Imam Ibn Taymiyah Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 136 | Size: 4 MB
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips has
rendered Ibn Taymiyah’s treatise, “Eedâh ad-Dalâlah fee ‘Umoom
ar-Risâlah”, from volume 19 of Majmoo‘ al-Fatâwâ (A Collection of
Religious Rulings) into very readable English. This abridged and
annotated translation is significant in that it is perhaps the first
book available in English exclusively on the topic of spirit-possession
and exorcism in Islam. Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah’s treatise provides a very
clear, concise, and authentic view of this intriguing subject based on
the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the interpretation and experience of the
Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and
the early scholars of Islam. The translator has also added an appendix
consisting of an article written on the subject of spirit-possession and
exorcism by one of the leading contemporary scholars of Saudi Arabia
confirming Ibn Taymiyah’s views as both relevant and orthodox.
Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-Haleem ibn Taymeeyah was
born in the town of Harran [near Edessa, in what was once Northern
Iraq, but is now called Orfa and is a part of Turkey], in the year 1263
CE. His father was a leading scholar of the Hanbalite school of Islamic
law and so was his grandfather, who authored Muntaqaa al-Akhbaar, the
text of ash-Shawkaanee’s Hadeeth classic Nayl al-Awtaar.
Ibn Taymeeyah mastered the various
disciplines of Islamic study at an early age and read extensively the
books of the various sects and religions in existence at that time. Much
of his time and effort was spend defending the orthodox Islamic
position against a tidal wave of deviation which had swept over the
Muslim nation. Consequently, he faced many difficulties from both the
prominent sectarian scholars of his time and from the authorities who
supported them. His clashes with them led to his imprisonment on
numerous occasions. Ibn Taymeeyah also fought, not only against internal
enemies of Islaam, but also against its external enemies by both his
Fatwaas (Islamic legal rulings) and his physical participation in
battles. His ruling allowing the taking up arms against groups which
recognized the Shahaadataan (declaration of faith) but refused to uphold
some aspects of the fundamental principles of Islaam, greatly affected
the resistance movement against the Tartars who had declared their
acceptance of Islaam but did not rule according to divine law. During
these struggles he wrote countless books and treatises demonstrating his
extensive reading and knowledge, not only of the positions of the early
scholars, but also those of the legal and theological schools which had
subsequently evolved.
Ibn Taymeeyah also had a major effect on
the open-minded scholars of his day, most of whom were from the
Shaafi’ite school of law. Among the most famous of his students were IBN
KATHEER, ADH-DHAHABEE and IBN AL-QAYYIM. The author died in 1328 while
in prison in Damascus for his Fatwaa against undertaking journeys to
visit the graves of saints [Ibn Taymeeyah’s ruling was based on the
authentic statement reported by Abu Hurayrah wherein the Prophet
Muhammad (saws) said, “Do not undertake a journey except to three
masjids; this masjid of mine, Masjid al-Haraam (Makkah) and Masjid
al-Aqsaa (Bayt al-Maqdis).” Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. His
Fatwaa had been distorted by his enemies to say that he forbade visiting
the Prophet Muhammad’s (saws) grave.
CHAPTER THREE: DEMONIC VISIONS
Those involved in incantations and oaths
often swear by some devils to help them against others. Sometimes the
evil Jinn fulfil their request but frequently they do not, especially
when the Jinn against whom help is sought is honored among them. Neither
the one chanting incantations nor his incantations have any power to
force the devils to help them. The reciter of incantations earnestly
entreats a being whom he considered great – which may or may not be the
case – to harm others who may conceivably be greater. In the case where
someone entreats the Jinn to harm someone whom the Jinn hold in high
esteem, they will ignore him. In fact, it may prevent them from even
responding at all. Their situations is quite similar to that of humans
except that human beings are generally more intelligent, truthful, just
and trustworthy while the Jinn tend to be ignorant, untruthful,
oppressive and treacherous.
