Translated by Ismaeel Nakhuda

Question:

All praise is to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and Salat wa Salam on the Messenger of Allah, and his family and Companions, all of them.

My noble shaykh ‘Allamah Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah protect him).

Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,

May you be well throughout the year (kullu ‘aam wa antum bi khayr), may Allah accept your worship and may he return this ‘Id on you, us and all Muslims with prosperity and blessings. I hope you, your family and all of your loved ones are well and in good health. Likewise, I hope you will excuse [me] for delaying writing for I was preoccupied with studies and the affairs of my family. And it is Allah from whom aid is sought.

I sent you a letter and a card on the occasion of ‘Id al-Fitr, did they reach you?

I understood your indication and I hope for accordance (tawfiq); it is an honour to translate your book. However, I have been busy preparing for a PhD in copyright and among my most important references is your book Qadaya Fiqhiyyah Mu’asirah. I shall soon, Allah willing, translate some of your writings and will send you what I have translated then.

 

What does the shaykh, may Allah protect him, say regarding the Barelwi group, as this group is not found in our lands and I have not found a book in Arabic on them except a book by one of the ‘ulama of Najd. I found him unjust with those who are not Barelwi and so I have not relied on his judgment and what he has quoted. Hence, it is hoped their situation is explained, for people are among those who are in extreme love or extreme hatred. Allah is the one who guides to what is correct.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah

Muhammad ‘Ali Muhammad Ahdash

Answer:

To the noble brother ‘Allamah Muhammad ‘Ali Muhammad Ahdash, may Allah Most High protect him and watch over him.

Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,

I did indeed receive your noble letter with much happiness and prayed for accordance and success for you, and that Allah Most High grants you the ability to complete your work as he likes and pleases him. You have asked regarding two issues: [1]The second issue was regarding a lease (ijarah) contract which was produced in the chapter to do with ijarah.

The first is with regards to the Barelwi group, which is distinct from the majority of Muslims in some points of belief (‘aqaid) and innovated practices (al-a’mal al-mubtada’ah). Among their beliefs is that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) knew the unseen and was cognizant of everything that was and shall be (ma kana wa ma yakun), and that his noble soul has the right of disposal in terms of benefiting and harming people. Their imam, Shaykh Ahmad Rada Khan al-Barelwi circulated a fatwa of kufr against the ‘ulama of Deoband and even said that he who does not consider them a kafir is also a kafir. This was because they (the ‘ulama of Deoband) had criticized their beliefs and said: the knowledge of the unseen is a quality (sifah) of Allah Most High, no one is a partner with him in this. However, He Most High informed His messengers of that which he wished from the unseen. Among their bid’ah practices is that they celebrate certain festivals that are not established in the Qur’an and Sunnah and consider them to be preferable (mustahab), rather they treat them like those actions that are wajib by expressing extreme loath for those who do not join them. Likewise, they have contrived certain practices when someone dies such as the family of the dead person inviting people on the third, tenth and fortieth day after the passing of the deceased. Food is prepared for them and he who does not do this is severely reprimanded. And there are many other such innovations.

Discourse regarding this group is plenty. However, that which I have mentioned is a summary of their beliefs and practices. Among them are those who exceed the limit in this, talk nonsense and are bigoted, and those who in comparison to the others are balanced.

And Allah Most High is the most knowledgeable.

[Mufti] Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah forgive him)

5/1/1426

Fatawa ‘Uthmani (Kitab al-Iman), vol. 1, p. 91

Also see: A call to Deobandi-Barelwi unity — Fatwas from two leading Deobandi institutes

References
1 The second issue was regarding a lease (ijarah) contract which was produced in the chapter to do with ijarah.