before that you definitely are Dajjal." Dajjal will attempt to kill this person again but his efforts will now be in vain. (According to a hadith, after this incident, Dajjal will not be able to harm anyone.) from: "Signs of Qiyamah" by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali. 



The above hadith is mentioned with two chains in Abu Yala’s Musnad, in Hakim’s Mustadrak, Ibn Majah’s Sunan, Nu’aym’s and al-Dani’s Kitab al-Fitnah coming from different chains, and thus strengthening one another regarding the matter. Al-Barzanji (d.1103) confirms citing Ibn ‘Abbas and Mamar and others that the person who will be killed is al-Khizr.  Another famous Muhaddith, Ibnus Salaah too states that according to the majority of Islamic scholars and others, Khizr (a.s.) is alive. 


According to the modern  Islamic scholar, G.F. Haddad,  it is confirmed by the hadith related from Abu 'Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah whereby the Holy Prophet (s) said: "It may be that one of those who saw me and heard my speech shall meet the Dajjal." This is narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (15:181) with a weak chain according to Shaykh Shu'ayb Arna'ut.  He points out that according to Imam al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan, the latter  said since it is also narrated from three other Companions, he thus graded the hadith itself "fair and single-chained (hasan gharib) as narrated from Abu 'Ubayda.



The strongest transmitted proofs about the life of al-Khizr (a.s.) are:



1. A report narrated by Imam Ahmad in al-Zuhd whereby the Holy Prophet (s) is said to have stated that Ilyas and al-Khiḍr meet every year and spend the month of Ramadan in Jerusalem.



2. The other report narrated by Ya'qub ibn Sufyan from the 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz whereby a man he was seen walking with was actually al-Khiḍr.   Imam Dhahbi mentions in his biography of this saintly Caliph, that  al-Khizr had come to give him the glad tidings of his becoming a ruler of the Muslim world. 



3. A report narrated by ibn “Asakir from Abu Zur’a al-Razi stating that the latter met al-Khidr twice: once in his youth and again in his old age but that al-Khidr himself had not not changed.



Scholars inform us that Ibn Hajar declared the chain of the first fair and that of the second sound in Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 6:435) and that the above third report is cited by himself stating it to be sound. The hadith-master, Al-Sakhawi, too indicated in his biography of Imam Nawawi that the latter used to meet with Khizr (a.s.) and converse with him. There are also reports that Khizr (a.s.) met with Hazrat Ali ® by the Ka’ba and instructed him about a supplication that is very meritorious when recited after the obligatory prayers. The Sufis unanimously agree that Khizr (a.s.) is alive. Ibn al-Jawzi who belongs to the school of ibn Taimiyya does admit that Bilal al-Khawas met with al-Khizr and asked him what he thought of al-Shafi’i and was told that he is one of the Awtaad (Pillar-Saint) and when he asked about Ahmad ibn Hanbal he was told that he is a Siddiq. Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani says in his A’sabah that Khidr’s name is in the list of Companions of our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace).



According to Hafiz Ibn Taimiyya, what has been narrated in Musnad Al-Shafi’i and other books is that Khidr (a.s.)  did meet the Prophet (s).  It has been stated that the Holy Prophet (s) who was also a repository of ‘Ilm Ladunni did teach Khizr (a.s.) who was himself called the Tutor of the Prophets.  Khizr (a.s.) appearance at the funeral of the Holy Prophet (s) also appears  on record:



There are reports from al-Bayhaqi in his Dala'il an-Nubawwah that al-Khiḍr was present at the funeral of Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam), and was recognized only by Abu Bakr and Ali from amongst the rest of the companions, and where he came to show his grief and sadness at the passing away of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam).   Al-Khiḍr's appearance at Muhammad's (s) funeral is related as follows: A powerful-looking, fine-featured, handsome man with a white beard came leaping over the backs of the people till he reached where the sacred body lay. Weeping bitterly, he turned toward the Companions and paid his condolences. Abu Bakr and 'Ali said that he was Khiḍr. (Ibn al-Jazari 1994, p. 228.). Hearing the voice of al-Khizr (a.s.) during this time by the Ahle Bait is also mentioned by Imam Ghazali in his Ihya. In Hisn-e-Haseen (Fortified Stronghold) which is a collection of invocations and devotional utterances, by ibn Muhammad al-Jazri ash-Shaafi'i, it is stated that Khizr (a.s.) actually came to visit the Companions ® , after the Holy Prophet (s) had passed away but before the burial.  Even the Najdi  Shaykh ibn Abdul Wahaab writes, “After the death of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) a voice was heard, ‘O family of the Prophet, be patient and peace be upon you.’” [Mukhtaser Sirat-ur-Rasool, Chapter ‘Death of Prophet’]Then there are many reports of al-Khizr interaction with the Awliya-Allah as we shall see later. In fact, it is reported in the Ihya that whenever any thought occurred in the mind of al-Khizr that there was no Awliya-Allah whom he did not know, then he would come across one whom he never knew before.