The point is that though the oaths and
incantations of devil-worshippers may contain statements of idolatry and
disbelief, they are frequently ineffective against the Jinn. When
requested to kill or apprehend another Jinn who has possessed a human,
the Jinn will often mock those who make the request by falsely giving
them the impression that they killed or detained the offending Jinn.
This is especially so in cases where humans believe in the illusions
created by the Jinn. The Jinn usually communicate by either visions or
voices [“The gleaning of hidden information by way of visions and voices
has been well documented among clairvoyants and mediums. ‘A medium’ may
be defined as a person through whose agency or through whose orgainsm
there are received communications ostensibly from deceased human beings
or other discarnate or remote entities. In what is called ‘clairvoyant
mediumship’ -now popularly known as channelling- the meduim ‘sees’ or
‘hears’ the deceased friends and relatives of persons persent and relays
messages from them. Generally speaking, the experiences concerned seem
not to have the distinctness of ordinary perception but are rather a
seeing or hearing ‘in the mind’s eye’ or ear. Sometimes, however, the
figures seen or voices heard may attain as hallucinatory vividness; the
medium’s experience then resembles that of one who witnesses an
apparition.” (Benjamin B. Wolman. ed., Handbook of Parapsychology, New
York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1977, pp, 579-580)] with those
seeking information among the idol-worshippers, Christians, Jews, and
heretical Muslims driven astray by the devils.
JinnS may take the form of a live picture
portraying whatever the sorcerers and fortunetellers wish to know
about. When these deviants see the image of what they sought, they then
inform other humans about it. Some of them may know that the image is
actually an illusion, while others may be deluded into believing that
they are actually wintessing the real scene. JinnS may also make humans
hear the voice of those whom they call upon who are far away. Such cases
are frequent among idolaters, Christians, Jews and ignorant Muslims who
seek refuge in those whom they consider holy. When some devotees call
on their spiritual masters for help saying, “Oh my Lord so and so!” the
Jinn will address them in the voice of their masters. When the masters
answer their request, the Jinn, in turn, answer the devotees in the
masters’ voice. This has happened to many people some of whom are known
to me. The devils will often respond while talking the form of the one
besought, whether dead or alive, even if he is unaware of those who call
on him. Those committing Shirk in this fashion believe that the person
beseeched has actually replied when in fact it is the Jinn replying.
This frequently happens to Christians who call on those whom they edify,
whether dead or alive, like George or other holy figures [ROME, Feb 24
1989 (AFP) – A retired Italian roadman Renato Baron claims that he has
been seeing and talking to the Virgin Mary for nearly three years now.
Visions by Baron and about THIRTY others have attracted tens of
thousands of people from Italy, France, Belgium, and West Germany to a
hill near Venice, causing huge traffic jams. Ambridge, Pennsylvania – A
small Roman Catholic Church in a western Pennsylvania mill town is
preparing for a deluge of pilgrims after a reported Good Friday miracle
in which the eyes of a statue of Christ suddenly closed. The Rev.
Vincent Cvitkovic, a Franciscan friar, and many of his parishoners
reported that the eyes of a life-size statue which depicts the crucified
Christ, which have been open for 60 years, closed during a prayer
meeting. (The Times, Monday, April 10th 1989, no. 63, 364, p.8) In 1981 a
group of five children were playing on a hill just outside of a village
in the Yugoslavian Republic of Bosnia – Herzegovina called Medugorje
when a vision of a beautiful woman claiming to be the Blessed Virgin
Mary appeared before them. Since 1981 some seven to eight million
pilgrims from different countries, cultures and Christian traditions
have climbed up the holy hill of Medugorje. At 7:30 every evening
pilgrims and tourists anxiously crowd around the dark rectory of a
nearby church staring at the stream of light which will signify that
once more the children, who still gather there daily, are having their
private audience with the Blessed Mother. (IRF, Newsletter of the
International Religious Foundation, Inc., Vol II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1987,
pp 1-2). Divine grace (salvation) is felt to be especially potent in
places visited by Jesus Christ or Saints or by Mary; where they have
appeared in visions. Major pilgrimage centers include Lourdes where
visions of the Virgin Mary were first seen in 1858 and where healing has
been occuring since that time. (John R. Hinnells, ed., Dictionary of
Religions, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books Ltd., 1984, p. 284)].
