The Origins of Evil – Shaikh Abdur Razzaq Malihabadi in 1925

Translated, Compiled and Annotated

Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari

[This was a very moving introduction of a book by Shaikh Abdur Razzaq which he wrote over 100 years ago with regards to the afflicted state of affairs of the Muslims. The benefit of this article is that it shows the the affair and reality of the Muslims 100 years ago and that things have worsened with regards to implementing Tawhid and eradicating Shirk]

Anas bin Malik RadhiAllahu Anhu would cry during the era of Banu Umayyah because the deen that was revealed had been changed by the people, so what would they have said if they encountered the people from our times? Would they not have labelled us Mushriks and would we not have used bad words against them. This is because if there is anything that remains intact in our Islam today which was present before, then that is only the word Islam and some daily rituals of worship and even they are not free from innovations.

The book of Allah as it was revealed from the heavens it is still preserved in exactly the same way. Even the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu alayhi wasallam is collated and preserved by the Muslims. However what a great pity and calamity that both are abandoned and neglected and are locked away in cabinets or just being being used as talismans and amulets.

The Muslims are totally free and independent of them in their practical lives and are in fact traversing a path in opposition to obeying the command of the Quran and Sunnah. Who can say and claim after seeing the commemoration of Ajmer that they are Muslims who act and follow the Quran or are the flag bearers of Tawhid?

A Hindu leader of Oudh said after witnessing the events of Ajmer said “Up untill now I was in doubt that Muslims and Hindus could unite, however today I am certain that today if there are any differences between us and the religion of the Muslims, then it is only in name because both in reality are the same.”

He spoke the truth because if there are any difference between the shirk of the Muslims and the Hindus then it is only of name and methods. The Hindu bows to the idols and Muslims bow to the graves, the Hindu worships ram and Krishna and Muslims worship and venerate Jilani and Ajmer.

For them (ie the Muslims) to say that they do not worship them or we do not consider them to be gods, is some thing that is pointless and carries no meaning whatsoever and is thus worthless because the the Hindu claims he worships one deity as well. Whereas we know they have hundreds of idols that they worship. Similarly the mushrikin of Arabia did not worship the idols thinking they were gods and deities besides Allah. However these people say that their worship is not worship like that of the idols nor do they give them different names, however changing names and differences between them does not change the true reality of the actual affairs.

It is a great calamity for an individual to find out the thoughts, affairs and mindset of a Muslim mushrik as this group of people or sect are deficient and incapable of intelligence from following texts. On one hand they accept that Allah is the knower of the unseen, the all hearing and all seeing and not a single atom of the heavens and earth is without his knowledge and neither can it move without his permission, he is not far from us but rather close and near to us, he is the most beneficent and merciful, the most giving and forgiving and he gives without numeration. He is just and not Injust that he does not allow us to ask him he is always there and always giving with his hands outstretched and his sustenance is continuous.

These people accept more of him and but yet after this, their intelligence and brains dies and the death of humanity and morality occurs because after accepting all of this these people prostrate and bow to graves, they offer vows to the deceased and it is normal for them to seek intercession and intermediateries  from those who do not even have the right. They go to the grave of Gauth Al-A’zam who is apparently still the Ghaus after his death and can steal souls from the angel of death, he is mehbub subhani, Ashiq Jan Nithar who can change the ways of stubborn people, they are gharib nawab who give sweets even after dying. These claimants of Islam and humanity emphatically go to graves and rub their foreheads on them and rub their noses and they do everything a pious human and upright individual would never be able to do in front of any of the creation.

One of the greatest assets a human has is his own humanity whereas the others sacrifice their on the bricks and mortars of graves without any shame. If it is said to them look at what you are doing the shariah has forbidden such actions and such acts are shirk which will be punished and be in the fire of hell. They would answer with rejection and denial, distortion and false explanation. They will say it is a discussion of the shariah and what it is permissible, it is whether the inner self or outer self is evidence or the difference between the Wahhabi and hanafi.

