Some basic beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah - In the opinion of the scholars of the Ummah

[The first part of this article ran here.  Here we present some of the basic tenets of faith of the Ahle Sunnah as described by the greatest scholars of the Ummah, showing that the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah are the true beliefs of Islam]


Belief in intercession

 

It is a consensus of the Ahle Sunnah that the Prophets and other favorites of Almighty Allah intercede (Shafaa’ah) on behalf of others.  The Khawarij, the Mu’tazila and those who hold such beliefs deny intercession and try to explain away those verses of the Holy Quran and Hadith in which intercession is explicitly mentioned in some other round-about manner so as to deny it.

 

‘Allama Qazi ‘Iyaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has clarified thus:

 

Translation: Qazi ‘Iyaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has said: The position of the Ahle Sunnah is clear and is established by the verses of the Holy Quran and the Hadith……………..that the faithful interceding for the sinners is correct.  The pious predecessors of the Ahle Sunnah and the later scholars have come to a consensus on this.  (‘Umdatul Qari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 208)

 

The proof of the miracles of the saints

 

The proof of the miracles of the saints is found in the verses of the Holy Quran and the Hadith.  The Ahle Sunnah has a consensus on this as well and this is their position.  As ‘Allama ‘Aini (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes in the interpretation of a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation: This mentions a clear miracle of Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him) and this also proves the miracles of the saints and this is the position of the Ahle Sunnah.  (‘Umdatul Qari, Bab…)

 

‘Allama ‘Aini (May Allah shower His mercy on him) also writes in the incident of Juraij:

 

Translation: There is proof in this that the miracles of the saints are correct and this is the position of the Ahle Sunnah and the scholars of the Ummah.  The Mu’tazila hold beliefs contrary to this.  (‘Umdatul Qari…)

 

Respect and love for the Companions

 

Along with love of the Prophet’s Family, love and respect for the Companions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), especially the first 4 Caliphs, is also a part of basic tenets of beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah.  It is also necessary to believe that order of their caliphate is the order of their superiority.  As ‘Allama Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:

 

Translation: The Ahle Sunnah has reached a consensus on this that the order of superiority of the first 4 Caliphs is the same as the order of their caliphate with the Ahle Sunnah.  (Fath Ul Bari, Hadith No. 3395)

 

Even if a sinner performs a good deed will receive the reward, he will receive the reward of it

 

If a sinner performs a good deed, then he/she can hope for reward of that good deed as well even though at other times, that person might be a liar, a drunkard.  The responsibility of these sins is on that person of course, but along with it, that person will also receive the virtues of good deeds.  The Ahle Sunnah agrees on this.  In the commentary on the Hadith that some people will recite the Holy Quran but it will not benefit them at all, ‘Allama Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani writes:

 

Translation: The person who learns the Holy Quran, recites it as worship and supplicates through it, then even though that person might be deep in sins, the reward (of the Holy Quran) will not be denied.  Similarly, there is an example about a memorizer of the Holy Quran that if he (or she) is involved in sinning at other times, then as per the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah, that person will receive the reward for recitation of the Holy Quran.  (Fath Ul Bari..)

 

This rebuffs the objection which is raised about gifting of reward (Isaal-e-Sawaab) that if sinners perform good deeds, these acts are not worthy of being rewarded.  This very thought is against the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah and thus absolutely wrong as with the Ahle Sunnah whoever performs a good deed, regardless of whether that person is pious or not, will receive the reward of the good deed.

 

To stop others from insulting the Companions is Compulsory on Muslims

 

The way respecting and revering the Companions is obligatory with the Ahle Sunnah and disrespecting them and insulting them is gross misguidance, similarly stopping people from disrespecting them is Compulsory (Wajib).  ‘Allama Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:

 

Translation: It is Compulsory (Wajib) to stop anyone from taunting and disrespecting even a single Companion.  The Ahle Sunnah have agreed on this.  (Fath Ul Bari, Hadith No. 6556)

 

The knowledge of the unseen

 

The Prophets (May peace be upon them) and the saints are granted knowledge of the unseen by Almighty Allah.  These personages have knowledge of the unknowable by the grant of Almighty Allah.  They neither claim to know it all by themselves nor can this be called sorcery or the like, may Allah protect us from thinking so.  Sorcerers and the like are misled by Satan.  The Prophets and the saints are granted the knowledge of hidden things by the Lord of the Universe by revelation (Wahi) or divine inspiration (Ilhaam).  As per the Ahle Sunnah, the Prophets (May peace be upon them) have the knowledge of unseen as given in Sharh ‘Aqaaid Nasafi:

 

Translation: The knowledge of the unseen in reserved only for Almighty Allah.  For the slaves, there is no path to it except that Almighty Allah grants it through either revelation or divine inspiration and expresses it through a miracle at the hands of the Prophet or at the hands of a saint (Mu’jiza wa Karaamat).  (Sharh ‘Aqaaid Nasafi, Pg. No. 343)

 

With the Ahle Sunnah, the supplications of the living in favor of the dead are accepted and its effect is expressed on the deceased.  In the same way, the reward of good deeds, charity, recitation of the Holy Quran, Dhikr, etc. also reaches them.  Many verses of the Holy Quran, Hadith and Traditions of the Companions attest to this.  As the author of ‘Aqaaid Nasafi writes in Nibraas Sharh Sharh ‘Aqqaid Nasafiyya, Pg. No. 342.

 

Only a few beliefs have been mentioned here.  All the beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah are established by the Holy Quran and the Hadith.  The only group which has held these beliefs from the earliest times and has done all to safeguard them is the Ahle Sunnah, which has been described in the Hadith as “those who are on my path and on the path of my Companions.”