The dissenting opinion that Khizr (a.s.) was not alive after the time of Moses is based on a hadith in Bukhari's compilations, where the Holy Prophet (may Allah Bless him and grant him Peace) said:  Of all the people alive on the earth today, none will be living in a hundred years' time.  This has been explained by Islamic scholars that it is possible that at that juncture of time Khizr (a.s.) was present  in a location other than this material world.  The second reason for the dissenting opinion is the supplication made by the Holy Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace)  on the occasion of the Battle of Badr:  “There are three hundred and thirteen people with me. If we do not triumph then no one will be left to worship you O Allah.”  On this basis, those who conclude that if Khidr (Alay hissalaam) were alive,  then he would have joined the Muslim army, increasing the total number of the participants to three hundred and fourteen.  This, too, is easily explained: First, according to scholars, there is not even a single hadith, either Sahih or Dhaeef, to lend support to this opinion.  Secondly, just as there were thousands of angels present during the said battle but all their names have not been mentioned, likewise, it is possible that Khizr (a.s.)'s name too has not been mentioned.  Then, he being a person from the Unseen World, there is no confirmation whether he did join or did not join the Battle.  Taking the worst-case scenario that Khizr (a.s.) did not join the Battle, this does not detract from the fact that he is not alive because we know that 'Isa (a.s.) too is alive in the heavens and despite the primordial covenant with Allah (Qur'an 3:81) to believe and help the Messenger  (i.e. Mohammed Mustafa sallalahu alayhi wassallam) who will come to confirm the Scriptures,   'Isa (a.s.) did not come down to help  does not mean that he broke that covenant made in the spiritual world.  So there is nothing inappropriate even if Khizr (a.s.) did not join the Battle of Badr.   Therefore, the minority opinion cannot stand in the face of the overwhelming majority evidence which suggests  that Khizr (a.s.) is alive and will remain so till the days of Dajjal whose appearance is foretold in the many prophetic traditions.   Lastly, Ibn 'Ata' Allah in Lata'if al-Minan (1:84-98) showed that there is consensus of opinion among the Sufis that al-Khidr is alive, thus rejecting any evidence to the contrary. 



Is Khizr (a.s.) a Prophet or a Wali?



According to some scholars Khizr (a.s.) is an angel in the human form and therefore not bound by the laws of Shariah, and the words “Abdan min Ibaadana,” used in the Qur’an, are no proof that he was a human being – since the word “Abd” has also been used for angels in the Qur’an, e.g. Surah Anbiya (21:26) and Surah Zakhuruf (14:19). In the prophetic traditions, the word “Rajul,” has been used for Khizr (a.s.) which is generally translated as “human being”. However, we find the word “Rajul” being used for the Jinn also, as in Surah Jinn (22:6): “And persons from among men used to seek refuge with persons from among Jinn.” This view is held by some scholars of the present and the past, including Ibn Kathir (1301-1373 c.e.).   According to Dr. Muhammad Tahir al-Qadri, Khizr (a.s.) is a Wali according to the  majority of  scholars.   



Before we proceed further let us look into the Holy Qur’an in this regard.



Now, when we come to the Holy Qur’an, we don’t find the name of Khizr (a.s.) just as we don’t find the names of many other prophets. However, in Surah Kahf of the Holy Qur’an a reference is made to him as “a slave of Ours unto whom We had given mercy from Us and had taught him knowledge from Our Presence.” who is “one of our slaves, unto whom we had taught knowledge peculiar to us” (wa 'allalnnahu min ladunna ilmy)(18:66). Moses sought Hazrat Khizr and some of these references are found in the Holy Qur’an right from verses 61 to 83. The allusion is clearly to Sayyidna Khizr Abu’l Abbas. The events mentioned in the Surah do not find any place in the Bible.