Likewise they will present their statements and discourses Hasan Al-Basri, Shibli, Jilani and Chisti in opposition to the ayah of the Quran and the Hadith if the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu alayhi wasallam. Whereas none of the aforementioned people held any form of shirk to be permissible but who is there that can be told of this reality, who is there that listens, eyes which see and a heart that understands. As Allah said

“And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.” (Surah al-A’raf:179)

Unfortunately this is not only the state of affairs of the masses who can be possibly excused due to ignorance. This is also the affair of those who openly and repeatedly refer to themselves and scholars of the ummah and their inheritors of the prophecy or the prophets of Bani Israil. On one hand they say ask us questions about the shariah and yet on the other hand they claim they know the secrets of the realities and Sufi orders. The truth is that it is these people who are a trial and fitnah and the main cause for all the destruction and loss. These evil scholars are the harut and marut of this ummah and the leaders of the shayatin and they are the ones who distorted the shariah and closed the doors of the Quran and Sunnah for the Muslims. They are the ones who spread the darkness, innovation and Sufi tariqahs. They are the ones who ripped Islam away from the people under the name of Islam.

13 centuries of Islam have passed us and what calamity has befallen us that has not come from them, which misguidance is there which they have not shouldered the blame for. Abdullah bin Mubarak said, “did anyone other than the rulers, religious scholars and priest change the din.”

The words are indeed strong and inflictions on the heart and mind are serious and deep and what more than them could force someone to lament that all of these Muslims falling into destruction but yet remain silent. No Muslim will see this sad state of affairs and remain silent. How can a Muslim remain silent when things are clearly being changed and the truth is being called falsehood and the falsehood as truth. A Muslim can not see Tawhid being labelled as shirk and shirk being labelled as Tawhid and see the shariah as something that misguides and the Sunnah to be an innovation and Iman to be kufr and the coffer as Iman. It is said to a Muslim it is impossible to understand the Quran and Sunnah therefore stay away from them and rather do taqlid of people which is obligatory, therefore follow us without asking why.

So by following us build your graves higher, make tombs, ask the auliya for your needs and make the creation a wasilah for Allah, in fact do whatever you wish and you will still be forgiven because you are from the Ummah who will be interceded for therefore this is the deen, this is the shariah and this is the Sunnah. So do we not hear all of these things and remain silent or has the time not come for the reformers to arise and put a stop to the treachery of these evil scholars so that the people are able to see for themselves what Devils lie beneath their huge turbans and what darkness of kufr is entwined between their beards.

It is important to mention of one of their respected and revered scholars who is a Sufi and is probably even a peer, during the Khilafah movement he made a suggestion that a group of scholars should go to Ajmer and tell Khawaja Sahib every single problem of the Ummah and ask for assistance. This was not only am suggestion but I have come to know this Moulvi actually went with his fellow associates and cried a lot at the shrine. However what a great shame that there was no answer and they returned. Is this the Tawhid the Quran established which these people claim they are the scholars of the din and the false pride they present in obeying and adhering to the Sunnah. If Khawaja could save the Ummah of Muhammad Sallalahu Alayhi wasallam from these difficulties and calamities why do the Muslims frown on Ram and Krishna being deities.

This so call visit to Ajmer was not a private affair but rather a newspaper column has publicly announced this but no scholar came forward and said this was Shirk in fact and rather most Moulvis wrote in support of the visit as the newspaper article testifies. Is this the protection of the din these so called scholars have taken the liberty upon themselves.

Oh and what a shame if only the scholars who promote misguidance and innovations were restricted and limited to this group only who are innovators and they were not from amongst those who claim to be reformers or alleged revivers.

I say these words with great sorrow and sadness and would like to present these tragic affairs to the Muslims and it has only been a few days that a great scholar (as they call him) of an educational institute of this group as well as other scholars who clearly refused to issue edicts of shirk for the Shia mourning and lamenting publicly in masses and they said such a fatwa is contrary to the greater benefit and the Khilafah.

So is this the method to preserve and protect the shariah, is this the inheritance the prophets left for the scholars and their obligation and is this how our scholars fulfil their roles? Has the time still not come for the Muslims to open their eyes and and find out the reality of their religious leaders and push themselves forward in preserving the din and removing and obliterating shirk and bidah? There is no papacy in Islam or religious spiritual leaders so this the time has come to demolish these self appointed religious leaders so that Allahs servants create a strong direct link and connection with Allah.

Abdur Razzaq Malihabadi

Editor al-Jam’e Calcutta

1925