Extremist Salafism | ||
Extremist Salafism Salafism has been introduced by some so-called radical Sunni theologians who have wrong understanding of thoughts of theologians such as Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. Extremist Salafism is a shallow cult that stands poles apart from the spirit of Islam’s life-giving teachings, has spewed nothing but discord, destruction, ruin and corruption among the Islamic Ummah. This cult has a weak belief base and offers shallow interpretations from Qur’an and narrations. To rule and expand their evil and dark domination, imperialism and colonialism have always sought to pave grounds for their rule. Their old motto has always been ‘Divide and rule’, and one of the most important ways of achieving it is to create an unhealthy atmosphere of profanity and debauchery in the society. To destroy the firm barrier and fortress of Islam and its culture, colonialists resorted to various ploys including direct confrontation and military attacks – such as crusades and occupying Islamic countries like Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria and attempts to destabilize the Islamic system in Iran. Direct cultural confrontation included distorting Islamic laws and finding fault with its sacred things, and indirect confrontation by spreading promiscuity among Muslims in order to make them indifferent towards Islam, provoking strong and nationalist emotions in order to create discordamong people and groups in Muslim countries. Creating sects and various cults among Muslims, including some deviatory branches among Sunni Muslims and Bahaism among Shias, are other points. British Support for Extreme Salafism Some extremist Salafi currents were created by the British colonialism under different names. In his memoirs, British spy Mr. Hempher describes the way of recruiting and misleading some Muslims for this purpose. Because of their ambition, moral weakness and extremist thoughts, Britain found them suitable for creating a extremist cults and accompanied them step by step until the situation presented itself and then forced them to introduce the new sect. From the beginning, the approaches of the extremist Salafis were based on violence, killing and excommunicating Muslims. By referring to a book by Sheikh Ahmad al-Ahsa’i, titled Sharh al-Ziyara al-Jami’a al-Kabira, in which he elevated the position of Imams, extremist Salfists received the fatwa for massacring Shias from some of Salafi. They attacked Shia’s holy places (Atabat Aliaat) in Iraq, pillaged the shrines and massacred people and many Shia clerics who were opposed to the extremism. Over the past century and after discovering vast reserves of oil and obtaining great wealth, Salafists such as Bin Laden and Iman al-Zawahiri began promoting their thoughts across the Muslim world. Some of the Salafists, enjoying great oil revenues, changed their method to advance their objectives, temporarily abandoned their massacre, violence and pillaging, and attempted to spread their influence through cultural methods. As it can be seen, under the influence of extremist Salafists the remaining monuments and effects from the era of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are being destroyed, like the Tomb of Hojr bin Adi in Syria. Today, the propaganda of some Salafists include sending invitation for the leaders of Arab tribes and attacking them upon their refusals in order to force them into submission or they will be exterminated. Muslims visiting tombs in order to Invoke Blessings In addition to Muslims visiting the graves of the Prophet and his Companions to invoke blessing, such conduct was not limited to graves of the Prophet and his Companions, but also the graves of scholars and clerics, including: Al-Subki says: the people of Samarkand took so much earth from al-Bukhari’s tomb that his grave was revealed and they could not be stopped until a mausoleum was put on his grave.1 Mohammad ibn Momel, the student of Ibn Khuzaimah who is called Sheikh Bukhari and Sheikh al-Islam, says: along with my masters and other professors we visited the shrine of Ali bin Musa al-Reza (PBUH), Ibn Khuzaimah bowed and prostrated in front of the shrine in such a way that we were amazed.2 Abu Ali Khalal says, “Whenever I encounter a problem I visit the grave of Musa bin Jafar and beseech God for help through his intercession, and God eases my problem.3 Muhammad ibn Idris visited the grave of Abu-Hanifeh and Ahmad ibn Hanbal visited the grave of Shafe’i.4 Muslims visited the grave of Abu Yaghoub Ansari and be-seeched God for rain through his intercession.5 Views of Sunni thinkers on visiting tombs to invoke blessing One question that may arise during reading this article is that do Sunni clerics approve the tradition of invoking blessing that has so obviously