It also occurs to heretical Muslims who
call on the dead or those not present, and the devils take the form of
the one called upon even without him realizing it. I know of many cases
where this has occurred and the people called upon have told me that
they did not know that they were called upon, though those beseeching
them for help saw their images and were convinced that it was the actual
person. More than one person has mentioned that they called on me in
times of distress, each telling a different story about how I have
responded. When I told them that I never answered any of them nor did I
know that they were calling on me, some said that it must have been an
angel. I told them that angels do not benefit those committing SHIRK and
that it was actually a devil trying to further misguide them. Sometimes
the Jinn will take the form of those admired and stand at ‘Arafat, and
those who believe well of him will think that he actually stood in
‘Arafat. Many others have also been actually carried by the devils to
‘Arafat and other sacred places. In such cases they pass the Meeqaat
(boundaries that may not be crossed while on Hajj, around Makkah)
without formally entering the state of Ihraam, or performing many of the
obligatory rites of Hajj like making the Talbeeyah (chant of response
to God’s call) or circulating the Ka’bah, and walking between the mounts
of Safaa and Marwah. Among them are some who do not even pass through
Makkah, others who stand at ‘Arafat without performing the pre-requisite
rite of casting stones at the Jamaraat etc.
It is by these and other similar feats
that Satan leads seemingly pious people in misguidance. Sincere devotees
among heretics are in this way enticed to do acts wich are prohibited
(Haraam) or despised (Makrooh) in the religion. Satan is able to make
such misdeeds appealing to them by convincing them that they are among
the Karaamaat (supernatural or quasi-miraculous feats) of the righteous.
However they are, without a doubt, Satanic deceptions because Allaah
cannot be worshipped by any religious injunction which is neither
compulsory (Waajib) nor recommended (Mustahabb). Whoever performs an act
of worship which is neither Waajib nor Mustahabb believing that it is
so, has been deceived by Satan. Even if it is decreed that such a person
will be forgiven due to his good intention and striving, the act itself
is still unacceptable to Allaah [An example may be seen in the mistaken
belief held by some that a man’s head must be covered while he is in
formal prayer – Salaah – as is the case among Jews or that a woman’s
hair to be covered while reading the Qur’aan. However, the Prophet saws
did not order that it be done nor recommended it but merely followed the
customs of his people during that time.]. Such acts are not among the
things with which Allaah honors His pious servants who are close to Him,
as there is no honor in performing prohibited (Haraam) or despised
(Makrooh) acts [Such is the case of the celebration of the Prophet’s
saws birthday – ‘Eed Meelaad an-Nabee – which probably began among
ignorant Muslims trying to outdo or at least compete with the
Christians’s celebrations of Christmas. Meelaad celebrations are a form
of innovation – Bid’ah – in religion which has been forbidden by the
Prophet saws who said: “Whoever innnovates in this affair ouf ours –
i.e. Islaam – something which does not belong to it will be rejected. –
Reported by ‘Aa’eshah and collected by Al-Bukaaree and Muslim].
Divine honor lies in protecting one whom
Allaah loves from such acts and preventing him from doing them. For,
committing misdeeds debases one who does them and does not in any way
favor him, even if he is not punished for doing them. Doing despised or
Haraam acts MUST decrease the spiritual level of both the one who does
them as well as his followers who praise such acts and glorify him. For,
heaping praise on prohibited and despised acts, and honoring the one
who does them is definitely a form of deviation from the path of Allaah.
