Dislike Shaykh Hamza Yusuf? Listen!
- Filed under: Audio, Islam, Tasawwuf, Traditional Islam
- Date: Jan 21,2009 | 05:57 PM
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May Allah (swt) preserve him. Ameen!
This is a lecture entitled “Advice to the Seekers” featuring Sh. Hamza Yusuf and Sh. Muhammad al-Yaqoubi.
113 Responses for "Dislike Shaykh Hamza Yusuf? Listen!"
This is really good, but can you tell us about the background of it, such as who are the speakers and where and when was this recorded?
The speaker is Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
and Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi. This is some of the best advice you can get…should be mandatory listening for all Muslims.
Sorry, last post:
Listen to the entire talk w/ Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi here:
http://www.halaltube.com/advice-to-the-seekers-2
I listened to this quite recently, during Ramadhan, and it’s truly excellent advice mashaAllah. May Allah increase and preserve our shuyukh.
I agree, there’s a lot of good advise and information which is useful for all Muslims.
Great advice! This was indeed needed after Umar’s post about Hamza Yusuf. I’m still a little confused as what precipitated his attack on Hamza Yusuf but whatever I still love Umar & Hamza.
As Salaam Alaykum
sigh… AsSabiqoon.
As Salaam Alaykum
This is a great audio, i have listened to it like 20 times probably my most favorite lecture ever.
who would dislike the shayk?!
Awesome masha Allah!
I hope you don’t mind me using this as a reference in my blog iA.
wow subhanAllah.
this is filed under ‘tasawwuf.’
aka ‘bid’ah.’ zaytuna institute and Hamza Yusufi are known to promote shirk and bid’ah, such as the qaseedah burda, and praising the Prophet (s) almost to the point of idolatry like most sufis do.
lol this idiot hamza says ‘wahabi’. what an idiot! does he not have the simplest notion of tawhid asma wa sifat?
subhanAllah don’t support this deviant! not only does he spread baatil and fitna, he also waters down the deen of islam (i.e. removing or altering the concept of jihad such as how the madkhalis do with the so-called-salafis in saudia.)
wow, hamza said “shias are our brothers in islam and blah blah the scholars havent agreed about the shias.”
wth, it is common knowledge that the ijmaa of ahl-us-sunnah-wal-jamaah is that shiism is either kufr or close to kufr!
some of you people here are so righteous
Well I see the Shayk as a great guidance, and I think his well wishers are more numerous than his critics
to the ignoramous abdrahman
“Know, O my brother – may Allaah awaken you and I to His pleasure; and make us of those who have piety in Him as we should have, that the flesh of the scholars is poisonous. It is well known that Allaah will expose those who seek to revile and belittle them; and that whosoever unleashes his tongue by insulting and belittling the scholars, then Allaah will cause his heart to die before he actually dies.” Likewise, part of honouring them is to have love and allegience (walaa) for them
He sallallaahu ‘alalyhi wa sallam said:
“He is not from us, who does not honour our elders, nor have mercy upon our young, nor honours the rights of our Scholars.”
Shk Hamza rocks and teaches traditional islam based on Quran wa Sunnah and scholary guidance and consensus, he follows maliki fiqh…our beloved Master, Muhammad (sas) stated that “The scholars are heirs to the prophets” respect is due to them.
I listen to Sh. HY lectures as there’s lot to learn from him. But at the same time disagree with him on some things. I would say I hold that view for most scholars…
Not everyone is going to like HY, just not everyone who like HY likes every other sheik out there. There are really awesome sheiks whom I listen & like but have seen fans of HY hate. Something, I doubt even HY would encourage.
I love this man.
mashAllah
Hamza yusuf is a real scolar ! Not only in Islam but also in History etc.. Really a Big SCOLAR !!!
Hamza Yusuf is NOT A SCHOLAR! Furthermore, he is a character who has things, such as:
—The Hurul-`Ayn (maidens of Paradise) are allegorical and not literal beings
—Claims one cannot deem a person who is an open an admitted kaafir that he is a “kaafir”
—Murder interupts the time of death that Allah has designated for a person (nothing alters what Allah has predestined)
—There is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an
—He shakes hands (skin to skin) with adult women
He is making money off of Muslims–and he is misguiding people by the multitude. May Allah make us aware of this man’s fitnah!!!
With Allah is the success.
Type-o:
Furthermore, he is a character who has SAID things….
@Swarth Moor
I wonder if people actually realize that such statements or beliefs
that have be reported about Hamza Yusuf take a person out of Islam.
This Shaykh Muhammad al-Ya’qubi said a lot of nice things.
If I may ask, can someone tell me how to identify a person as a scholar? Is it just a matter of popular opinion or is there a specific criteria? If there is a criteria, then what is it?
Let’s follow the advice of Shaykh al-Ya’qubi and address this issue intellectually. He talks about ranks in the Hanafi school among the scholars. Where would Hamza Yusuf fit? What criteria has he met?
@ 82
A person who:
—Denies Allah’s Attributes, such as, Oneness, Knowledge, Will, Power, Transcendence (Freedom-from-Need), Eternality
—-OR—-
—Resembles Allah to the creation (explicitly or implicitly), such as, believing Allah is a human, or a light, or a spatial entity of any sort
—-OR—-
—Intentionally belies the Religion (that is, he KNOWS that such a matter is part of the Deen, but rejects or denies it)
…IS A NON-Muslim (kaafir).
Afterall, a person can’t be a Muslim if he believes Allah is deficient, or similar to what He created, or the person does not accept that which Allah revealed unto His Messenger Muhammad (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).
(Regarding the shaking the hand of the woman (non-mahram), it is not blasphemy–but it is sinful. Doing a sin is not blasphemy unless one deems the sin halaal.)
With Allah is the success.
lol Asmarani, apparently all you need is a 4-6 year “alim course” and a degree to become an alim nowadays…i mean i’ve seen two people under 30 and they hold the title of “mufti”. ridiculous
bismillah.
if you have nothing good to say, then dont say anything at all.
may Allah guide us all to the truth ameen,
and may He make our hearts firm on the deen ameen.
assalamu alaykum, are these really muslims making some of these comments? i am a muslim revert from the Dominican Republic and is so a shame to read some of the opinions posted. forget about talking ill about the scholars should just keep quiet and not talk about anyone at all. may Allah guide are umma and bless our rightly guided scholars.ameen
@ Ibn Khalid
“He who is silent in the face of evil is a mute devil.”
Hamza Yusuf is misguiding people–A LOT OF PEOPLE. Exposing his deviance and making people aware of who this person is an obligation.
@ Abdul-Latif
It’s obvious that a person who denies Destiny or claims there is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an is a kaafir. If a person who says such things is masquerading as a Muslim–especially, if this person is influencing LOTS of people–then it is a duty to speak out against him.
Just for the record, would people PLEASE stop referring to Hamza Yusuf as a “scholar.” If the guy were straight (which he ain’t), he’d be considered a “daa`iee” (a Muslim proselytizer). The man isn’t a scholar, and does not claim such for himself.
