Wahabi try their best to cast doubts in hearing and awareness of Dead about this world. In this section, we will see which objections they raise in order to defend their beliefs.
Wahabi says if Rasool (s) is really aware of our actions after his death, then why he doesn’t know what innovations Sahaba introduced after his death. And as proof, they bring the following Hadith of Pond.
Narrated Anas: “The Prophet said, ‘Some of my companions will come to me at my Lake Fount, and after I recognize them, they will then be taken away from me, whereupon I will say, ‘My companions!’ Then it will be said, ‘You do not know what they innovated (new things) in the religion after you.’
Translation of Sahih Bukhari, To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq), Volume 8, Book 76, Number 584
From this hadith, they want to prove that Rasool (s) didn’t know what happened after his death.
This problem is occurring while Wahabies are suffering from disease of Literalism and unable to differentiate between Literal and Figurative expressions. It is a very wrong interpretation which Wahabies conclude from this Hadith. That is why Rasool (s) ordered us to get guidance from Ahle-Bait (as).
If we take whole Quran and Sunnah of Rasool (s) into consideration, then we will come to know that all the incidents on the Day of Judgment will be happening in Rhetorical Form.
But what is this Rhetorical Form? Let us clear this term first, so that people can understand this in better way.A Rhetorical question is a question, wherein the inquisitor already knows the answer. And it is asked in order to make the things clear to all. All the incidents, which will take place on Judgment Day, are based on this Rhetorical Questioning, and there are several proofs for this in Quran. So, before going in details of this “Hadith of Pond”, let us quote an example from Quran. Allah (swt) is a knower of each and everything, either it is apparent or hidden. But still Allah (swt) will ask such a Rhetorical question to Isa (as), in order to make things clear for all and to establish the witnesses.
[Yusufali 5:116] And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah’?“
Indeed Allah already knew that Isa (as) never said to men to worship him or his mother as gods and Allah (swt) already know this. But since all the things will happen in Rhetorical form on Day of Judgment, so Allah asked this question, in order to establish the witness to this.
And in answer to this Rhetorical question, Hadhrat Isa (as) will reply:
[Yusufali 5:116] ��He will say: “Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.
Didn’t Allah know himself that He must be knowing all the things? Did he really need an answer from Isa (as) to make this fact clear to Him? No, surely not. But Allah (swt) will give a chance to Isa (as) to defend the charges upon him, and Isa (as) will make Allah too a witness upon his rightful actions.
Even Hafidh Ibn Kathir presented this same commentary on this verse. He writes:
Allah’s statement,
((“Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say)…”))
contains Allah’s direction for ‘Isa to utter the perfect answer. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, “Isa will be taught this argument in reply to what Allah will ask him.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 5:116
Now let’s return to hadith of Pond. Just look at the words of hadith once again:
“The Prophet said, ‘Some of my companions will come to me at my Lake Fount, and after I recognize them, they will then be taken away from me, whereupon I will say, ‘My companions!’
So, Rasool Allah (s) has already been told in this world that his Sahaba are going to introduce innovations in religion after him, and that at the Fount of Kawthar, they will be brought on left side by angels, and he will recognize them, and then they will be taken away…. . So the question is:
So believe it that at the day of Judgment, Rasool Allah (saw) already know that these companions will be taken to left side, and he already know what’s the reason for this. And when this scenario takes place, then it is only in rhetorical form (i.e. to make things clear to others and to establish the witness).
But since Wahabies believe whole Quran to be literal, and all the incidents on judgment day in the literal sense, so they cannot understand this hadith too.
Wahabies / Deobandies also cite the following verse of Quran, in order to prove that earlier Prophets also knew nothing.
[Yusufali 5:109] One day will Allah gather the messengers together, and ask: “What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?” They will say: “We have no knowledge: it is Thou Who knowest in full all that is hidden.”
From this verse too, they try to prove that earlier prophets also didn’t know what answer they received from their followers.
This verse has nothing to do with the “Hearing and Awareness” of death, as Wahabi try to link it with this issue. Please make it clear that this verse is not talking about the message what was given by their nations after their death, but Allah is asking them about the message what they received in their lifes. (i.e. there is no where talk of message after the death).
But then why Prophets are saying that they have no knowledge of this. In order to know it, we must keep in minds the horrible happenings of the Day of Judgment. Ibn Kathir says in the commentary of this verse:
(We have no knowledge)
is the result of the horror of that Day, according to Mujahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and As-Suddi. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ath-Thawri said that Al-A`mash said that Mujahid said about the Ayah,
(On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together and say to them: “What was the response you received”) They will become afraid and reply,
(We have no knowledge. ..)
Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded this explanation. `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
(On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together and say to them: “What was the response you received (from men to your teaching)’
They will say: “We have no knowledge, verily, only You are the Knower of all that is hidden.”) “They will say to the Lord, Most Honored, `We have no knowledge beyond what we know, and even that, You have more knowledge of them than us.” This response is out of respect before the Lord, Most Honored, and it means, we have no knowledge compared to Your encompassing knowledge. Therefore, our knowledge only grasped the visible behavior of these people, not the secrets of their hearts. You are the Knower of everything, Who has encompassing knowledge of all things, and our knowledge compared to Your knowledge is similar to not having any knowledge at all.
