Becoming 'Murid' of 'Pir'

1. In fact, no where in the Quraan and Sunnah, it is said that we have to become a “Murid” of a “Pir”. And the word Pir and Murid itself cannot be found either in Quraan and Sunnah. Both of them are probably Persian words.

    2.   So, anybody saying, “everybody must be a “Murid of a Pir” is completely wrong. He is talking without reference.

3. Many a people say that “Pir” means teacher. So, you need to have a “Pir” to learn Islam. For them:

a.                   If “Pir” means teacher than what is the requirement of giving bayah (oath of allegiance) to him? Do we give other teachers Bayah?

b.                  One should have good number of teachers i.e. “Pir” which we don’t find generally among them.

c.                   If “Pir” is teacher, then we require to go to “Pir of Tafseer” i.e. Mufassir to learn Quraan, “Peer of Hadith” i.e. Muhaddith to learn Hadith, “Peer of Fiqh” i.e. Fakih to learn fiqh and ahkam, “Peer of History” to learn Islamic History. But, we don’t find these Murids learn separate aspects of Islam from separate teachers.

d.                  If the “Pir” i.e. teacher does not teach Islam based on Al Quraan and Shahih Hadith, he should not be taken as a teacher, we should not go to him.

4. More over, almost all (I am not saying 100% because I don’t know every “Pir” in our country) the “Pir” and their “Murid” are involved in either major or minor Shirk or Bidah or Haram acts which is in fact a curse for the sincere Muslims of this country and the sub continent.

5. The common shirki activities among the Pir-Murid of Bangladesh are listed in the attached paper “List of Shirk in Bangladesh”.  If anybody is involved in major shirk, then he becomes a Mushrik and the minor shirk is more severe than haram acts i.e. drinking alcohol, zina etc. If somebody is involved in Bidah, then he is a sinner and will not get water of “Hawz e Kawsar” from our prophet (peace be upon him) on akhirah.

6. A nice book on Sufism / “Pir – Murid” system is attached called “The Realities of Sufism”

7. Some of the major shirks done / believed by many of the Pir-Murid which take a person out of fold of Islam (makes him Mushrik or Kafir) are given below:

a.                   Believing that the prophet (peace be upon him) is also a knower of unseen (Alimul gayib) like Allah himself.

"And I do not say to you that with me are the Treasures of Allâh, "Nor that I know the Ghaib (unseen); "nor do I say I am an angel, and I do not say of those whom your eyes look down upon that Allâh will not bestow any good on them. Allâh knows what is in their inner-selves. In that case, I should, indeed be one of the Zâlimûn."  [Surah Hud 11:31]

b.                  Believing that the awlia / pir / wali Allah are knower of unseen (Alimul gayib) like Allah himself.

c.                   Believing that Gaus, Kutub and higher wali allah are helping hands of Allah in running the affairs of the world.

“He arranges (every) affair from the heavens to the earth, then it (affair) will go up to Him, in one Day, the space whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning (i.e. reckoning of our present world's time)”.  [Surah As-Sajda 32:5]

“Say: (O Muhammad SAW) "Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate gods) besides Allâh, they possess not even the weight of an atom (or a small ant), either in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor there is for Him any supporter from among them”.   [Surah Saba 34:22]

d.               Believing that the prophet (peace be upon him) is alive in the worldly sense, that is, he hears us, visits us during Milad and so on.

“Verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) will die and verily, they (too) will die. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will be disputing before your Lord.”  [Surah Az Zumar 39:30-31]

d.                  Writing and wearing Tabiz or amulets etc.

“Whoever hangs amulet (Tabiz etc) commits shirk” – Musnad Ahmad 4/156, Al Hysami and Mazmaul Zawaid.

e.                   Making dua to the prophets / awlia / saints etc.

“And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allâh, any other ilâh (god), of  whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kâfirûn will not be successful.”  [al-Muminun 23:117]

f.                    Calling the Pir in his absence to help in a disaster / problem.

“Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Allâh rescues you from it and from all (other) distresses, and yet you worship others besides Allâh.” [al-Anaam 6:64]

g.                   Trying to get barakah (goodness) from the graves of the prophets / previous pirs / awlia etc.

“Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allâh wills”.  [al-Araf 7:188]

h.                   Believing Abdul Kadir Zilani can help inside the grave.

 

i.                     Calling Abdul Kadir Zilani as “Dostogir”. (The person who held the hands of Allah)

 

j.                    Believing on the power of already “dead Pir” who can harm us on this earth if he is angry upon us.

“Is not Allâh Sufficient for His slave? Yet they try to frighten you with those (whom they worship) besides Him! And whom Allâh sends astray, for him there will be no guide”. [Az zuamr 39: 36]

k.                  Loving the Pir more than or as much as Allah himself.

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah. But those who believe, love Allaah more (than anything else).”  [al-Baqarah 2:165]

l.                     Making tawaf (surrounding) beside the grave of the earlier Pir (“Dada Pir” or Grand Dada Pir” etc).

m.                 Praying salat or reciting Al Quraan in or around the grave of a Pir so that ibadah is accepted quicker and “Pir” is happy upon him.

It was narrated that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, “He was warning against what they had done.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1330, Muslim, 529. 

“Do not say your Salat facing the grave” - Shahih Muslim, Vol: 2, page:668; Nasai 2/62; Musnad Ahmad 4/135

n.                   Sacrificing animal in the name of a Pir to satisfy him in different occasions.

o.                  Believing that man can be apart of Allah himself in higher status of “Pir Career”. They take “Ibn Arabee” or “Masur Hallz” as a great Muslim who was declared Murtad (Kafir) by all his contemporary scholars from all majhaab. He called himself “Anal Haqq” ( I am the Truth meaning Allah himself)

Ibn Arabi: http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/7691/

Mansur Hallaj: http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/21379/

( Note that I am not saying an individual is Musrik or Kafir that is the job of an Alim, I am saying if anybody believes or does acts mentioned above are supposed to go out of fold of Islam. There are excuses for a person if he/she did not know, wrong explanation, is forced to do an action etc. All these and many other major shirk are found among the Pirs and Murids of this country. Note that all these activities may not be found with one Pir. All these shirks are mentioned with details reference in the Bangla book “What is Shirk and Why?” by Dr Muzzamil Ali, Professor Islamic University, Kuhstia; 01710861310 – Writers mobile number; Education Center Sylhet (Sales Center) Mobile number: 01712668345. Brother Abdus Sabur is trying to manage a soft copy of the book; insha Allah it will be shared once it is available, till then we can collect / buy hard copies)

For further information please follow the following link:

http://www.islamqa.com/en/search/sufi/ExactPhrase/t%2Cq%2Ca/0

6.         The Bidah and Haram activities normally practiced by Pirs are:

            a.         Innovated durud, religious festivals.

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/10289/

            b.         Making structures over the graves.

“(then) those who won their point said (most probably the disbelievers): ‘We verily, shall build a place of worship over them’” [al-Kahf 18:21]

In al-Saheehayn it is also narrated that Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah (may Allaah be pleased with them) told the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about a church that they had seen in the land of Abyssinia, and the images that were in it. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a righteous man died among them, they would build a place of worship over his grave and put those images in it. They are the most evil of mankind before Allaah.” (Al-Bukhaari, 427; Muslim, 528) 

            c.         Celebrating Milad, Eid e Miladun Nabi etc.

            d.         Celebrating Urus. (either birth day or death anniversary of the senior Pirs.)

Conclusion: We should not become "Murid of a Pir" to save us from all these shirks, bidah and haram and many more. But if there is an imaginary "Pir" without any of these acts, who teaches Islam as per Quraan and Sunnah, then somebody may go for it. In that case, 'Pir' actually becomes an 'Alim'.

 

Allah knows the best.