One of the signs of the approach of the Day of Judgment is that people will appoint ignorant people to high positions – as the Prophet mentioned. If this is the case then don’t you think we need to have come criteria in place in order to distinguish between a scholar and a non-scholar. If so, then what is the criteria?
If Hamza Yusuf is a real scholar then where is his resume? What qualifications has he met? He is very famous so this should be something easy to answer. Can anyone out there provide his specific qualifications???
wow just wow
I think some of you do not understand what Shaykh Hamza Yusuf believes at all. He does not deny destiny for example, and I’m smh at the other stuff people are claiming about what he believes too. smh at Muslims right now smdh….
Wow, why you (especially the ignorant Swart Moor) slander Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, he receives all your good deeds. Where did you learn adab? You love this stuff as it gives you more determination to write even more, so it’s useless to give you advice as it seems you are more than a scholar. To know a scholar, you ask other scholars, and some of the top scholars in the world refer to Shaykh Hamza as “Shaykh”, and some even call him “mujaddid”. Envy is a huge problem in our community, and our tongues is what will take many of us to the punishment in the grave & in the hereafter. May Allah open our eyes b/f it’s too late. Swarth Moor, you will read this, laugh arrogantly, and you will simply be proud that you are getting attention on this blog, and continue with your ignorance. I promise that if you sincerely ask to be guided, get up at Tahajjud & ask Allah to guide you, you will be guided, or you will have something serious coming your way, if not in this world, in the hereafter.
Hamza Yusuf is a clear caller to Bid’ah, and warning against this is an honorable deed. Backbiting doesn’t include warning people (especially against the people of Innovation).
I don’t think it matters what people have called him…people call OBL “shaykh usama” but that doesn’t make him a scholar. I’m sure at least one person thinks he’s a mujaddid too, yet it doesn’t make him anything more than he really is now does it?
I agree with al-suyuufi.
And by the way, how is Hamza Yusuf a Sheikh? What exactly makes him so? What’s his credentials? Why is this label thrown around so easily everywhere. Ignorant people these days are referred too as ‘Sheikh’ as well.
If he wasn’t a ‘Caucasian White revert’, who is able to speak Arabic, has some knowledge of Islam, would he have ever become famous and known as ‘Sheikh’ as a result?
@ Concerned,
You have failed to address the issues i raised. Instead you attacked me–and not what i said. Facts are facts. Muslims believe Allah is the One and Only Creator. Nothing is to be unless Allah willed it. Afterall, the Prophet said: “Whatever Allah has willed to be shall be, and whatever Allah has not willed to be shall not be.”
Hamza Yusuf said (according to the video) in an interview with Michael Enright (of the BBC): Allah has appointed everyone a specific lifespan. The he said: “Murder is such a horrendous crime because it interupts the death time [or lifespan] that Allah has appointed for him.”
That statement is kufr without hesitation. Other deviant things the man has said or written:
—You can’t call a self-identified non-Muslim a kaafir–because you don’t know what state the person will die (according to such warped logic, you can’t judge anyone Muslim, either).
—He said in an NPR interview (i believe with Terri Gross): there is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an. This is nothing but a straight up lie that entails belying the Qur’an.
—He called the kaafir firefighter on 9/11 “Martyrs” (although he tried to equivocate and double-talk out of that one); he also claimed that the Hurul-`Ayn are allegorical and NOT literal beings
These are enormous (and kufri) errors in the elementary matters of `Aqidah. It’s either the guy is horrendously ignorant (which i don’t believe he is–he ain’t a scholar and he’s not a total ignoramus, either), OR he is intentionally altering and distorting the Deen. I am confident that it is the latter.
Furthermore, this is the same guy who shakes hands (skin to skin) with a non-mahram female. This further indicates that he does not have the courage to stand up and defend the Religion. Instead, he readily compromises the Deen for public (meaning non-Muslim) approval. It is CLEAR as day what his agenda is: One is to make the loot. Two: to change the Deen to make it more compliant with secular humanism/the global corporate consumer order (as per Benard/Rand Report). Folks need to break their emotional attachment to this character and simply weigh his actions and statements on the scales of the Deen. When you do, you see that this man is no “scholar” or “sheikh” of Islam. (And he DEFINITELY-DEFINITELY ain’t the Mujaddid!!!)
assalamu alaykum al Sudani
where’ve ya been?
هل الانسان مسير ام مخير؟
ok, so in islam the answer to this question is somewhere in the middle.
about the 9/11 martyrs, he didn’t try to double talk or equivocate anything; people just don’t understand english grammar LOL! It was a conditional sentence people, do you not know english, he didn’t go back and change what he said, he didn’t say anything wrong in the first place! he said “IF there were any martyrs that day, it would not have been the terrorists but it would have been the firefighters.” ESL people? Look at all the conditional phrases in what he said. obviously the condition for being a shaheed is that one is muslim.anybody ever learn the conditional??
I think you’ve misunderstood every single comment you’ve written up there, but alas I don’t have the time to respond to all of them, But i shouldn’t, you should ask him, I’m sure he would be able to respond to everything and with proof from islamic texts. You all underestimate this guy’s knowledge.
about the shaking of the hand seriously???
Be careful of being completely sure of what someone else’s intention is, only Allah knows the unseen, right?
aren’t you the expert scholar in aqeeda??
also, LOL at trying to answer the مسير or مخير question with ONE Hadith,
wow just wow
smh
I know I’m being rude, please forgive me, I’m just kind of frustrated.
Wswrwbr al-suyuufi
I’ve been avoiding this blog site, because there is too much disagreements, and disputes. Which usually leads me to end up posting a comment, taking sides, and joining the arguments, and I’ve realized it’s just a waste of time, and not the best place to have a proper debate.
I agree with [al sudani], [al-suyuufi], and [swarthmoor]. If Hamza Yusuf is such a great scholar, than where are his credentials? What books of scholars was he taught and by whom? What books have he memorized? How many hadith with their chains of narration has he memorized? Has he even memorized al-Qur’an? Salahud-Din al-Ayyubi memorized at-Tanbeeh, Al-Hamaashah and al-Qur’an – he was a real scholar and a hero to all muslims.
The reality is that Hamza Yusuf is a book reader and an orientalist. If you go on youtube and watch his interview about his translation of at-Tahawi, he quotes more christians then he does muslim scholars. He’s all mixed up.
Wallahi what is wrong with you people today? Are Muslims drunk? Honestly are some of you here of sound body and mind? Or are you hearts so ridiculously filthy that you question this man credibility and in some cases his deen? Heres a man [Shaykh, and i gladly call him Shaykh, Hamza Yusuf] who literally, has done more for Islam, than any of you here sitting on your butts slandering this man have done. You’re asking for his credentials? His qualifications? Where are yours? What have you done to earn you the status of evening criticing the Shaykh? I ask any of you here, Nay I CHALLENGE any of you here, do any of you here have half the qualifications he has, even half! Have any of you here even spoke to an audience in a lecture hall? You asked for his qualifications and you weren’t smart enough to just look them up? {http://www.zaytuna.org/teacherMore.asp?id=9}
Shaykh Hamza is obviously of Ahl Sunnah wa Jama’ah, he clearly defined the four madhabs as the only legitimate schools of Islam, and the two schools of Aqidah? And here are some of you questioning his deen? Judging him based on what you hear in a video or in a lecture? I am asking you once again WHO ARE YOU? NO REALLY INFORM ME WHO ARE YOU?