been followed by the Prophet’s Companions? Have these clerics expressed views with regards to the limits of this theory or endorse the form and content of such conduct same as the Prophet’s Companions? To answer these questions it must be said that except for Wahhabist thinkers some extremist Salafis who sought to prohibit invoking blessing in the Muslim societies, none of the Four Sunni Imams and thinkers have opposed such conduct, and have approved of it in their remarks and writings. Some of the examples are as follows: Abdullah, son of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, says he asked his father about touching the pulpit of the Prophet and invoking blessing by touching, kissing or touching his holy grave or kissing it for blessing, my father said, “It is not wrong.”6 Ramli Shafi says, “Invoking blessing from the tomb of Prophet or cleric or authorities is permissible, and kissing or touching it is not objectionable.7 Mohyeddin Tabari says: kissing and touching the grave is permissible and conduct of clerics and pious people endorse it.8 It has been historically proved that people picked soil from the Prophet’s grave and Hamzeh and even Medina, and there are narrations that say the soil of Medina heals every sickness and prevents leprosy and epilepsy. How do extremist Salafis promote their sect? Some extremist salafi seminaries and universities in different countries choose prominent students from among religious students in Muslim countries, fund them to study and after training them into Salafi missionaries return them to their own countries to promote extremism. Some of the militants fighting against the Syrian government and some of the Taleban and Al-Qaeda members are the products of this trend. Extremist Salafis teach several languages to their clerics and send them to different countries, publish their views and attract poor Muslims who are not familiar with the pure Islamic teachings. During the Hajj season and month of pilgrimage, foreign seminary students who have been recruited by extremist Salafi network in their own countries and talk to Muslims in the holy places and promote Salafi thoughts. Given the fact that these students are the countrymen of pilgrims and know their mother tongue, they have a great influence on the pilgrims of Kaaba. Some extremist Salafists publish books and manuscripts of certain Shia clerics that are not accepted by the majority of Shias, distributing them among Muslims for free and accuse Shias of conceding to the existence of distortions in Qur’an and other lies such as believing in the betrayal of Gabriel and considering the position of Imam Ali (A.S.) to be higher than that of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Extremist Salafi Network all Through the World After making connection with pilgrims of Beytullah Al- Haram and taking their addresses, missionary Salafists continue their communication, send their content in the forms of pamphlets and booklets with beautiful and expensive covers that attract the readers, introduce them to extremist networks in those countries so that potential members could be convinced and turned into theirpolitical and religious thought. By translating the Qur’an into most live languages of the world, they have opened the way to communicate with their audience and prepare them to receive religious content through their channels and feed the audience their content. Despite their forefathers who considered every innovation a kind of heresy, contemporary extremist Salafis use all technological tools and equipment to advance their objectives; they have an active presence in the Internet and promote their thoughts by creating various information websites. They operate several radio, television and satellite stations and broadcast programs in different languages for many countries. Extremist Salafis have infiltrated into the press of different countries, owned various press in most of Muslim countries through spending large amounts of money and promote their thoughts in the local languages of people. These networks, because of their immense wealth, have influence over many Muslim countries and have instigated many changes and developments in these countries. They also publish large number of magazines in the West, introducing their thoughts. Mohammad Azizi (PhD, Islamic Studies) is an Assistant Professor, Azad University, Tehran. (Endnotes) 1.Wafa al-wafa, vol.1, p. 544 2.Tabaqat Al-Shafi’iyah, vol. 2. P. 233 3.Siyar A’lam Al-Nubala’I, vol. 12, p. 467 4.Al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya, vol. 14, p. 136 5.Tahzib al tahzib, vol. 7. P. 339 6.al-jami fi elal va marefat al-rijal, vol 2, p. 32 7.Kanz ul-Matalib, p. 219 – Monaqeb Kharazmi, p. 252 8.Wafa al-wafa, vol.1, p. 69
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