The more and more a man innovates in the religion as a result of
independent judgement (Ijtihaad), the further he becomes from Allaah,
because innovation (Bid’ah) removes him from Allaah’s path; the divine
path of “those who Allah has blessed from among the prophets, the
sincerely truthful, martyrs and righteous” [An-Nisaa 4:69] unto the path
of “those with whom Allaah is angry and those who have gone astray”
[Al-Faatihah 1:7]. Ibn Taymeeyah mentioned the following [This begins a
segment from vol.35 of Ibn Taymeeyah’s compendium, Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa.]
historical incident concerning al-Hallaaj [Al-Husain ibn Mansoor
al-Hallaj (858-922 CE) studied under the eminent Sufi teachers of his
time (Tustaree, ‘Amr Makee and Junaid) then broke with them and went out
into this world to preach asceticism and mysticism in Khurasan, Ahwaz,
Fars, India and Turkistan. On his return to Baghdad from Makkah in 908,
many were attracted by his teachings, and disciples rapidly gathered
around him. He taught that the five pillars of Islaam may be replaced by
other works. He also taught about the existence of an uncreated Divine
spirit (Rooh Naatiqah) which becomes united with the created spirit of
the ascetic through desire of and submission to suffering. In his
teachings the Saint (Walee) became the living and personal witness of
God (H.A.R. Gibb and J.H. Kramers, Encyclopedia of Islam, Ithaca, NY:
Cornell University Press, 1st ed., 1953, pp 127-80). Consequently he
stated in his book: “If you do not recognize God, at least recognise His
sign, I am the creative truth -Ana al-Haqq-, because through the truth,
I am eternal truth. My friends and teachers are Iblees (Satan) and
Pharaoh. Iblees was threatened with Hellfire, yet, he did not recant.
Pharaoh was drowned in the sea, yet he did not recant, for he would not
acknowledge anything between him and God (i.e. Hallaaj felt that Iblees’
refusal to prostrate to Aadam and Pharaoh’s statement “I am your Lord,
most High” were correct!). And, I, though, I am killed and crucified and
though my hands and feet are cut off; I do not recant.” – Kitaab
al-Tawaaseen, Massignon Press, Paris, 1913, vi, 32.
The leading scholars from all orthodox
schools of Islamic law as well as the leading Shi’ite scholars and some
of his former Sufi teachers declared him a heretic and he was
subsequently executed due to his refusal to retract his claim to be the
personification of God on earth.] and a group of his followers, “Some of
them requested some sweets from al-Hallaaj, so he got up and went to a
spot a short distance away, then returned with a plateful of sweets. It
was later discovered that it had been stolen from a candy shop in Yemen
and carried by a devil to that area.” Ibn Taymeeyah went on to say,
“Incidents similar to this have happened to others who, like al-Hallaaj,
also achieved the pinnacle of satanic states, and we know of quite a
few such people in our time as well as other times. For instance, there
is a person presently residing in Damascus whom the devil used to carry
from the Saaliheeyah mountain to villages around Damascus. He would
appear out of the air and enter the windows of houses in which people
were gathered to witness his ‘miraculous entrance.'”
Ibn Taymeeyah also quoted another mystic
master who admitted that he used to fornicate with women and sodomise
young boys. The former mystic master said, “A black dog [“Abu Dharr
reported: The Messanger of Allaah said: ‘When any one of you stands for
prayer it should be towards something that shields him equivalent (in
height) to the back of a saddle, otherwise his prayer will be broken by
passing of a donkey, a woman or a black dog.’ I asked ‘O Abu Dharr, what
is the difference between a black dog, a red dog and tan-colored dog?’
He replied, ‘O son of my brother, I also asked Allaah’s Messanger as you
are asking me, and he said: ‘The black dog is a devil.'” (Saheeh Muslim
and all other in the six Saheeh books with the exception of Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree)] with two white spots between his eyes would come to me
and say, ‘Verily such and such a person has made an oath by you and he
will come to you tomorrow to inform you about it. I have already
fulfilled his need for your sake.’ [When questioned during his trial,
the infamous New York City mass murderer of the seventies, “Son of Sam”,
claimed that a dog used to come in backyard of his house and tell him
to kill his victims. It was assumed by the court and his psychiatrists
that he was mentally deranged and the dog a figment of his imagination.]
The person would then come to him the next day and the Sufi master
would reveal the details of his oath to him and how it was fulfilled.