The fact that other Walis of Allah clearly love this man and glady accept him (Imam Ninowy, Shaykh Abdullah ibn Bayyah, Habib Ali al Jiffiri the scholars of Mauritania) not to mention As sayyid Shakhy Muhammad al Yacoubi, who is greater of a Muslim/Wali than you will ever attain, should have been enough for your pathetic approval
Ya Allah bless the Prophet Sal Allahu alayhi wa salam for he said the truth that he is not one of us he who does not respect our ulema!
Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone
I see we have alot of sinless brothers here who rather than do zikr, they decide to put on the robe of the shuykh and speak ill of someone else. No thats not what the shuykh do but these brothers here feel knowledgeable enough to slander..
Why the Shaykh title and who gave it to him? Does it matter at this juncture, Allah Who you seem to be defending and Who doesnt need your defence, bestowed it upon him or is trying him with tthe ‘Shaykh’ title. So why dont you sit back and relax and enjoy the ride till the day where everyone comes to account?
Question is how did you know you are right and he is wrong, because it can all be relative, someone taught him perhaps like someone taught yuz your opinions? Just because you know a coupla hadiths all of a sudden you know whos wrong and whos right.
Unless you have the magic blue pill that take you to jannah, i’l be careful slandering other because thanks to Brother Hamza Yusuf, many are rectifying their deen and many coming to Islam, those alone will save him on that day of reckoning InshaAllah. Do you have such backup?
The arabs access the most porn on the internet according to a statistic, but assuming they are not number 1, it is a fact they do, but these same sinners because they speak arabic think they know Islam and are free from Jahannam.. Otherwise they will be doing zikr asking for forgiveness and not surfing the net slandering those in the real world. And I am not picking on arabs here it applies to all Muslims of any race, culture and gender. And myself too.
Just read some more comments above and…
Well the Atheists learn more about God almost more than most faithfuls just to prove the absence of His existance…
The Slanderers above seem to know MORE about Hamza Yusuf, his every word, speech, books and lecture than the average Amr or Zaid just so they point out his supposed wrongs. hahaha … idiots!!!
^
It was said to Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal: ‘Is it more loved to you that a man fasts, prays and peforms tawaaf or that he speaks about the People of Innovation [i.e. exposes them and warns about them]?’ He replied: ‘When he stands, prays and performs tawaaf that is for himself but when he talks about the People of Innovation then that is for the Muslims and this is more excellent.”
You accuse someone of being Shaykh yet you, full of of wordly sins want to associate urself with Imam Ahmad? Always finding excuses, and if you want a counter opinion, Imam Ahmed wasnt talkin bout foul mouth ignorants, there is a way to discuss such things with civility not the ways you Imam Ahmad’s wannabees are.
Bro yuz are just as wrong accept it and quit trying to defend it. That wont be a defence on the day of Judgement and inshaAllah Allah will punish people that cause fitnah amongst the Muslims. Ur anti-Hamzah da’awah isnt gainin you converts, so stop already..
Take the good from the Brother and leave the rest to him..
I dont know what the Shia opinion is about our Sunni Imams, but i think, and correct me if I am wrong, Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal is among the people of Jannah. When he spoke of people of Innovation, he was talking with sincerity and not under the influence of Iblis.
If the folks above can guarantee us they are a 100% not under the influence of Iblis, their sincerity comes into question and should go work on becoming like the Imam. Shaykh Hamza is trying to emulate the Imams too so excuse his shorthcomings along the way.
I been reading some of the comments made by brothers, to my utter disappointment, this shouldnt be how brothers behave.
first of all, where are the proofs and references (which others can verify) to all the allegations that some people claim about him ?
If you have disagreements with some person, or shaykh, why dont you take it directly to him and question him first ? if he rejects the truth while you’ve made the right and wrong clear to him, then i could understand if someone is warning about him.
did any of you who is slandering brother Hamza Yusuf done it ?
Ya muslim… fear Allah. do not spread fitnah in the land.
I think Ahmad ibn Hanbal would disagree if you said he was 100% under Iblis’s influence, because to his last breath he was telling Shaytan “not yet,” meaning he hadn’t won against Shaytan yet. Not to say that he was under the influence of Shaytan or anything
Hamza Yusuf has a clear association with bid’ah, I don’t see what’s so wrong about warning against it
Shaykh Hamza has done more for Islam, such as bringing many disenchanted Muslims back into into the fold and presenting a clear, balanced view of traditional Islam to the world, than most of the people who attack him can ever claim. His credentials and who he learned from are well known and he has never hidden them from anyone.
May Allah bless him, preserve him in his deen and protect him from the talk of those who attempt to harm him….
Please select the level of scholarship Hamza Yusuf as reached:
A. Mujtahid Mutlaq / Absolute Mujtahid (eg. Abu Hanifah)
B. Mujtahid Muntasib / Associative Absolute Mujtahid (e.g. Ibn Daqiq al-’Id)
C. Mujtahid fil-Madhhab or Sahibul-Wujuh (e.g. al-Juwayni)
D. Raajih / Preponderator (eg. an-Nawawi)
D. Naaqil / Conveyor (eg. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami)
E. Musnid (eg. Waliyyullah ad-Dahlawi)
F. Muhaddith (eg. Badrud-Din al-Hasani)
G. Hafidh in Hadith (eg. Ahmad al-Ghumari)
H. Grammarian (eg. Ahmad bin Zayni Dahlan)
L. Philogist / Linguist (eg. Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi)
M. Mufassir (eg. al-Qurtubi)
N. Qutb (eg. Abdullah Haddad al-Hadrami)
O. Ghawth (eg. al-Jaylani)
P. Sultanul-Awliya’ (eg. ar-Rifa’i)
Please tell me which category does Hamza Yusuf fit in????
Why don’t you defend the Religion instead of defending a person who makes so many mistakes? If you people truly cared about the Religion and if you truly believed that Hamza Yusuf was on the Right Path, then you would defend him with proofs. But you don’t! What you do is attack those who criticize him with baseless words.
Hamza Yusuf is on video shaking hands with a woman – how can you defend that? He is supposed to be a scholar! Why then is he publicly committing sins?
We are not slandering Hamza Yusuf because what we accuse him of is true. None of you who are defending him even denies what he does or says. Now if he repents then I will be the first to request that everything that I have posted against him be removed and I will rebuke anyone who speaks ill of him because Allah forgives whomever He Wills. But until then I will not stop warning people against Hamza Yusuf’s misguidance.
i think all of the muslims attacking shaykh hamza should be ashmed of themselves, questioning his qualification? what are your qualifications that you are questioning his? I wish I knew of a better muslim who is doing such great service for the cause of the muslims. Please don’t open your mouths if you have nothing nice to say about another muslim.
a sister in islam
Hamza Yusuf is a deceitful person. He claims that “emphasizing on Aqidah is a sickness”. He is nothing but a pluralist. Just read his article about “who the true disbeliever really is”.