The story of Moses and Khizr, based on prophetic traditions, in short is: Once Moses delivered a lecture in which he taught the people what God had taught him. During the lecture, a questioner asked him whether he found anyone lse more learned than him. He said, “No”. Then Allah was annoyed with him that he did not attribute the best knowledge to Him and then He revealed to him: “Yes, there is Our Servant at the junction of the two rivers who know more than thee.” Moses therefore asked for a way leading towards him. He was inspired that the way leading to him would be shown to him by a salted fish. He could not understand the reason why the salted fish would show him the way towards Hazrat Khizr. Moses and a young man, Yusha bin Nun (Joshua) set out in search of him. They took with them some cakes of barley, a salted fish in a basket and travelled till they reached a rock (Sakhra) but did not find a clue. So Moses went ahead and left his companion behind. The fish began to stir in water and the water assumed the form of an ark over the fish. The young man said that he should inform Allah’s Apostle. But he was made to forget and when they had gone beyond that place, Moses said to the young man: “Bring breakfast. We’ve been exhausted before the end of the journey. Actually, Moses was not exhausted up to the point where he was supposed to meet Hazrat Khizr and it was only after he had crossed that place that he felt exhausted. Then Joshua was reminded and said: “Did you not see that as we reached Sakhra I forgot the fish and it is Satan alone who has made me forgetful of it? It is strange that he has been able to find way in the ocean too.” He said: “This is what we sought for us.” They returned, retracing their steps, and his companion pointed to him the location where the fish had been lost. Moses began to search him there.



To continue with the story, suddenly Moses saw Khizr wrapped in a cloth and lying on his back. He said to him, “Assalaam Alaykum.”



He removed the cloth from his face and said: “Wa Alaykum Salaam. Who are you?”



He said: “I’m Moses of Bani Israil.”



He asked: “What brought you here?”



Surah Kahaf tells us further:



“Moses said unto him: May I follow thee, to the end that thou mayst teach me right conduct of that of which thou hast been taught?” (18:67)



“He said: Lo thou canst not bear with me. How canst thou bear with that whereof thou canst compass any knowledge?” (18: 68-69)



“He said: Allah willing, thou shalt find me patient and I shall not in ought gainsay thee.” (18:70)



“He said: Well, if thou go with me, ask me not concerning aught till I myself mention of it unto thee.” (18:71)



“So the twain set out till, when they were in the ship, he made a hole therein. (Moses) said: Hast thou made a hole therein to drown the folk threof? Thou verily hast done a dreadful thing.” (18:72)



“He said: Did I not tell thee thou couldst not bear with me?” (18:73)



“(Moses) said: Be not wroth with me that I forgot, and be not hard upon me for my fault.” (18:74)



“So the twain journeyed on till, when they met a lad, he slew him. (Moses said: What! Hast thou slain an innocent soul who hath slain no man? Verily thou hast done a horrid thing.” (18: 75)



“He said: Did I not tell thee that thou couldst not bear with me?” (18:76)



“(Moses) said: If I ask thee after this concerning aught, keep not company with me. Though hast received an excuse from me.” (18:77)



“So they twain journeyed on till, when they came unto the folk of a certain township, they asked its folk for food, but they refused to make them guests. And they found therein a wall upon the point of falling into ruin, and he repaired it. (Moses) said: If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken payment for it.” (18: 78)



“He said: This is the parting between thee and me! I will announce unto you the interpretation of that though couldst not bear with patience. As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the river* and I wished to mar it, for there was a king behind them who is taking every ship by force. And as for the lad, his parents were believers and We feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. And We intended that their Lord should change him for that for the one better in purity and nearer to mercy. And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father had been righteous, and they Lord intended that they should come to their full strength and should bring forth their treasure as a mercy from their Lord, and I did it not upon my own command. Such is the interpretation of that wherewith thou couldst not bear.” (18:79 to 83)



(*could be “sea”. Some scholars state that since Moses lived in Egypt for 20 years, the probable location of the meeting was the confluence of River Nile at Khartum (Sudan). We also find the word “ocean” being used in traditions. Some say that it was the confluence of sea of Greece and Sea of Persia)



