Chapter Seven: Umar Ibn Khattab’s disease of literalism

Salafies follow only Bidahs of Umar, instead of Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw)

Yes, it is true the Salafies are only following the Bidahs of Umar in their Doctrine, instead of following the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw). Insha-Allah, in this chapter, we will see all these innovations.

But first let us introduce one of the most authentic Saudi backed Salafi website  www.salafipublications.com. They have an article on “Tabarruk” in which they accepted the half Truth about Rasool Allah (saw) i.e. Sahaba Karam used to seek benefit from the Barakah of the relics of Rasool Allah (saw).

But they denied the remaining half, in order to defend some of the innovations of Umar, on which their whole doctrine rests.

The particulars of articles are as under:

The Understanding of Tabarruk with Ahl us-Sunnah
Author: Salih bin `Abdul-`Aziz bin Muhammad Aal ash-Shaikh
Source: Hadhihi Mafahimuna (Eng trans. and additions by Abu Iyad)
Article ID: TAW040001
Online Link:  www.salafipublications.com – (Cached)

So, let’s begin with Allah’s help.

Salafies acceptance that Sahaba used to seek benefit from the Tabarrukat of Rasool Allah (saw)

Salafipublications.com:

The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is blessed in his physical body, in his characteristics and actions, and this barakah can also be brought about by his physical body, his characteristics and his actions. It is firmly established from the Companions that they used to seek blessings through certain things from his body which had separated from his body, such as his hair, or the water from the wudhoo’ or blood etc. These hadeeths have come in the two Saheehs and are authentic.

One wonder, why Salafies don’t issue the fatwas of Shirk against these Sahaba by using their normal objections i.e.

• Allah is more closer than jugular vein, did they think that Allah cannot hear them?
• Why didn’t they ask Allah DIRECTLY for the Barakah?
• Why don’t Salafies compare the actions of Sahaba with the actions of Mushrikeen, when they sought benefit from their idols?

But Salafies have “Double Standards”. They have reserved such type of objections only for us.

Salafi innovation of denying Barkah in those places which Rasool Allah (saw) visited or rested

Note: This is one of the most important Issue, and Salafies have to deny Barakah in the places, which were visited by Rasool Allah (saw) for the following 2 reasons:

• Saving honour of Umar Ibn Khattab, who destroyed Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw), and introduced his own misguided innovations.
• And most important thing, Salafies of Saudi Arabia wanted to defend the destruction of all those sacred places, which were visited by Rasool Allah (saw).

Please read the following carefully, and many things will become clear to you. Insha-Allah.

Salafpublications.com:

As for seeking barakah from the places where the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) went, such as a place in which he stopped and rested (on a journey) or a place in which he prayed or where he placed his foot or placed his hand etc., then there is no text or evidence that has been reported which shows that the barakah of the physical essence rubbed off onto these places such that they possessed barakah of the physical essence and that tabarruk should be made through them. And for this reason, none of the Sahaabah used to do this, neither during his life nor after his life.

Indeed there is also Barakah in the places which Rasool Allah (saw) visited or where he rested. But Salafies have to deny it in order to hide their evil crime of destructing those sacred places.

Let us see what Quran says and what is Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw) as compared to Salafi claim.

Allah says in Quran about the benefit of standing place of Ibrahim (as):

[Pickthal 3:97] Wherein are plain memorials (of Allah’s guidance); the place where Abraham stood up to pray ; and whosoever entereth it is safe. And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto Allah for mankind,

And Allah also tells in Quran about the Samari, who took benefit from the dust, from where Jibrael (as) passed away. When Samari put that mud into the idol of calf (which he made himself), that idol started speaking due to the sacred blessing of that dust. Allah tells us in quran:

[Pickthal 20:96] He (Samiri) said: I perceived what they perceive not, so I seized a handful from the footsteps of the messenger (Jibrael), and then threw it in.

[Note: Almost all the Ahadith of Rasool Allah (saw) tells us that this messenger was Jibrael (as). Saudi Government’s published Quran with Urdu translation and Tafseer says in the Tafseer of above mentioned verse that that sand become blessed while horse of Jibrael (as) passed over it. And when Samiri put that in idol of calf, it started speaking due to that Barakah]

And also when one blind Sahabi asked Rasool Allah [saww] to pray in one part of his house, so that he can take that place as place of worship and attain benefit from it’s barakah.

