Bid'ah Promoters Hypocrisy

I am so disappointed with pathetic excuses such as 'We should stop this discussion because it offends people who practice it.' or 'Look, this's gone too far, we have to stop.' Don't they realise that this was the same kind of excuse used by Soeharto to stop people from being critical of his policies? (It's just happened that at the same time they were discussing whether we should forgive Soeharto or not, big deal! What is it to do with me?).



I won't be disappointed if they say the excuses when we are talking about any other aspects of our life. But I will be disappointed when they say this when we are talking about religion, a matter that not only affecting our life here and now, but also affecting the next eternal life that we all believe as part of our eeman.



Is this a mere politeness? You are fooled if you believe so. Soeharto and other dictators do it because they can smell the rats if the debate continue. They are too scared to handle the truth. They don't want people to be enlightened and see their defects.



In the same manner, those promoters of innovations in religion, when we are trying to expose the weaknesses of their case, they would say the same excuses. They would use millions of people, who most of them innocently follow their supposedly trusted leaders in practicing bid'ah, who would be offended if the debate continues, to defend their baseless rituals. They would refer to so and so scholars or public figures who condones the practises when we argue their case. Don't they know that they can not use the same defences later on in front of Allah?



وإذا قيل لهم اتبعوا ما أنزل الله قالوا بل نتبع ما ألفينا عليه آباءنا أولو كان آباؤهم لا يعقلون شيئا ولا يهتدون

When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah hath revealed:" They say: "Nay! we shall follow the ways of our fathers." What! even though their fathers were void of wisdom and guidance? (Al Baqarah 170)



ومثل الذين كفروا كمثل الذي ينعق بما لا يسمع إلا دعاء ونداء صم بكم عمي فهم لا يعقلون

The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout Like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom.(Al Baqarah 171)





I would like to expose an incident that took place a few days ago to show how real the threat of bid'ah to this religion is. And at the same time I want to indulge myself proving how hypocrite the promoters of this practise are (They don't mean what they say! and I can not find any subtler words, Sorry).



One of our jamaah commemorate the death of her father (may Allah forgive his sins and accept all his deeds) by organising 'tahlilan' on the 40th days after his death. Coincidentally, the 40th day fell on Friday on whose night we hold our weekly gathering in the masjid. I asked them to shift the occasion but their leaders argued that it has to be done on that day, can not be moved one day earlier or later, it has to be on that day! They already forgot the argument that tahlilan was not a ritual. Ask them where was it in the Holy Qur'an or the tradition of the Prophet, peace be upon him (PBUH), you can find the dalil or basis that you must make 'tahlilan' on the 40th day. Nowhere!



They would then argue that the essence of tahlilan is to make supplication to Allah for the deceased. But prophet Muhammad PBUH said that other than the supplication of a pious child for his parents, other Muslims can only make doa or supplication for their fellow deceased Muslim right after the burial (You are told not to leave the grave immediately but stay for a while and make doa) and when they coincidentally come pass the grave.



Other argument was that this is for dakwah for those who attend, 'We only remember God, send salutation and greeting to the Prophet and read Qur'an.' There is nothing wrong with that if you do it every day. The problem is, by attaching this to certain date or time is undoubtedly an innovation in religion. Where do these 7th, 40th, 100th, 1000th days originate? Do they come from Islamic tradition? Are there any sayings or examples from the Prophet PBUH telling you that remembering Allah, reading Qur'an and sending shalawat to the Prophet on those dates after some one's death is encouraged and beneficial?

In previous discussion I underlined the dangers of bid'ah. One of them is that bid'ah kills sunnah.
Imam Ahmad narrated that Prophet Muhammad PBUH once said,"Whenever people invent a Bid'ah, Allah removes from them a Sunnah in its place."

Last incident proved exactly what the Prophet warned us some 1400 years ago. Most people who normally attend Friday night gathering, that night they failed to turn up because they have to attend this tahlilan.

Don't take me wrong. I do not condemn or blame the innocent family who organise the event for their parent. They only follow what their spiritual advisers say. They were not taught about the sunnah to deal with matters like this. I am condemning their so called scholar or spiritual adviser who knew exactly that this is not part of the tradition in Islam.

If you are wondering why these so called scholars hide the truth from the people who trust them, I got the answer. These falsely invented rituals create dependence!

إن الذين يكتمون ما أنزل الله من الكتاب ويشترون به ثمنا قليلا أولئك ما يأكلون في بطونهم إلا النار ولا يكلمهم الله يوم القيامة ولا يزكيهم ولهم عذاب أليم
Those who conceal Allah's revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit,- they swallow into themselves naught but Fire; Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection. Nor purify them: Grievous will be their penalty. (Al Baqarah 174)

These baseless unnecessary rituals come with sets of rules, procedures and recitations and can only be carried out by certain people. It is nearly impossible for a novice follower to acquire and memorise the long spell they use during the rituals. For that reason, every time the need arrives to conduct the ritual, they will call eloquent spiritual advisers to lead the processions.

This is in contrast to what we learnt from the Prophet PBUH who taught us that this religion is very simple. As narrated in by 'Aisha radhiallahu 'anha (RA) in Shahih Bukhari:
Whenever Allah's Messenger PBUH order the Muslim to do something, he used to order them deeds which were easy for them to do. (Some people wanted to do more because of their sins and protested) They said, " O Allah's Messenger, we are not like you. Allah has forgiven your past and future sins." Hearing this, Prophet Muhammad PBUH became angry and it was apparent on his face. He PBUH said, "I fear Allah more and I know Allah better than all of you do."

I can not help but being suspicious! If they teach their followers the simple Islam that can be acquired and performed easily as taught by Allah's Messenger PBUH, the level of dependence would be low. They fear that if their followers do not depend on them to carry out the rituals, they will lose their followers.

If you are one of those scholars, I am begging your conscience, fear Allah! His punishment is severe!

If you are one of novice Muslims like me, I encourage you to study Islam. This religion is designed for everyone. You don't have to be a genius and graduated from university with a degree or doctoral in religion to understand this religion. We spend a lot of time and is critical for any other aspects in this life. Why are we so relax and casual regarding the matter that not only affecting our life here and now, but also the next life which is eternal!