Muhyuddin Ibn ‘Arabi (1165-1240 c.e.) in his Fusoos al Hikam has discussed about al-Khizr in the chapter entitled The World of Moses (see Wisdom of the Prophets/Bezels of Wisdom). Briefly, it appears that when Moses reproached al-Khizr for slaying the boy, Moses had not recalled then that prior to his prophethood, he had murdered an Egyptian (28:14-15), without any affliction of his soul. This was because he had done this under Divine impulsion and with approbation of God deep inside him but without his perceiving it. As we know all prophets are interiorly preserved from sin without their being conscious about it, and Moses was not acquitted until he had received a Divine revelation on the subject. Such was the state of al-Khizr who said that he had not done the killing out of his own initiative. When Moses fled, it was apparently fleeing out of fear but was in truth the love of salvation. Perforation of the boat seemed on the surface as destruction of the folks but was really to save them from oppression of a violent man. Just the way the throwing of infant Moses into the waters of Nile seemed on the surface as an act of violence but was in fact done by his mother to save his life from the cruel Pharoah, being reassured by Divine inspiration ( see Qur’an: 28.6) which she did not realize then but lived with the hope and confidence that God would him back to her. When al-Khizr had repaired the wall of the house belonging to two orphans without any payment, this was to draw Moses’s attention to his own conduct, i.e. when after fleeing from Egypt and reaching Median he had helped the two girls by drawing water from the well without asking for a payment but attributing the essence of good that he did to God alone by withdrawing into the shade (Divine Shade) and saying: “Oh my Lord, I am poor with regard to the blessings thou has bestowest on me,” (Qur’an 28:24) and thus qualified himself as a faqir or needy towards God.



Some commentators and Islamic scholars find symbolisms in the story of the meeting between Moses and al-Khizr and a divine testing of Moses. Shafi’i in Maarif al-Qur’an says: Perhaps Joshua forgot due to the reason that his thoughts strayed away to his homeland since he was in a journey. According to Yusuf Ali, “Fish” is the fruit of secular knowledge, while according to some “Fish” is a way to knowledge, and the two oceans signify perfect knowledge or the combination of esoteric knowledge (of al-Khidr) and the exoteric knowledge (of Moses). Such wisdom is only attainable by the will, mercy and grace of Allah. As Yusuf Ali says: Overall, the episode of Khidr in the Qur’an is a reflection and representation of the paradoxes of life. Above all, it symbolizes the delicate balance between ‘patience and faith as they were enjoined” on Moses after he understood the meaning of those paradoxes explained to him by Khidr himself.   According to Dr. Tahir al-Qadri, where Dariya-e-Shariat and Dariya-e-Wilayat meet, there’s arises the Wilayah according to the principles of Irfani Tafseer.  The place where a dead fish became alive, i.e. where death finds life, there resides the real Wali: “jahaan maut ko hayaat mil jaaye wahaan wali asl rehta hai.” This proves the karamah of bringing dead to life by a Wali belonging to the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (s).  Again, existence of ilm-e-ladduni, or direct knowledge from Allah, is also proven from the Qur’an through the episode of Moses and al-Khizr.  The bottom line of the episode of Moses and Hazrat Khizr is Allah transcends all human calculations; that there are paradoxes in life; apparent loss may really be some gain; apparent cruelty may be real mercy; returning good for evil may really be justice and not generosity.


Not only a meaningful symbolism, this episode has gone on to form a basis of some jurisprudence too.  As, for example, when Ibn Abbas (r) was asked to give his opinion whether the children of enemy could be killed in war, he said that the Messenger of Allah (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) never killed children.  Then Ibn Abbas (r) stated:  and thou shouldst not kill them unless thou knew what the companion of Moses (i. e. Khadir) knew about the boy he had killed. (Sahih Muslim: Book 19:4458).  We also learn from traditions that the king who used to seize the ships was Hudad bin Budad.  The boy who was killed was known as Haisur, and his parents were thereafter compensated with a girl.  (See Sahih Bukhari: Vol.6, Book 60:250)



Additionally, the above narration is supported by authentic traditions such as reported in, for example, Sahih Muslim, which has long hadiths in the Chapter entitled Kitaab al-Fazaail, and reported by Ubayy bin Ka’b who heard it directly from the Holy Prophet (s), Sa’d bin Jubair, Ibn Abbas, Utba b.Mas’ud, and Abu Ishaq are included among the narrators.  (Details can also be had from various hadiths in Sahih Bukhari, including: Vol.1, Book 3:74; Vol.3, Book 50:888; Vol.6, Book 60:249,250 and 251; Sahih Muslim: Book 30:5864 and 5867).  We also learn from the above narration that when a sparrow flew down on the boat and perched on the wall of the boat and took water in its beak from the ocean, Hazrat Khizr a.s., said: My knowledge and your knowledge in comparison with the knowledge of Allah is even less than the water taken by the sparrow in its beak in comparison to the water of the ocean. According to Holy Prophet (s), if Moses could have shown some patience, a fuller story of them would have been told.