Narrated Mahmuid bin Rabi’ Al-Ansari:
‘Itban bin Malik used to lead his people (tribe) in prayer and was a blind man, he said to Allah’s Apostle , “O Allah’s Apostle! At times it is dark and flood water is flowing (in the valley) and I am blind man, so please pray at a place in my house so that I can take it as a Musalla (praying place).” So Allah’s Apostle went to his house and said, “Where do you like me to pray?” ‘Itban pointed to a place in his house and Allah’s Apostle, offered the prayer there
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11, Number 636
Note: Please also see Sahih Muslim Book 001, Number 0053 and Malik’s Muwatta book 9, Number 9.24.89

And also the Sahaba used to get benefit of Barakah by the house in which Rasool Allah [saww] entered.

Narrated Abu Burda: When I came to Medina. I met Abdullah bin Salam. He said, “Will you come to me so that I may serve you with sawiq (i.e. powdered barley) and dates, and let you enter a (blessed) house in which the Prophet entered?
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 159

Also see the following:

Narrated Yazid bin Al ‘Ubaid:
I used to accompany Salama bin Al-Akwa’ and he used to pray behind the pillar which was near the place where the Quran’s were kept I said, “O Abu Muslim! I see you always seeking to pray behind this pillar.” He replied, “I saw Allah’s Apostle always seeking to pray near that pillar.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 481

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:
The Prophet entered the Ka’ba along with Usama bin Zaid, ‘Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka’ba. I asked Bilal “Where did the Prophet pray?” Bilal replied, “Between the two front Pillars.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 483

And also Prophet Muhammad (saw) ordered his Sahaba to drink water only from that blessed Well , from where the she-camel of Salih (as) used to drink water.

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar:
The people landed at the land of Thamud called Al-Hijr along with Allah’s Apostle and they took water from its well for drinking and kneading the dough with it as well. (When Allah’s Apostle heard about it) he ordered them to pour out the water they had taken from its wells and feed the camels with the dough, and ordered them to take water from the well whence the she-camel (of Prophet Salih) used to drink.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 562

In fact, the merits of Madina, of prayer in Madina, of visiting the Masjid al-Nabawi, of living in Madina, of not cutting its trees, etc. are all based on the fact that the Prophet is there. The fact that it is a sanctuary (haram) and a preserve (hima) is well documented in numerous ahadith. It is even strongly recommended not to enter Madina except on foot, and many Companions, Tabi`in, and Tabi` al-Tabi`in never entered it except on foot, in respect for the Holy Presence of the Prophet.

Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib:
The Prophet said: “Madina’s fresh grass is not to be cut, its game is not to be driven away, and things dropped in it are to be picked up only by one who publicly announces it, and it is not permissible for any man to carry weapons in it for fighting, and it is not advisable that its trees are cut except what a man cuts for the fodder of his camel.
Abu Dawud, 10: 2030
Source:  Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine – (Cached)

Note: There is a lot more documentation of Madina being Haram حرم (Sanctuary)

The Salafi Alim also denies physical Barakah in Masjid-ul-Haram and Masjid-ul-Nabi.

Salafipublications.com:

Firstly: The specific type of barakah in the places of worship such as Masjidul-Haram and Masjid ul-Aqsaa, then the barakah which they contain is not obtained by the physical parts of the masjid, such as the walls, the floor or the pillars etc.

Another Bidah by this Salafi Alim and indeed there is physical Barakah in Masjid-ul-Haram and Masjid-ul-Nabi. And physical Barakah can be sought from each and every inch of these mosques. If you go to Hajj, you will see people are touching the walls of Holy Kaaba and kissing it and praying by keeping their hands on the walls of Kaaba. Just see the image below:

This is only and only Double Standards and Innovations of Salafies to declare it shirk to seek barakah from Masjid-e-Nabi, while same act is done in holy Kaaba and not considered by them shirk.

Another important question is, how to obtain this physical Barakah from these Masajid?