Yes he sat with some scholars and knowledgeable people but that in it self doesn’t not make him a scholar. If you listen to his words you will hear the words of an orientalist not a muslim scholar. As himself says “I read Al-Ghazzali and I read Ibn Taymiyah. I like them both”. Al-Ghazzali was known as “The Proof of Islam” where as Ibn Taymiyah was declared a hypocrite and wasn’t even buried in a muslim cemetery.
Bimisllah
As Salamo alaykum wa rahmat Allahi wa barakatu. Salam ala sayyidina Muhammad Sal Allahu alayhi wa salam
“Ibn Taymiyyah died in jail in Damascus on the night of Sunday-Monday 20th Dhul-Qa’dah 728 A.H./26-27 September 1328 C.E. at the age of 67, and is buried in the cemetery of the Soofiyyah in Damascus.”
So what if he lf enjoys both Al Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyyah lots of Sunni scholars although not agreeing with some of ibn Taymiyyahs points respect him
Honestly im done arguing here, its draining on a person,
FOr those of you slandering the Shaykh (hamza yusuf) check yourself please
Your cutting and pasting will not change the reality of where Ibn Taymiyah is buried. Anyone can go to Damascus and see that his grave is not in any cemetery. It is in fact an unmarked grave tucked away between buildings belonging to the University of Damascus. A neighborhood called “Baramkeh”. It’s right next to a hospital surrounded by weeds and trash.
Al-Ghazzali said: “the one who claims that the universe does not have a beginning is a blasphemer.”
Ibn Taymiyah said: “the universe is eternal by kind but not by elements”
Who is their right mind would claim to like both of their individuals unless they are completely ignorant of their sayings and beliefs. Even if I gave Hamza Yusuf the benefit of the doubt, that’s all the more reason to consider him an ignorant person and not a scholar.
As-Salamu `alaykum:
With all due honesty, I must agree with the sentiments of Sidi Amsarani that Hamza Yusuf is not qabil-e-`itibar (trustworthy) nor is he a source for Ahl`e Sunnat. In fact, his disrespectful discourse on the Turuq of Tasawwuf is condemnable and shows his status as an un-beneficial, confused, and disconnected individual. In addition, he is the mouthpiece of the Wahhabiya and their ilk, such as ISNA, ICNA, al-Maghrib, and his so-called “Zaytuna” Institute is the mother of what Sayyidi alaHazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan alayhi rahmah, describes as “Sullah kulli ilhad”.
In addition, Zaid Shakir is guilty of saying kufr statements and I personally sent an istisfa to a Sunni mufti in the U.K. on Zaid Shakir’s statements.
Wassalam ma`al ikram
Mr. AbuAbbasRidwi,
are you that lying brelvi from SunniTalk? i guess you are. shame on you for insutling shaykh ul-islam shaikh hamza yusuf saheb (may Allah protect him from Brelvis like yourself)
You just make fitnah, may Allah burn your face.
May Allah bless the following `Ulama of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama`aah:
Shaykh ul-Islam Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Shaykh al-Kabir Shaykh Zaid Shakir
Rai`s al-Mudarissin Mawlana `AbdAllah bin Hamid Ali
Shaykh al-`Ulema Imam Usama Canon
Imam al-`Ulema Mawlana Suhaib Webb
Mujaddid al-`Azam Shaykh `Abdullah bin Mahfuz bin Bayyah
And may Allah burn jealous brelvis like AbuAbbas
I didn’t know that contradicting Tawheed and the Sunnah can make you among the Ulama of Ahl us Sunnah….interesting
@Abu Abbas,
May Allah bestow His Grace upon Mawlana Ahmad Rida Khan and whose who adhered to the path of Ahlus-Sunnah through his route.
@Bilal Osman,
LOL. LMAO. Hamza Yusuf – shaykh of what??? Mawlana Abdullah???? Head of the Mudarrisin? You must be joking! YTOOYA!!! You’re talking about the same guy from Philadelphia who thinks it’s ok to delay people from embracing Islam??? May Allah guide you and him.
Wa `alaykum us-salam:
@Asmarani
Ameen, sidi.
@Bilal:
I don’t know how you’re making up funny titles has to do with anything. May Allah guide you.
fa idha lam tastaHi faSna’a maa shiyt / if you have no shame, do whatever you want’
—-
al-iyadhu billah.
Salam to mr. abuabbasridwi:
It has to do with a lot of things. You’re making fitnah and slandering the great Ulama of this age, namely Shaykh ul-Islam Mawlana Hamza Yusuf, may Allah preserve him and protect him, and Imam al-Akbar Shaykh Zaid Shakir, may Allah bless and protect him, and I’ve heard you criticize the Mujaddid of this Age, the Imam Abu Hanifa of our Time, The Shaykh of Shaykhs, The Maliki Jurist, The Mutjahed Al-Hafiz Al-Imam Al-Shaykh al-Mawlana Dr. `Abd Allah bin Mahfoodh bin Bayyah, may Allah bless him and protect him.
And you mr. amsarami, you made up a lie about Rai`s ul-Mudarrisin Imam al-Mutaqeen, Shaykhul Fiqh Mawlana `Abdullah bin Hamid Ali al-Maliki, may Allah bless him and preserve him and give him good in this life and the hereafter.
Our Shaikhs are more knowledgeable than you and then all the “Ulema” you claim to follow. Our Shaikhs promote Islamic unity and brotherhood and your just divide. We respect all differences of opinion but you only accept some.
Shameful idiots you are and you are narrow-minded and you don’t know anything
Allah guide Abu Abbas and Amsarani
You continue to simply ignore us and write ridiculous titles for the Ahl al-Bida`a like Hamza Yusuf and his ilk.
May Allah guide you.
“Shaykh ul-Islam Mawlana Hamza Yusuf, may Allah preserve him and protect him, and Imam al-Akbar Shaykh Zaid Shakir, may Allah bless and protect him, and I’ve heard you criticize the Mujaddid of this Age, the Imam Abu Hanifa of our Time, The Shaykh of Shaykhs, The Maliki Jurist, The Mutjahed Al-Hafiz Al-Imam Al-Shaykh al-Mawlana Dr. `Abd Allah bin Mahfoodh bin Bayyah, may Allah bless him and protect him.”
I think there are more titles in this quote than actual words.
Be a little bit like Al-Mujaddid al-`Asr al-Imam Abu Hanifa al-`Asr Mutjahid al-Maghrib Shaykh al-Mashaykh al-Faqih al-Fiqh al-Maliki al-Mutjahid al-Hafiz al-Imam as-Shaykh al-Mawlana Dr. `Abd Allah bin Mahfoodh bin Bayyah, may Allah preserve him.
At least try to be open-minded not like your narrow minded Soofi tariqa mullahs and Brelvi mullahs.