It may be stated here that Khizr (a.s.) is a prophet since Allah has called him as “whom We had blessed.” (18:65) Therefore, in this Qur’anic verse the word that has been used, namely, “Rehma” is usually attributed to Prophets of Allah. Fakhrudin al-Razi in his Tafseer attributes the view that Khizr (a.s.) is a Prophet. The way Moses, who was one of the mightiest Messengers and Prophets of Allah, humbled himself before him for seeking righteous knowledge, as well as Allah’s Mercy and imparting knowledge from His presence to Khizr (a.s.) who receives direct illumination from Allah without human mediation, suggest that he is a Prophet of Allah.


Does Khizr (a.s.) rank higher than Moses (Musa a.s.)?



Allah the Exalted said: Each one of the believers believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers." and they say, "We hear nd we obey." We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord and to You is the return of all." (al-Qur’an: 2:285)


Therefore, no distinction between the prophets should be made. However, in the sight of Allah, He has exalted some over the others:


The prophets and messengers have different levels and degrees. Allah the Almighty stated: Those messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others he raised to degrees (of honor). (Ch 2:253) When the above verse speaks of Allah speaking directly to some, it's Moses.  Therefore, Moses holds a very high rank in comparison to Khizr (a.s.)., who was also blessed and given knowledge from His presence.  But his knowledge was different from the knowledge given to Moses.  It has been narrated in Imam Ghazali’s Ihya, that Moses asked al-Khizr why Allah has given him the knowledge of the Unseen.  Khizr replied: For giving up sins in order to incur the pleasure of Allah. He also advised Moses not to walk without necessity, to walk with a smiling face, be a benefactor rather than being an injurious person, not to laugh when not satisfied, not to accuse the sinners without sharing in their sins. “O son of Imran!” he said, “Weep for thy faults.”


According to Jili, Prophets like Muhammad (s) and Moses not only had the Prophecy of Saintship, i.e. Nubuwwatu’l Wilayat but also held Nubuwwatu’l Tashri, i.e. Prophecy of Institution, as they were sent to promulgate and establish a new religious code. However, Prophets such as Jesus and Hazrat Khizr having nothing more than the Prophecy of Saintship. The commentators have therefore held that the rank of Moses is higher than that of Khizr (a.s.). But that does not take us away from the fact that this conclusively proves that Hazrat Khizr (a.s.) is not an angel but that he belongs to the brotherhood of the Prophets many of whom have not been named or even referred to in the Qur’an, though Hazrat Khizr (a.s.) is on a better footing since an event pertaining to him has been related in the Holy Qur’an as shown above. In fact, as we noted before, Islamic tradition describes Khizr (a.s.) as the Tutor of Prophets, save and excepting the Holy Prophet (s) who taught Khizr (a.s.) since the Holy Prophet (s) too is a repository of knowledge (‘ilm ladunni) emanating from Allah.


Hazrat Khizr has special gifts from Allah: (1) Mercy from Him, and (2) Knowledge from him. The first freed him from the ordinary incidents of daily human life; while the second entitled him to interpret the inner meaning and mystery of events. Hazrat Khizr’s knowledge is fresh and green and drawn out from Allah’s own knowledge. He is a mysterious being who has to be sought out.  That going in search of a Wali is the Sunnah of the prophets is proven from the Qur'an and prophetic traditions, according to Dr. Muhammed Tahir al-Qadri.   He has the secrets of the paradoxes of life which ordinary people do not understand or understand it in a wrong sense.



We ask Allah ‘O Allah whatever we have said, if it is true accept it but if it is false we ask you to forgive us’. Amin! 


Allah and His Rasool (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) knows Best.


NASIR.



TO CONTINUE…