Answer is, by showing respect to them as they are Sha’air Allah. Any physical act, which can show respect, can be performed to obtain this Barakah. For example, touching and kissing it walls, making them spots of worship, etc. Just look how Allah commanded Musa (as) to show physical respect to His sign.

[Pickthal 20:12] Lo! I, even I, am thy Lord, So take off thy shoes , for lo! thou art in the holy valley of Tuwa.

A challenge to Salafies

Instead of using their conjectures, it’s a challenge to Salafies to show us single Hadith, in which Rasool Allah (saw) denied Barakah in the places that he visited or where he rested.

How strange, the mud, from where Jibrael (as) went away, can become blessed one. But the places where Master and Mawla of Jibrael (as) [i.e. Rasool Allah (saw)] has passed or lived, it contains no Barakah?]

Bidah of Umar bin Khattab vs. Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saw)

Salafi Alim further writes about Sunnah (Bidah) of Umar:

Umar forbade this practice. Ma’roor bin Suwaid al-Asadi said, “I went along with Umar (from Makkah to Madinah). When we arose in the morning, Umar saw people going in a certain direction. He said, ‘Where are they going?’ and they said, ‘They are going to a mosque in which the Prophet prayed’. Umar said, “Verily the Prophet before you were destroyed because of their veneration of the places where the Prophets prayed. They used to follow the tracks of their Prophets and made them into places of worship…
Ibn Waddah al-Qurtubi in al-Bida, Ibn Abi Shaibah in his Musannaf with a sahih isnad

Salafies have to understand that Islam is not the name of following the Bidahs of Umar Ibn Khattab, but of following Sunnah of Allah and Sunnah of his Prophet (saw). So, we ask our Salafi friends to bring us even a SINGLE verse of Quran, or Single Prophetic Hadith, which prohibits respecting and places, where these Prophets passed away or rested.

Contrary to Umar’s conjecture, Allah himself ordered to show respect and to follow the track of such places. E.g.

• Allah says follow the tracks of Hadhrat Hajrah (as) and do Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, while Umar Ibn Khattab says it is destruction of nations.
• And Rasool Allah (saw) prayed in the home of blind Sahabi Utban, so that he make that spot a place of worship, while Ibn Khattab says it’s destruction of nations.
• And Prophet (saw) forbade the Sahaba to drink water from the well of Kuffar, but ordered them to drink from the well, from where she-camel of Hadhrat Salih (as) used to drink. While Ibn Khattab says it’s destruction of nations.
• Allah says to make the praying place of Ibrahim as our place of Salah (praying), while Ibn Khattab says it to be destruction of nations.
• And see the following traditions

Narrated Mahmuid bin Rabi’ Al-Ansari:
‘Itban bin Malik used to lead his people (tribe) in prayer and was a blind man, he said to Allah’s Apostle , “O Allah’s Apostle! At times it is dark and flood water is flowing (in the valley) and I am blind man, so please pray at a place in my house so that I can take it as a Musalla (praying place).” So Allah’s Apostle went to his house and said, “Where do you like me to pray?” ‘Itban pointed to a place in his house and Allah’s Apostle, offered the prayer there.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11, Number 636

Please also see Sahih Muslim Book 001, Number 0053 and Malik’s Muwatta book 9, Number 9.24.89

Now Salafies are free to issue fatwa of Shirk upon Rasool Allah (saw) and that blind Sahabi.

Narrated Abu Burda: When I came to Medina. I met Abdullah bin Salam. He said, “Will you come to me so that I may serve you with sawiq (i.e. powdered barley) and dates, and let you enter a (blessed) house in which the Prophet entered?
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 159

Narrated Yazid bin Al ‘Ubaid:
I used to accompany Salama bin Al-Akwa’ and he used to pray behind the pillar which was near the place where the Quran’s were kept I said, “O Abu Muslim! I see you always seeking to pray behind this pillar.” He replied, “I saw Allah’s Apostle always seeking to pray near that pillar.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 481

If Ibn Khattab is correct, then these Sahaba are the destroyed ones.

And what about Abdullah Ibn Umar? Was he also a destroyed one, when he prayed at the places, where Rasool Allah (saw) prayed?