Sayyiduna Sheikh Hamza’s blessed teachers:
1) Shaykh `Abd Allah bin Mahfudh bin Bayyah
2) Shaykh `Abd Allah bin Ahmadina
3) Shaykh Murabit Al-Hajj Muhammad `Umar bin Al-Salik ibn al-Fahfu
4) Shaykh `Abd Allah ibn al-Siddiq al-Shinqiti
5) Shaykh `Abd Allah Ali Mahmud
6) Shaykh Bayyah bin Salik
7) Shaykh Ahmad al-Badawi Al-Sudani
8) Shaykh Bashir Shafqah
9) Sidi Shaykh Bou Sa`id (Founder of Madarasa Bilal ibn Rabah)
10) Shaykh Muhammad Khatry bin Bayba
11) Shaykh Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Shaybani
12) Shaykh Ahmad al-Mubarak
13) Shaykh Ahmad Jabir Jibran
14) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Yaqu`bi
15) Shaykh al-Habib Ahmad MasShur TaHa al-Haddad
16) Shaykh Muhammad b. Al-Ameen al-Shinqiti
Hamza Yusuf spent several years.
He spent 8-9 months in Mauritania
2 years in UAE
2 years in Saudi Arabia
A couple of months in Sudan
A year in Egypt
A year in Algeria
A year in Morroco
Total:
Almost 8 years abroad!
As-Shaykh Hamza Yusuf also recieved ijazah in a text from Mawlana Hasan Khadim Shinqiti from Mauritania as well.
And Sidi Muhammad Shareef took back his letter to Sayyiduna Shaykh ul-Islam Mawlana Shaykh Hamza Yusuf as he realized that he is no position to criticize Shaykh ul-Islam Imam al-Ulama Mawlana Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
Sidi Muhammad Shareef is younger than Shaikhul Islam Mawlana Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
To our dear brothers at Mujahideen Ryder.net
On our dear Shaykh, Mawlana Hamza Yusuf al-Amriki, may Allah preserve him.
Taqriz from As-Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Saad
All praise is due to Allah and peace be upon his Messenger:
To continue,
Our dear brother and teacher, Shaykh al-Islam Imam al-Ulama Fadilat us-Shaykh, Sayyidi Hamza Yusuf Al-Maliki al-Amriki, is amongst the highest scholars, amongst whose teachers is Mujaddid Shaykh Dr. `Abdullah bin Mahfooz bin Bayyah, Allah bless him. He has also studied under Shaikh Muhammad Ameen al-Shinqitee and others and is amongst the people uniting the Ummah. He is also refuting the bad innovations while always keeping in mind differences of opinion and the Unity of the Ummah of Al-Islaam. Amongst his teachers are people of many different backgrounds, from Soofis to Salafis to people in between, just like how Sayyidi Shaikh Hamza is in between Soofi and Salafi. He is Soofi in being an Ash`ari and being a truly spiritual person and a Salafee in being harsh against the false innovations of blindly following Soofi shuyookh in Tareeqas. While I differ with him on Mawled and other issues, these are issues of differences of opinion which our dear teacher, Shaikhuna Hamza Yusuf, hold the opinion of permissibility on and they have criticized and yet accepted the opinion I follow.
May Alllah bless Shaikhul Islam Imam Hamza Yusuf. Ameen
Abdur Rahman al-Saad
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Bismillah Wa Salaatu Wa Salaam Ala RasoolAllah
Re: Hamza Yusuf
As-Salam `alaykum:
I, `Abdur Rahman al-Saad ,hereby declare my retraction of all that I have stated above about Br. Hamza Yusuf.
Allah Al Wadud bless you ya akhi
This is a summary of (some) of Hamza Yusuf’s deviant statements:
It is clear from the videos/interviews (and from similar such statements heard from HY in person) that the man is a deviant. Stating that it is kufr to claim murder interupts one’s appointed deathtime is not ghibah. Similarly stating that belying the Qur’an is kufr, such as, claiming there is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an, or that the Hurul-`Ayn are not mentioned in the Qur’an (and furthermore, claiming they are merely allegorical) does not entail ghibah. Furthermore, how can someone who is so utterly lax with the Deen (such as, shaking hands with a ajnabi female) be expected to stand up and defend the Religion? The guy has SELLOUT written all over his face.
Likewise HY’s hanging out with a character (Zaid Shakir) who openly rejects what Allah made permissible–and refers to human beings as “the children of Allah” on at least three occassions, forces a sincere Muslim to call into question what is going on with the Zaytunis. The defenders of the Zaytunis NEVER produce any sort of intellectual defense for HY/Zaid. All they claim–after they admit these characters actually said the statements–is that they are all taken out of context. But that clearly is NOT the case. Why is it so hard for people to consider that the (open) enemies of Islam have always supported deviant factions (e.g., Ahmadiyyah and so-called Nation of Islam) to confuse people about Islam? Does it not occur to people that the enemies of Islam would only become MORE sophisticated in their effort to co-opt the Religion? …And that should be ALL THE MORE EVIDENT in light of Benard’s Rand Report piece
Wow, Swarth Moor, you have really opened my eyes.
I have now realised that Islam is a vicious and evil religion. Whether or not this guy Hamza is a scholar or not, it doesnt matter, but how evil and vicious the people are in this discussion, it shows just what kind of person I will become if I continue to be a Muslim.
I was raised to think that Islam is truth, and so being a Muslim means a person reflecting the truth. But this is not so, unless the truth is evil. I cannot believe that.
I guess, Swarth Moor, I would not be a Muslim anymore by saying this. But I want to thank you, although you may not agree or like it, but you have showed me why I dont want to be a Muslim anymore, for Islam is intolerant and evil, and fights brother with brother.
I am no more a Muslim.
Thanks.
Yes, Ali, the person who calls himself a kaafir–in seriousness or jest–is a kaafir, as the Qur’an says:
“If they [the kuffar] were questioned they would say we were just talking and joking. Say to them: ‘Is it Allah, His Verses and Messenger you were belittling!! Do not offer any excuse. You committed kufr after you had belief (at-Tawbah 65-66).’”
(Similarly, Ali, cursing and insulting the Religion is itself kufr–whether one is joking or not.)
For the person to repent of their kufr, they must recognize that they commited kufr, cease that kufr, reject that kufr in their heart, and say the Shahadah with the intention to return to Islam. I extend that advice to you.
In summary, the scholars of Islam, like An-Nawawi, Qadi `Iyad, Badrur-Rasheed, Muhammad `Ulaysh, etc. wrote extensively on the subject of apostasy/kufr so that Muslims would be aware of it and warned of it, so they would not do things (or say or believe things) that would render their Islam null and void and cause them to be cast in Hell forever (if they do not return to Islam), as the Prophet said:
“The slave would utter a single word he regards as harmless, which results in his being cast into Hell the depth of which he would fall is 70 years.” (At-Tirmidhi)
The tragic thing is that you have these pseudo-sunnis claiming to teach traditional Islamic knowledge, but they can’t even define what a kaafir is. They have an agenda to obfuscate the matters of apostasy’kufr because they associate with people who make open kufri statements, but they–these quasi-scholars–remain silent and don’t warn the Muslims about such blasphemous sayings. Likewise, such people, like Hamza Yusuf, openly BELIE what Allah revealed, such as, claiming there is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an, although the Qur’an contains DOZENS of Verses berating the Jews for their treachery and rejection of Allah’s Prophets.
