Help !Muslims Only Please?

Question

theres a lot of controversy in Islam today. on one side you have wahabbiis that are saying that reading salaam on the rasool is shirk. on the other side you have the sufis who say that God forgives all sins even shirk and reading salaam on the rasool is not shirk at all. it jsut seems really hard to decide what to do. everyone is obviously acting out of good will (noone wants to go to jahanam). what exactly is shirk and what is the correct way to follow islam that is "safe". i try a lot to avoid major sins like shirk, and im terrified if i accidentally do it or something. what is the deal>?

SINCERE ANSWERS ONLY FROM MUSLIMS ONLY. DON'T WANNA CONVERT OR ANYTHING, JUST WANNA BE A MOMIN.

Answer 1

In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate and Merciful

As-salamu 'alaykum.

Insha-Allah this reaches you in the best of 'afiya and iman.

We are certainly at a crossroads today in understanding Islam. Some might call it a crisis. Our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) warned us of this state as we approach the day of judgement, when our scholars are slowly removed from the earth and ignoramuses are left to give fatwas left, right, and center with no idea what they are talking about. We see that anyone with access to the internet can start up a website and say anything -- and in our times, people will actually listen.

It would help to not just think of Islam as a battle between Wahabis and sufis. It's important to understand the terms we're mentioning. The term "wahabi" is overused in our times. Originally, these were people that killed everyone that didn't shave their head and follow the tenets of their shaykh, Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahab, as they declared them to be kafirs, finding it permissible to take their women as slaves. This sect still exists in the form of people now calling themselves "Salafis." Obviously, the original tenor of the group is not quite the same, but the tremendous harm being done to Muslims and non-Muslims by these people is obvious, and their wild ideas have no basis in anthing passed down by the imams of our religion in a chain back to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace.) Understand that a sect is a group that denegrates all the Muslims that don't belong to their group or calls them kafirs, etc. (For a brief history of the sect, you could read Hamid Algar's "Wahabism: A Critical Essay.") Wahabism is most certainly a sect and Allah has forbidden sects in the Qur'an very clearly.

Sufism is the science of sincerity, and it's one of a number of Islamic disciplines. It's important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as "sufi fiqh" or "sufi aqidah", but rather you take your fiqh from a faqih in one of the four madhhabs of ahl as-sunnah wa'l jama'ah, you take your aqidah from an aqidah teacher, you take your tafseer from one of the mufasareen, and you take tasawwuf from a sufi. Each discipline has content that relates specifically to the subject area. It is extremely important that your teacher in each area -- especially in tasawwuf -- be connected in an unbroken chain back to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace.) This is how our religion has been preserved... By sitting with someone who sat with someone who sat with someone who sat with a sahabi who sat with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), so that the state of the person is passed on from person to person -- not just words on a page.

Blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give hime peace) is of the greatest acts of worship that can be done, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) indicated to us in many hadith, including one where he indicates to a sahabi that it would be best dedicate all of his superogatory worship to sending blessings on himself. The benfits of this practice are too numerous to even get into in great detail. I recommend getting ahold Dalail al-Khayrat, a book of blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) by Imam Jazuli and reciting a section from it each day, as has been the practice of many Muslims from Morocco to Indonesia for hundreds of years. (I believe the book is available in the bookstore at www.sunnipath.com)

Shirk is taking something else as a god besides Allah. I've never heard of any Muslim actually doing this. Most things people are calling shirk in our times (amongst the Muslims) are not actually shirk -- at worst, some are sins, and at best, some are acts of worship that Allah loves.

The way of safety is always best, as you mention. In order to be safe, follow what the majority of Muslims have always done for the majority of Islamic history. In other words, beware of little bands of men who come along and say, "No one has ever understood Islam until me and my little group have come along and figured it out." Allah has made it clear to us that the ummah will never reach consensus on a manifest error. Sticking with the jama'ah is extremely important. Sit with a teacher who's qualified to teach you a fiqh text in one of the four madhhabs (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, or true, authentic Hanbali) and take your aqida in the same manner, from someone teaching Ashari (preferably) or Maturidi aqida. As for sufism, don't listen to anyone except one who is truly connected in one of the authentic chains (Naqshabandi, Shadhili, etc.). If you can't find people where you are to teach you these things, get a basic book that explains basics (like Nuh Keller's translation of Imam Nawawi's "Al-Maqasid" in fiqh, Hamza Yusuf's new "The Creed of Imam Tahawi" in aqida, or some sections from Imam Ghazali's "Ihya Ulum al-Din" in basic tasawwuf concepts.) www.sunnipath.com also offers interactive courses online if you can't find a scholar to sit with face-to-face. And Allah Alone gives success. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

Was-salam.

Answer 2

The Prophet already gave the answer to the question you pose. In the hadith where the Prophet spoke about the Muslims dividing themselves into 73 sects he said only one will go to paradise. When he was asked which group, he replied the group that is following his way and that of his companions.

So in order for you or anyone for that matter to be a mumin then they must submit to Allah as did the Prophet as well as his companions. We are to follow the Deen as followed by them in totality.

Islam is based on evidence and proofs so if someone says that salaam is OK then we ask for them to show us where in the authentic hadith did the Prophet or his companions do the salaam as the people are doing these days? If they provide the authentic hadith then all of us must do this if not we must stop doing this and must stop others from doing it as it is not part of Islam.

As for shirk then it is to associating with Allah, which means to give someone else Allah's attribute e.g. to ask from a wali for your needs when only Allah is the granter and disposer of affairs and hears the duas of His slaves.