The Sufi master went on to say, ‘I used to walk about the city and a
black pole with a light on top of it would lead the way.’ ” Ibn
Taymeeyah said, “When the Sufi master repented and began to pray, fast,
and avoid the forbidden, the black dog went away.” He also narrated the
following about another mystic master who had the aid of devils whom he
would despatch to possess people: “When the family of the possessed
would come to him seeking a cure, he would send a message to his demon
companion and they would leave the possessed persons, as a result, the
Shaykh would be given many dirhams for his services. Sometimes the Jinn
would bring him dirhams and food which they stole from people, so much
so that the Shaykh would request dates from his devils and they would
take them from beehives in which some poeple had hidden their dates.
When the beehive owners would look for their dates they would find them
gone.”
About yet another mystic, Ibn Taymeeyah
relates, “There was a Shaykh knowledgeable in the religious sciences and
Qur’anic recitation to whom the devils came and eventually managed to
seduce. They told him that Salaah was no longer required of him and that
they would bring him whatever he wished. As soon as he complied with
their wishes, they began to bring him a variety of sweets and fruit.
This continued until he was advised to repent by some scholars that he
visited who were firmly following the Sunnah. He subsequently repented
and repaid the owners of the sweets for what he ate while under the
influence of the Jinn.” He then went on to say, “Many of those who call
on Shaykhs in time of need saying, ‘O master so and so, or Shaykh so and
so, fulfill my need’ have seen an image of the Shaykh saying, ‘I will
fulfill your need and put your heart at ease,’ then it fulfills their
needs or repels their enemies. In such cases it is a devil taking the
Shaykh’s form when they committed Shirk by associating partners with
Allaah and calling on others beside Him.” Ibn Taymeeyah then went on to
enumerate similar instances involving himself saying, “I know of many
such incidences even among a group of my companions who called on me in
times when they were struck by calamities. One was afraid of the Romans
and another of the Tatars. Both of them mentioned that they called out
to me, they saw me in the air and I repelled their enemies for them. I
informed them that I did not hear their cries no did I repel their
enemies. It was a devil taking my appearance to seduce them when they
associated partners with Allaah the Almighty. Similar incidents have
also happened to the students of my contemporaries among the scholars,
whereby some of their students have sought refuge in them and have seen
them fulfill their needs. The scholars have also denied doing so and
indicated that it was in fact the work of devils.” [Majmoo’ Al-Fataawaa,
Vol. 35, pp. 112-116]
In another book, Ibn Taymeeyah said, “I
know people whom the plants greet and inform them of their beneficial
ingredients, however it is, in fact, Satan who has entered the plants
and spoken to them. I also know of others to whom stones and trees speak
saying, “Congratulations, Oh friend of Allaah” and when the people
recite Aayatul-Kursee it stops. I am acquainted with yet others who have
gone bird-hunting and the sparrows addressed them saying, “Take me so
that the poor may eat me.” Such are cases of the evil Jinn possessing
the birds in the same way that others who, while in their house with the
doors and vice versa [Many of those in our times who have claimed what
is known as ‘out-of-body experiences’ or ‘astral-travel’ have recorded
in vivid detail incidences simialr to those mentioned by Ibn Taymeeyah.
Others have met beings which claimed to be guides, guardian spirits or
their higher selves. However, the common thought which links most of
these experiences is the ultimate expression of idolatry: that man is
God, as was expressed by Al-Hallaaj and countless others before and
after him.] He may even be taken through the closed city gates and back
again swiftly by the Jinn. Lights may shine on him or someone looking
like his friend may call on him but, if he recites Aayatul-Kursee
continually, it will all dissappear.” He also said, “Some mystics have
also said that the Jinn showed them something shiny like water and glass
in which images or pictures of whatever they sought information would
appear and they in turn wold inform people.” Ibn Taymeeyah mentioned
other instances and then concluded by saying, “This is a so vast a topic
that if I were to mention all that I knew, it would fill a very large
volume.” [Ibn Taymeeyah, Al-Furqaan Bayna Awliyaa ar-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa
ash-Shaytaan, pp. 87-92]
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