Ali, i hope you and others take the time out to learn the rules pertaining to apostasy. It would relieve a lot of the mess the Muslim communities are suffering from because they are unfamiliar with an entire section of Islamic knowledge. In a time when kufr is rife–the enemies of Islam are powerful–and Muslims are ignorant and weak–it is all the more important that we sit down and learn about what does and does not nullify one’s Islam.
With Allah is the success.
Swarth Moor: You have no idea what you’re talking about. Your statements lack credibility and have no basis in fact. You, along with your cronies here, are posting flat out lies. May Allah(swt) help us all.
Swath Moor,
You claim that Imam Zaid Shakir openly rejects what Allah made permissible. Can you please give an example?
Those who dislike Sh. HY can do so with some etiquettes, lack of manners doesn’t win you any votes!
There seems to be super die-hard fans of Sh. HY here, who can’t offer a single intellectual argument in defence, just more rhetoric.
I don’t really understand all the title that were given to Sh. HY & Imam ZS in some fo the comments here, even their teachers were not given such titles?
Abdullah,
Interview on NPR (National Public Radio), HY claims there is nothing “anti-Jewish” in the Qur’an. That’s a lie–a lie that belies the Qur’an. Belying the Qur’an is kufr. HY also claims that murder interupts a person’s appointed time of death–this is the belief of the Qadariyyah/Mu`tazilah, and not that of the Sunnis. HY claims (just recently in a tafseer of a Qur’anic surah) that a non-Muslim isn’t necessarily a kaafir. He attempts to obfuscate the matter by trying to claim that a non-Muslim is a kaafir only if he “arrogantly rejects” Islam. (There is the issue of takleef–that is, legal accountability, which is not what he was talking about.) HY denies that the Hoorul-`Ayn are mentioned in the Qur’an… and then says they are not literal beings, but mere allegories. Oh, and he shakes the hands of kaafir women (flesh to flesh).
What we have witnessed with this character (Hamza Yusuf) is an intentional effort to confuse people about the matters of kufr, in particular. He has slowly set up his arguments, and his groupies are waiting in line to quaff the Kool Aid. He is poisoning people’s minds and altering matters of the fundamentals of Doctrine… but doing it slowly and in a relatively discrete matter (e.g., it took him 80 minutes to drop his deviant idea that a non-Muslim need not necessarily be a kaafir). It should be relatively simple and obvious: the enemies of Islam are going to use agents who masquerade up as “Sunni Muslim ‘scholars,’” who would, in reality, be working to misguide people. Furthermore, it is seen (by the enemies of Islam) as an essential part of their attack on Islam, to efface from the Muslim mind the fact that non-Muslims are kaafirs, and they are condemned to Hell forever. If you want references, i have posted them here before, i’ll try to dig them up, in-sha’ Allah.
With Allah is the success.
Hamza Yusuf is a sell out!
Abu Rumi,
You are right, i could be politer. It’s a criticism that i well deserve. I’ll try to work on myself. Regarding Zaid Shakir, as you will see, in-sha’ Allah, when asked whether a man (husband) has the right to hit his wife, Zaid does not attempt to explain the circumstances, or the limits of such hitting (which are well-known by every student of knowledge from the books of Fiqh), he outright rejects the Verse. Even Bill Moyer is taken aback: he reads the Verse (an accurate translation of the Verse) to Zaid–and then Zaid just goes ahead and says the one who would hit his wife is a “pathological maniac, lunatic.” Can Zaid name one scholar of Fiqh who called a Muslim who implemented what Allah gave permission to do a “pathological maniac, lunatic?”
The bottomline is that these guys are apologists, who are willing to outright lie and alter the Religion of Allah. They want to make Islam more palatable to the Western secular consumer culture mind–even if it means lying about Islam. If Zaid is going to lie to Bill Moyer, well what would prevent him from lying to Muslims? If you are going to do interviews–and you know you are going to be asked difficult and sensitive questions–either answer truthfully and honestly with tact (and without giving the enemies of Islam a bat to beat you with)–or find others who are qualified to deal with such matters. What one DEFINITELY doesn’t do is belie the Deen and consequently commit kufr.
The source: @ 12:40
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/06222007/watch2.html
Swarth Moor,
i just watched the Imam ZS’s clip, I m shocked! He could have explained it clearly & in more detail but to deny it completely… I just don’t get it.
But we have to keep in mind that scholars are humans & they are bound to make mistakes. I don’t think there’s any scholar out there that is 100% perfect, he/she is bound to make mistakes. May Allah forgive him for his mistake.
Thanks for the advice Swarthmoor.
But there is no need for explanation. The behavior speaks louder and clearer.
I have learned everything there is to learn by watching behavior. You Muslims are truly a bunch of hateful devil-inspired people. There is no divinity in your religion.
And you guys may think I am making all this up. I dont care.
I would like to say to you all to go to hell, but you have done a nice job yourselves already.
A few things: stating the the Noble Qu’ran is “anti-Jewish” is blatantly false. In both the Qur’an and Sunnah it is made clear that the people of the book have deviated, but that they are afforded special privileges. How could someone extrapolate from the entire Qu’ran that it is any-Jewish.
Also, Sheyk Hamza is constantly taken out of context, by the right wing American media and the reactionary elements within our deen. Hamza Yusuf never condoned Shia Islam. What he has said repeatedly (I literally just heard him say this, in person) was that if the original generations couldn’t figure out a way to solve the schism between Sunni Islam and Shia Islam – our generation probably wouldn’t either. None of us are scholars here. Calling a Sheyk or an Imam or a scholar a deviant or an apostate is serious, serious business. For some reason internet warrior feel comfortable defaming people who have spent their entire adult lives studying Islam.
Okay let me give this a shot, DC Seeker:
When a person says: Ghayril-maghdoobi `alayhim” (Those upon whom the “wrath”–i.e., extreme torture and punishment is upon) in al-Faatihah, he is referring to the Jews.
“Certainly those who blaspheme from the People of the Book [i.e., Jews/Christians] and the pagans are in Hell forever; they are the WORST OF THE CREATIONS.”
(I don’t think Abe Foxman or the JDL would take kindly to that Verse–or the ones that follow.)
“The Jews say `Uzayr is the son of Allah… they imitated those who blasphemed before them, so may Allah destroy them.”
“And you will find they [the Jews] are the greediest men–greedier than the pagans.”
“They [the Jews] disbelieved in the Revelation of Allah and slew Prophets.”
“The Jews claim Allah is stingy.”
“Allah has cursed them [the Jews] for their disbelief, and among them only a few will believe.”