For further information go to: www.islam-qa.com

Was-salaam

Answer 3

Asalamu alaykum,

I hope that my answer, sheds some light on your question InshaAllah.

Shirk is a major sin in Islam, and it is an unforgiveable sin. Shirk is an act where a person associates and/or compares Allah subhaan wa'atalah to any other partners in worship, intentionally or not. This is understandable, with the knowledge that the declaration of Islamic belief is built upon 'Ashadu illa illaha illallahu Ashadu Muhammadar Abduuhu Rasoolallahu'.

So, committing shirk is the action of disbelieving once you have believed. Being Muslim we understand the seriousness of our actions in rejecting the truth of Islam, once Allah subhaan wa'atalah has open our hearts and our minds to it.

In the Qu'ran 12:106, Allah subhaan wa'atalah says that majority of those who consider themselves believers are in fact mushrikeen.

I urge you to read a book called 'Tawheed' by Bilal Philips, that discusses the oneness of Allah subhaan wa'atalah. By understanding tawheed, you inshaAllah will become more intellectually equipped to depict actions that contradict or are in agreeance with the oneness of Allah subhaan wa'atalah.


This book goes on to discuss acts of shirk, large and small, that are all considered as a major sin. For example, crossing your fingers for good luck, touching wood not to jinx yourself or others, wearing your lucky red socks for a football match etc. All of these little things are considered as shirk, and have the same consequences of punishment as one that prays or asks any other deity for help, other than Allah subhaan wa'atalah.

Ultimately, although you have to take into consideration of what is said by the wahabbiis and the sufis, Allah subhaan wa'atalah gave mankind the intellect to question, and the Qu'ran and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Sallahu alayhi wasallam to provide the answers. If you feel that something is not in agreeance with the Qu'ran or the Sunnah, or if there is anything that you are not sure about, visit your local mosque, or ask an educated Muslim about it before you make the decision to practice that act. By doing this, inshaAllah it will help you achieve success and understanding in your deen.

Allah subhaan wa'atalah will not punish you for the bad deeds that you have committed, that you had no knowledge of at the time that you committed that act. But remember that Allah is Most Merciful, but yet Severe in Punishment. So it is up to us, to educate ourselves as to turn away from any ignorance that will lead Allah subhaan wa'atalah to be displeased with us.

Allah knows best. Ameen.

Answer 4

You duplicated your question so I duplicate my answer :) .
I suggest that you try "Dr. Ali Shariati"'s books to easily understand what is "shirk" n what is not (That's why Jean Pual Sartre said : "I have no religion, but if I were to choose one, it would be that of Shariati's") . Shirk doesn't just mean god is one n he's not two . When you say there's no god besides allah , it means , Oh god I'll just worship you with all my heart , I'll just obey you , I'd just pray to you , I'll just ask you , I'll just expect you to help me . n that's why muhammad always said I invite you to repeat a sentence which is easy to say but defficult to practise . As "Samantha" said Shia resources seems to be more logical . Much reasonable than "Muhammad Ibn Abdol Wahab" who claims : when night comes n everyone's asleep , god comes to down to earth n he gets back at dawn ... The man did not know earth is a globe ...
Good Luck .

Answer 5

My brother.... in faith. Don't worry about many controversy. You can learn about this religion from its source directly. Just go to the origin, don't follow the braches. It makes us to be lost.

The most importan is that Allah is your only God, no other than Him. This is the condition to enter the Garden or The Paradise. And also always use ration/mind and heart to follow the truth.

OK. You can....

Answer 6

I hear you brother...

I never had to deal with that until I opened up my eyes to the other sects there are in Islam.

I find it kind of confusing too sometimes, but whenever you feel that something has become blurr to you, try praying istikharah, and asking God to guide you to the right way.

Remember that reading the "Fatihah" a lot helps keep you on the straight path as well as "The Kafiroon".

If there's anything, I'll try to help if I can, my e-mail is open.

Peace.

Edit: Deep sky2, are you looking for this guy


Edit: Opps, sorry, I meant to post this link http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=Apq5hdwsmrwhwg_X3Bx_S0Td7BR.?show=Cpn5L2Ssaa

Answer 7

I totally understand where you are coming from. Muslims are divided into different groups. Shia, Sunni, Wahabbi, Sufi and so many more...(i get very much confused too..)
Shirk : the perfect definition of shirk is comparing someone else to Allah woshiping someone else along with Allah, example would be, showing off (riya) is a type of shirk. It is narrated in the Hadith that Allah's Messenger (P.B.U.H) said, "What i fear most for you is a form of Shirk." When asked about it, he said, "Ar-Riya (showing off)."
Muslim reports from Jabir (r) that Allah's messenger (p.b.u.h) said: "Whoever meets Allah (on the day of judgement) not having assosiated anyone with him (in worship), shall enter paradise; and whoever meets Him having committed Shirk in any way will enter hell fire."
Basically we muslims should have faith and blv in our kalima means, "There is nothing deserving of worship in truth besides Allah."

I hope this helps, infact if you have more questions, please feel free to e-mail me. We can discuss about this, and conclude with the right answer.

Answer 8

Listen to Samantha
Read Peshawar Nights - I read it a few years back and it really has a lot to say - it will clear up all your doubts about different sects and it will give you enough info to choose the right path.

Answer 9

Here is a book that explains lots of stuff...

Peshawar Nights:
http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/peshawar/toc.html

I hope u find ur answer...

EDIT:
BTW... its an Islamic book...

Answer 10

Here's a better way:

http://www.isaalmasih.net/isa/dreamsofisa.html