20 - The la-madhhabi author writes on page 354 of his book:
"The sixty-fourth ayat of Surat al-Anfal means 'Allah is sufficient for you and for those who follow you. We do not need anybody other than Him.' Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyya interpreted this ayat so. They said that it was wrong to interpret this ayat as 'Allah and those who follow you are sufficient for you.' Nobody other than Allah can be sufficient. The two ayats before this ayat state, 'Allah will of course suffice for you when they attempt to deceive you. He has strengthened you both with His help and with the believers' help.' He made a distinction between the words 'suffice' and 'strengthen.' He used the word 'suffice' only for Himself, while He used the word 'strengthen' both for Himself and for His human servants. And believers say, 'Allah will suffice for us; He is sufficient.' no one has said, 'Allah and His prophets will suffice for us.' Allah alone is sufficient and to be trusted."
Al-Imam al-Baidawi (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala), the "Crown" of the scholars of tafsir who passed away in Tebriz in 685 A.H. (1285), wrote: "This ayat descended at the place called Beeda during the Battle of Badr, or, according to Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, after thirty three men and six women and lastly Hadrat 'Umar (radi-Allahu ta'ala 'anhum ajmain) became believers in Mecca. It means 'Allahu ta'ala and the believers are sufficient for you.' " [Al-Imam al-Badawi, Tafsir. Also the Tafsir Husaini and Tafsir al-Jalalain write the same.] Al-Imam ar-Rabbani (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala) declared: "Our Prophet ('alaihi wa 'ala 'alihi 's-salawatu wa 't-taslimat) had requested Allahu ta'ala to strengthen and disseminate Islam through Hadrat 'Umar's help. And Allahu ta'ala helped His beloved Prophet through Hadrat 'Umar and declared in Surat al-Anfal, 'Oh My Prophet! Allah and those who follow you will suffice for you as helpers.' 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas reported that this ayat descended upon Hadrat 'Umar's embracing Islam." [Maktubat, II, 99th letter.]
Al-Hadimi wrote: "Imam Muhammad (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala) declared in his book Jami' as-Saghir that praying by saying 'for the Prophet's sake' or 'for the sake of [such and such] a wali,' was makruh tahrima. On this statement the book Al-hidaya comments, 'Because, creatures have no rights on Allahu ta'ala.' However, it was also stated that it was not makruh to pray so thinking of the right bestowed on a beloved servant of His by Allahu ta'ala. Rasulullah (sall-Allahu ta'ala 'alaihi wa sallam) prayed by saying, 'Oh my Rabb! For the sake of those who pray to You and for the sake of Muhammad,' ('alaihi 's-salam) and the fatwa of Bazaziyya, too, stated that it was permissible to pray so." [Bariqa, p. 1053.] Similarly, Allahu ta'ala alone suffices for everyone in every affair everywhere every time. There is no other Helper and it is polytheism to ask others for help, yet, it was permitted to pray with these words thinking of the right given by Allahu ta'ala, who uses prophets, pious people, scientists, various substances and powers, owners of wealth, businesses and high positions as means or media for His creating. It is permissible to hold fast to these means and to expect Allahu ta'ala to create through them. It would be good to say, "They, as causes for Allahu ta'ala's creating, are sufficient for us." For this reason, the profound 'ulama' of tafsir explained the above-mentioned ayat al-karima as "Allahu ta'ala and the believers around you are sufficient for you."
The hadith ash-Sharif related by Imam Ahmad and Muslim (rahimahuma'llahu ta'ala) on the authority of Abu Huraira (radi-Allahu ta'ala 'anh) and which is also quoted on page 381 of the Wahhabite book, declares, "Rubba ash'asin madfu'un bi 'l-abwabi law aqsama 'ala'llahi la abirrahu." (You see many a person who are dismissed from doors and not listened to for their hair and beard are uncombed and clothing patched; if they take an oath with Allah's Name, Allahu ta'ala, for the sake of these beloved servants of His, immediately creates and grants their requests.) This hadith ash-Sharif is one of the proofs of the fact that the knowledge of tasawwuf and seeking for a rehber (guide) and trying to gain his heart is right. Taking this hadith ash-Sharif as a reference, he books Bariqa and Al-Hadiqa comment on the twenty-third of the sixty prohibited statements: "It is written in the fatwa of Bazaziyya that such prayers as 'Oh my Rabb! I ask for the sake of the value that You have bestowed upon Your [such and such] prophet or servant who is a wali, alim or salih,' are permissible, that is, halal. As understood from Munya and many other books, it is mustahab to pray so. It is written in valuable books that many 'arifs told their disciples: 'You ask me when you will ask Allahu ta'ala for something! I am the mediator between Allahu ta'ala and you now.' Hadrat Abu 'l-'Abbas al-Mursi (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala) advised his disciples, 'When you ask Allahu ta'ala for something, ask for the sake of Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala),' These are written in many books, for example, in Al-Hadiqa and Hisn al-basin."
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