Similarly, Agha Mehdi Poya also gave the following Tafsir of this verse:
La ilma lana does not mean “We do not know anything”, but it means “the knowledge we have is not ours, it is Yours, gifted to us by You, and that too is limited. You are the infinite, omniscient”.
So this verse is not dealing about the incidents after the death of prophets, but during their life and cannot be used to deny the “Hearing” or “Awareness” of Dead.
The 3rd objection by Wahabies / Deobandies is this that Isa (as) also said that he was not witness of actions of his nation after his death. They quote the following Quranic verse as a proof.
[Yusufali 5:116-117] And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah’?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.”Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, ‘worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.
So from this verse, Salafies/Wabahies conclude that Hadhrat Isa (as) was unaware of the Deeds of his nation after his death. That is why he is saying that he was witness only when he dwelt among them. And after that, he was unaware of the Deeds of his nation and hence it is wrong to say that Prophet Muhammad (saw) is also aware of our actions after his death.
Salafies cannot cite the incidents on the Day of Ressurrection in order to prove that Prophets are unaware of our Deeds, while all these things are happening there in “Rhetorical” from, in order to make things clear to Kuffar, and only these things are mentioned which happened in this world (i.e. account of only those actions/deeds are taken into consideration, which we did in this world. And all those things, which happened Spiritually in this world, they would not be mentioned at that stage.
If Salafies don’t accept this fact and keep on sticking to their Conjectures, then we will show them how many contraditions are going to occur in Quran.
Problem with Wahabies is this that they take only one part of Quran which suits to their ideas, while leaving the other. The only right understanding of Quran can come through Ahle-Bait (as).
Before we proceed further, it is necessary to understand what Salafies understand from being “Witness”.
For example, let’s see the following verse of Quran:
[Pickthal 4:41] But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammad) a witness against these?
And similarly the following verse:
[Pickthal 2:143] Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that ye may be witnesses against mankind, and that the messenger may be a witness against you.
Common Muslim understanding is this that Shahid means a witness, and when ala follows shahid it means a raqib or muhaymin (a close watcher and a careful observer). Please refer to al-Baqarah: 143. Also refer to al-Rad: 43; al-Hud: 17; al-Nahl: 84 and 89. Allah shall bring, from among every people, a witness, and bring the Holy Prophet as a witness over those witnesses. So it is a blasphemy to say that he is not aware of our actions.
But contrary to this Muslim Understanding, Salafies claim that Rasool Allah (saww) never obsereved the actions of his nation or previous nations. And he became Shahid (witness) only due to Quran i.e. Allah told the stories of earlier nations in Quran. And Rasool Allah (saw) will give that witness on the bases of this knowledge of Quran.
The Saudi published Urdu Quran with Urdu translation and Tafseer, writes in the Tafseer of above mentioned verse 4:41 that:
“Every Prophet will say to Allah that they gave His message to their respective nations. And if they didn’t accept it then it was not our fault. Upon that Prophet Muhammad (saw) will come forward and witness: “Ya Allah, they are telling the truth.” Rasool Allah (saw) will give this witness on the bases of Quran, which was revealed on him and it is telling the stories of earlier Nations.”
If it has become clear to our Readers what Salafies think about “Witness”, then we can proceed forward.
[Pickthal 4:159] There is not one of the People of the Scripture but will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them -
In this verse, Allah (swt) is confirming that Hadhrat Isa (as) is “Witness” to each and every Christian and Jew till the day of Qiyammah.
Even if we look at the Salafi doctrine of “Witness”, again Hadhrat Isa (as) would be knowing about his nation, while near the end of this universe, he will again descend to this world and pray behind Imam Mahdi (as). And Quran will there with all the stories of earlier nations.
So, this fact is beyond any doubt that Hadhrat Isa (as) is aware of the actions of his nation, and will be a “Witness” of this on Day of Judgment.
Now situation is this that if we have to follow the Salafi Doctrine of Literalism, then we have contradictions in the following two Quranic Verses:
Dear Readers, we hope you would have been able now to see the results of following Salafi doctrine of Literalism.
And as we stated earlier, the things are happening in “Rhetorical” form on the day of Judgment. When Hadhrat Isa (as) said that he was witness only when he dwelt among them, then it means that he was responsible for his duties while he was among his nation. And as Allah (swt) took him up to the heavens, then he was no more responsible for the Deeds of his nation.
And on the day of Judgment, when account of our Deeds are taken, then only those things are mentioned which practically happened in this world. But no account will be taken of those things, which happened Spiritually at that stage.
If Salafies still think it to be otherwise, then surely they are blaming Hadhrat Isa (as) to be a lair and also they are claiming to be contraditions in Quran.
Similarly, there a lot more Ahadith which show that incidents will take place in Rhetorical Form on the Day of Judgement. For example, we all know that all the Prophets will surely go to Jannah. But still there are a lot of Ahadith which tell how horrible the day of Judgment will be and even all these prophets will be trembling out of fear and didn’t know what will happen with them. And they also have to go through this Rehtorical Questioning.
In earleir chapters, we mentioned so many clear Quranic verses and Ahadith of Rasool Allah (saw), which make it beyond any doubt that Dead can hear. But Salafies are trying to deny all these Quranic Verses and Ahadith, only on the bases of their Conjectures.
Allahuma Sallay Allah Muhammad wa Aale Muhammad.