4:155: Allah curses the Jews for:
A. Breaking their Covenant
B. Rejecting Revelation
C. Disbelief (in general)
D. Utter calmunities against Lady Mary
E. Claiming to have killed Prophet Jesus
(See also 4:160-161/5:15)
6:20 The Jews recognize Prophet Muhammad like they can recognize their sons–they are lost souls–and are among the most unjust
Here is a list of some other Verses:
3:21; 3:78; 3:91; 3:131; 4:46; 4:136; 5:42; 5:78
So DC, the Qur’an doesn’t say that the People of the Book (for now, we are talking about the Jews–and their deviance is, in general, different from Christian deviance; hence, the Jews are called Al-Maghdoob, and the Christians, Ad-Daalleen) simply “deviated,” but the Qur’an CONDEMNS the Jews for their greed, treachery, and kufr. I don’t know how a person could possibly think that the Qur’an is “pro-Jewish” or even “neutral” towards the Jews. It is clear and unambiguous about their status.
The issue here is that it is clear that a person (talking about a daa`ee) is going to be asked difficult questions by the media. The person needs to be wise and tactful (unlike my straightforward posts here–but here i am trying to clarify prevalent misconceptions amongst people self-identified as Muslims and to prevent the further spread of deviance in the Muslim communities). He needs to answer in a way that does not cause further harm to the Muslims or deters others from Islam–and in a way that he does NOT BELIE the Deen. HY, for instance, is a clever guy. He COULD have worded his answers in a way that would not have belied DOZENS of Verses in the Qur’an (and don’t even let me get started on the Hadiths talking about the Jews), and at the same time, not come off looking like what Mike Weiner… uh, i mean, Michael Savage, calls: “a Muslim Nazi.”
Instead, as is clear, Hamza Yusuf has an agenda to slowly alter the Deen. It is not only his postion about the Jews. His objective is to undermine the Usul of the Deen and obscure the distinction between kufr (disbelief) and Imaan. HY has innovated ideas, such as claiming one cannot deem a self-professed kaafir a “kaafir” because one does not know the state the person will die in (of course, we judge a person by his current and apparent condition–not a potential condition; by such ill-logic we can’t call anyone a Muslim, either, for we know not what state that person will die in). Similarly, he claims that a kaafir is a person who has “arrogantly rejected” Islam; whereas, the standard position in Islamic Law is a kaafir is anyone who is not a Muslim–whether the person is legally unaccountable (like Amazonian pagans who never heard the Call to Islam) or the person is legally accountable. The difference between the two groups (the accountable vs. the unaccountable) is that the accountable kaafirs are condemned to Hell forever (whether or not they “arrogantly rejected” Islam or were simply too lazy or superficial to care to know the Truth)–while the unaccontable kaafir will not be tortured in Hell for his kufr.
One point on this issue is that should be clear for those who wish to cry the misnomer “anti-semite” is that the Arabs themselves are “Semites” and that the Muslim perspective upon Judaism/Jews isn’t based upon their ethnicity or “race,” but their kufr and behavior. Of course, among the greatest (non-Prophet) humans who ever lived, and was given the Good News from the Prophet was Abdullah ibn As-Salaam, the (former) head rabbi in Madinah, who rejected Judaism and embraced Islam. Other Jews also embraced Islam during the life of the Prophet (and after). Such men and women deserve praise, and may Allah guide more Jews to Islam. Lastly, stating the facts about what the Qur’an says about the aforesaid people does not justify terrorism or random acts of violence against them–as what some extremists have done. May Allah guide us to take the middle course between radical extremists and spineless modernists.
With Allah is the success.
Swarth Moor
NOw I am confused – i thought Jews are all kufr anyway? And will burn in hell? After all, that’s what a curse from Allah would mean, right?
So are they kufr or not?
And I dont understand what you say about being untortured in hell – is that possible? like a place in between heaven and hell, is that it? or what?
@Ali
That’s what Swarth Moor is saying and this is what the Religion says. All those who subscribe to the religion of Judaism are kafirs/blasphemers/non-muslims. We judge them as such because Allah told us in al-Qur’an to judge them like that and the Prophet told us to judge them like that.
The problem is that Hamza Yusuf doesn’t want us to judge non-muslims as blapshemers/kafirs. He is a pluralist. He wasn’t always this way. Somewhere along the road he changed. Allah knows why.
Asmarani – it’s called progress, some people call it wisdom. Should we all think the same as we did when were 18 years old?
i think before you criticise anyone we should state our own qualifications which apparantly allow us to do so. Hamza Yusuf’s credentials are well known for anyone who is bothered to look.
Asmarani, what i mean is, Swathmoor says that the kafirs can go to hell but will not be tortured. Is that correct? Is that what your religion says?
@Ali
Swathmoor wasn’t saying that. He said that not all non-muslims are accountable (mukallaf). The accountable non-muslim (the one who is sane, pubescent and has received the call of Islam) if they die as a non-muslim then they go to hellfire forever. However, the non-muslim who is not accountable will not be tortured in the Hereafter. This is because the Prophet said that “the pen is lifted for three: the child until he becomes pubescent, the crazy until he becomes sane and the sleeping person until he wakes up.” Receiving the call to Islam is mentioned in al-Qur’an as being a prerequisite for punishment in the Hereafter. This is fiqh 101. So the non-muslim or muslim who was not accountable in this life will not go to Hellfire.
To give you an example to more clear about this issue: Imagine a 10 year old child who isn’t pubescent yet but they are sane and they heard the basic message of Islam. This boy burns down his house intentionally killing his parents and his siblings. This of course is a heinous act. However, this child is not sinful because they have not reached the age of accountability yet. If they died a day later for example, they would not be punished in the Hereafter even if they worshiped a stone. This out of the Mercy of Allah.
@tiby
Firstly, regardless of Hamza Yusuf’s qualifications, he doesn’t have a right to say and do whatever he wants. He doesn’t have the right to shake hands with women. He doesn’t have the right to spread falsehood. He is not a Prophet!!!
Secondly, if his qualifications are well known then you tell what type of scholar is he? Is he a Muhaddith, a Hafiz, a Mufassir, a Lughawi, a Nahwi, a Mujtahid in the Maliki School? Is he from Ashabul-Wujuh? Is he a Murajjih or is he from Ahlun-Naql? What level of scholarship did he reach?
what a weak argument you make (shaking hands = falshood?!?). Yusuf al Qardawi is considered to be a mujtahid by many – he approves of shaking hands in certain situations.- it just proves your lack of knowledge in addition to you not stating exactly which qualifacations you have which give you the right to criticise.
His qualifacations ijazah have been stated over and over again on this thread. Do you have difficulties in reading english?
I don’t really care for these arbitary honorifics which you refer to, anyway since when was that an indication of scholorship? where is it in the sunnah?
His shaking hands with women is the least of his problems. I don’t care what ignorant people say about al-Qaradawi. He is even more ignorant than Hamza Yusuf. In any case shaking hands with women is forbidden by consensus.
Ijazah doesn’t make a person a scholar. Al-Albani claimed to have ijazah too and what did that do for him? Absolutely nothing! If you knew anything about the Religious knowledge you would know that the scholars are of different ranks and one is not entitled to go beyond his rank. An-Nawawi who was a great scholar was only from the rank of Ahlut-Tarjeeh. Therefore, it was not allowed for him to make ijtihad as if he was of the rank of Ash-Shafi’i which since he was a God-fearing he knew very well. Unfortunetly Hamza Yusuf says and does whatever he wants. He has his own agenda which certainly isn’t protecting and preserving the knowledge of the Religion.
