Bismillah…

How religious is your religious school? Err, what?! Living in an “Islamic” country, one would think that we practice the deen according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah SAW. Sadly, if any of the sahabah was still living, and visit the country, they would broke into tears. As an Islamic country, Alhamdulillah, Religion is emphasised in the curriculum. That means, either you are a muslim or non-muslim, you MUST study Islam, for examination and university entrance. This is good and excellent. But of course, nothing is perfect. Every good thing has its flaws too.

1. The books! What of the books? Here are my findings. 

It says here that Tawheed is Ilm al-Kalam. Philosphy! What does the ulama says about philosophy?

Imâm Al-Shâfi’î said:
People didn’t become ignorant and didn’t differ amongst themselves except because they left Arabic and leaned towards the language of Aristotle
Quoted by Al-Suyûtî in Sawn Al-Mantiq p15.

Imam Ibn Hajar al ‘Asqalaani (rahimahullah):

“Their sayings with regards to censuring the people of Kalaam (philosophical speech and theology) are well known. The reason for such censure was that the people of ‘Kalam’ spoke about those matters which both the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) and his Companions (radhiyallaahu ‘ anhum) remained quiet about.

It is established from Imam Maalik that there did not exist at the time of the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) nor that of Abu Bakr (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) or ‘Umar (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu), anything from these desires – meaning: the innovation of the Khawaarij, the Raafidah and the Qadariyah. Indeed, those who came after the first three excellent generations expanded upon matters which the Imaams of the Taabi’oon and those who followed them, rejected. 

The people of Kalam did not content themselves, until they filled the Deen with issues and the sayings of the philosophers. They made this philosophy the basis and the fundamental principle to which everything was referred back to, and all that which opposed it from the narrations of the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam), his Companions (radhiyallaahu ‘ anhum) and the Salaf who followed them ; then ta’weel (false interpretation) was made of them, even if they were averse to the result. Nor did they content themselves with just this. 

They claimed that what they had compiled was the noblest branch of knowledge and the most deserving to be acquired; and that those who did not use what they had laid down, then they were from the laymen and the ignorant ones. So delight is for the one who clings to what the Salaf were upon, and distances himself from the innovations that the khalaf (the latecomers who opposed the ‘aqeedah and manhaj of the Salaf) introduced. However, if one cannot keep away from it, then let him take only that which he needs and let the way of the Salaf be his intended goal.”
(Fath al Baari 13/253)

Ash-Shahrastaani said the same thing, noting after spending a long time studying the philosophers and scholars of ‘ilm al-kalam, he found nothing but the confusion and regret, as he says,
“All my life, I went around the schools of philosophy, studying all of those schools. And I never saw anything but people resting their chins on their hands or gnashing their teeth in regret.” 
Ash-Shahrastaani, Nihaayat al-Iqdaam fi ‘Ilm al-Kalaam, p.3

Al-Juwayni, one of the most prominent students of the Islamic Philosophy, warned against studying this: “O my friends, do not study ‘ilm al-kalaam. Had I known what ‘Ilm al-Kalaam would do to me, I would have not studied it.”

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa Ibn Taymiyah and also Al-Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah, p.7

When he was dying, he said in regret and sorrow: “I threw myself into a vast ocean, and forsook the people of Islam and their knowledge. I endulged in that which they had warned me against, and now if Allah does not shower me with His mercy, then wot to Ibn al-Juwayni. Here I am, dying on the ‘aqeedah of my mother”, or he said, ” on the aqeedah of old women (i.e. simple aqeedah.)”

 

This is a text on The Battle of Siffin. Sadly enough, the history is incorrect and obviously came from a shia’ source. I am currently reading a book, correcting the history of the sahabah, jahiliyyah and other Islamic history that has been painted wronly. It is the malay translation, the author is a history professor from University Al Azhar. 

This came from Book of Tawheed, tackling issue on deviant groups. It says here, one of the way to recognise this particular tareqah is through their attire. The men wear green turban, whilst the women wear black from head to toe, niqab to abaya. Which painted bad image on women who wear black!!

2. Allowing free mixing of the male and female in a class. Which allows unnecessary interaction between the opposite gender. 

“The look is a poisonous arrow that returns to the heart of the onlooker, striking it and affecting it, or killing it and causing it to die. So none of them should look at what Allah has forbidden. The creation of this look and this eyesight is a blessing, which humans must use for only that which Allah has permitted. He must use them for only those things that Allah has allowed and refrain from using them for those things that Allah has forbidden. Allah says about men: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze.” (An-Nur:30) And He says about women : “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze.” (An-Nur:31)  (Sheikh Fawzan pg.7 Advice to the Muslim Woman”)

There will always be people who come up with reasons from their aqal, whilst indirectly rejecting the Al Quraan and the As Sunnah. 

Shaykh Ibn Jibreen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on correspondence between young men and women, if this correspondence is free from immorality and love? 

He replied: 

It is not permissible for any man to correspond with a woman who is not his mahram, because of the fitnah (temptation) involved in that. A person may think that there is no fitnah, but the Shaytaan will keep trying until he tempts him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded those who heard of the Dajjaal to keep away from him, and said that a man may approach him as a believer, but the Dajjaal will keep trying until he leads him astray. 

Correspondence between young men and women involves a great deal of fitnah and danger, so we must avoid it, even though the questioner says that this correspondence is free from immorality and love. 

[Fataawa al-Mar’ah, compiled by Muhammad al-Musnad, p. 96.] 

“O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to Allaah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner” (33:32)

Ibn al-Jawzi said in Talbees Iblees (277): 

Abu’l-Qaasim al-Hareeri told us that Abu’l-Tayyib al-Tabari said: As for listening to songs from a woman who is not a mahram, the companions of al-Shaafa’i said: It is not permissible, whether she is a free woman or a slave. 

He said: and al-Shaafa’i said: If the owner of a slave woman gathers people to listen to her (singing), then he is a fool whose testimony should be rejected. Then he spoke sternly concerning that and said: It is cuckoldry. 

Ibn al-Jawzi said: The master (of such a woman) is regarded as a fool and evildoer because he calls people to falsehood, and the one who calls people to falsehood is a fool and an evildoer.