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:
The Prophet entered the Ka’ba along with Usama bin Zaid, ‘Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka’ba. I asked Bilal “Where did the Prophet pray?” Bilal replied, “Between the two front Pillars.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 483

Please also see the article below, where we show how Ibn Umar followed the tracks of Rasool Allah (saw).

And why Madina was given the status of “Haram”? Why Sahaba entered it only bare footed?

Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib:
The Prophet said: “Madina’s fresh grass is not to be cut, its game is not to be driven away, and things dropped in it are to be picked up only by one who publicly announces it, and it is not permissible for any man to carry weapons in it for fighting, and it is not advisable that its trees are cut except what a man cuts for the fodder of his camel.
Abu Dawud, 10: 2030

Umar Ibn Khattab always thought that he got the birth right to make new innovations in Shar’ia of Islam. If we add all his innovations, then surely he becomes innovator No. 1 in Islam. (Please see our article “Bidah” in order to see some of innovations by Umar).

Allah prohibited only “Sajdah of Tazeem”, when it comes to “respecting the signs of Allah”. But Umar Ibn Khattab went several steps ahead of Allah, and he prohibited all that what he wished.

In fact, his problem was the same as Salafies have (surely Salafies inherited these misguided innovations from Umar) i.e. his mind didn’t have the ability to differentiate between “Respecting” the signs of Allah and “Worshipping” them.

We repeat our CHALLANGE to Salafies i.e. instead of coming up with conjectures/innovations of Umar Ibn Khattab, show us a single verse by Allah (swt), or a single hadith of Rasool Allah (saw), in which they had made it Haram and prohibited the people from doing it.

Umar Ibn Khattab vs. his son Abdullah

Even Ibne Umar, the son of Umar Ibn Khattab, was not ready to accept the innovations of his father. He refused to follow many innovations of his father like in Mutta of Hajj and in Mutta of Nisa’a. And again in case of “Respecting the Sha’air Allah”, he refused to follow the innovations of his father.

Narrated Nafi’:
Ibn ‘Umar never offered the Duha prayer except on two occasions:

(1) Whenever he reached Mecca; and he always used to reach Mecca in the forenoon. He would perform Tawaf round the Ka’ba and then offer two Rakat at the rear of Maqam Ibrahim.

(2) Whenever he visited Quba, for he used to visit it every Saturday. When he entered the Mosque, he disliked to leave it without offering a prayer. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that Allah’s Apostle used to visit the Mosque of Quba (sometime) walking and (sometime) riding. And he (i.e. Ibn ‘Umar) used to say, “I do only what my companions used to do and I don’t forbid anybody to pray at any time during the day or night except that one should not intend to pray at sunrise or sunset.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 283

And we read in Mughni 3:559; al-Shifa’ 2:54; Ibn Sa`d, Tabaqat 1:13; Mawsu`at Fiqh `Abdullah ibn `Umar p. 52:

Ibn `Umar used to touch the seat of the Prophet’s minbar and then wipe his face for blessing

Similarly, Umar also innovated when he cut the tree, under which Rasool Allah (saw) took oath of allegiance from his Shaba. This tree has also been mentioned in Quran. Sahaba Karam used to seek Barakah from this tree. But Umar ordered to cut it while his “Literal” mind was also unable to differentiate between “Respecting” and “Worshiping” the sings of Allah. [Ibn Sa`d (1:73)]

However Ibn `Umar didn’t follow the innovation of his father and he derived blessings even from walking in the same spots where the Prophet had walked and praying exactly where he had prayed both at the Ka`ba and on his travels, and that he watered a certain tree under which Prophet had prayed so that it would not die. Bayhaqi (Sunan 5:245)

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:
The Prophet entered the Ka’ba along with Usama bin Zaid, ‘Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka’ba. I asked Bilal “Where did the Prophet pray?” Bilal replied, “Between the two front Pillars.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 483

Ibn Umar also didn’t follow the other innovations of his father in Mutta of Woman and in Mutta of Hajj.  Also see the next chapter about Literalism of Umar Ibn Khattab, when he denied any Barakah in Hajar-e-Aswad. We hope, now it would have also been become clear to our Readers that Salafies have also to deny it in order to hide their evil crimes of destroying such sacred places (partial list of such places is coming ahead).