Thank you for posting this. It makes his aqeedah very clear and it shows how deceiving he really is. When he defined what a muslim is. Something I wasn’t convinced of until now.
Salams Ali
If you joined the religion of Islam because you ONLY liked the way Muslims act, then maybe you shouldnt be Muslim.
Muslims should act according to the Quran and Sunnah, but we dont. Why? Because we are Human… Read the Quran get a good teacher and rethink what you are saying…
God May not guide you back to the right path with such quickness in leaving with ignorance.
Ignore these internet Muslim thugs. No joke, they are all talk. None of them, either on HY or Salafi side will ever talk to you about these issues face to face. I have tried.
Wassalam
A Muslimah
Salaam
With all due respect to Abdul and the other critics of Hamza Yusuf consider this: a reason exists why scholars do not criticize other scholars. What makes you think you have the education, knowledge and experience to criticize a learned Sheyk or Imam? When the scholars do critique other scholars they are very, very meticulous and careful – citing specific examples of shirk from lectures, establishing a pattern of promoting shirk and the haram, and gathering with other scholars to determine if the Imam or Sheyk is promoting something “outside the fold” of Islam. Have you ever heard Anwar al-Awlaki criticize another scholar by name, even though he obviously has a different point of view than many of them? Check yourself Abdul (and all the other internet scholars and critics) – name-calling, rumor-spreading and sowing the seeds of dissent are serious, serious matters. We will all have to answer for our actions. Allah Knows Best.
DC,
Would you people PLEASE stop calling Hamzah Yusuf a “scholar”–he is not remotely a scholar. He is a person engaged in propagating his perverted apologist version of da`wah. The man has more knowledge than the average ignorant Muslim in the street, but that does not make him a “scholar.” Furthermore, he has made NUMEROUS errors in the fundamental matters of `Aqidah, such as, claiming one cannot call a self-professed kaafir a “kaafir,” because you don’t know what state the person will die upon in the future. Anyone who has studied traditional scholarship would x-ray this fraud, and see that he’s part of Cheryl Benard’s plan to water down and distort Islam by way of a modernist/apologist agenda.
May Allah protect us and open our eyes to the reality of this scoundrel, Hamza Yusuf!
Salaam
Abdul, first it would be a bold, incredibly innovative claim on your part of calling the Noble Qur’an anti Jewish. Contextually we might say the book has many things to say about Jews that are harsh, but the Noble Qur’an is for everyone, under all circumstances, for all time. This means that yes, a Jewish person, can be led by the grace of Allah Subhanahu wa-ta’ala. You are suggesting an exclusivity that doe not exist. We are not talking about the Mein Kampf of religious literature here.
Swath, Abdul and the rest of the crowd. First, like so many others you take comments out of context and the extrapolate from 10 second sound bites that a scholar is not a scholar, or is an innovator or some such nonsense. Hamza’s “forget about the Shias” comment will probably get regurgitated until some people actually believe that Hamza, Zaid and the rest of Zaytuna are agents of the dijal. I would agree that Hamza’s “laid back” Sufi style can sometimes leave a lot to be desired, bit the man is indeed a scholar. That is not debatable.
@DC,
You said: “bit the man is indeed a scholar. That is not debatable.”
Can you define the criteria of the lowest level of Islamic scholar ship? I’ll even help you out a bit. Let us assume that Hamza Yusuf is from Ahlun-Naql which would mean he is at the same level as Ibn Hajar al-Haytami was in the Shafi’i school. If this is true and obvious to all and not debatable then this should be an elementary question. So please tell me, what are the qualifications of this 1st level of scholarship?
A mute devil is still better than a barking dog.
Let us put an end to this freak show. From what I can see from above, there is a group of decent human beings willing to defend the honour of a fellow Muslim whether they agree or disagree with his views. Then, we have a hodge podge of individuals who are in it to win it, with no trace of Akhlaaq or selfrespect in sight they accuse and question the very belief of another Muslim. So here is the deal, in Islam the burden of proof falls on the plaintiff and NOT on the accused (Asmarani, are you listening) so in order for your cancerous accusations to be worth any consideration, it falls upon YOU the accuser, to bring proof that Hamza Yusuf has not studied, does not have qualifications, is not on that list you so tirelessly quote and categorical proof that he is an ORIENTALIST.
if not
then go and work on yourself and work on alternatives that you can present to the Ummah, instead of complaining and pointing the finger of blame, go find a way of becoming a part of the solution and stop being such a big part of its problem.
Ass respectmorani, please provide your qualifications and credentials as a Critic and Expert in the prerequisites of Scholarship, then speak.
You most likely read the stuff online or a small book on the topic and to validate your lack of effort and substance in the field of knowledge, you attempt to impress us all with your long Xeroxed listetc etc, so please, someone answer its questionso that it can regurgitate its answer and impress us all.
the issue at hand is less about Sheikh Hamza Yusufs knowledge and his credentials but more about your lack of it and your lust for attention.
Asfor the super scholar who insulted Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, its enough to know that Ibn Katthir was one of his students.
For all the twisted commentators churning out the garbage above, you must realise that when a fool spits at the sun in trying to extinguish its lights, only two outcomes arise;
1. His venom falls back on his face
2. He remains a fool, but now his foolishness is visible for all to see
Your views are useless if no one is prepared to consider you, so work on your character before assassinating that of others.
Everyone likes chocolates, but no one likes it shoved down their throat.
Gold,
When all is said and done, Hamza Yusuf (Mark Hanson) has made some ENORMOUS mistakes in the matters of `Aqidah. Whether he studied or not (and no one disputes that he “studied”–nonetheless, studying doesn’t make a person a scholar), the fact remains the man has said some HORRENDOUSLY deviant and kufri things. There are people who have knowledge and they work to misguide people. Mark Hanson is one of those people. The man is a human devil masquerading as a Muslim, and the sooner the Muslims wake up and see the evil of this unctuous “man” and the harm he is doing, the better.
It is evident that the person who says there is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an is a straight up lying deviant kaafir. Furthermore, to claim that murder “interupts the appointed death time for a person” has belied the reality of Qadar (and is a kaafir). Also, claiming that the Qur’an does not mention the Hurul-`Ayn, and then goes on to say that they are merely allegorical and not actual beings Allah has created for the Muslim men in Paradise is a LIAR, who is intentionally trying to alter/distort the Deen of Allah. Likewise, claiming that some non-Muslims are not kaafirs (not talking about takleef/legal accountablity) is belying the Deen of Allah–and has an agenda to obliterate the notion of kufr/riddah (disbelief/apostasy) from the minds of an already ignorant Muslim populace.
This emotional attachment to Mark Hanson makes no logical sense. The man is INTENTIONALLY altering and distorting Religious judgments–and then foolish people rush to defend a person who is attempting to undermine the Religion they claim to follow. The enemies of Islam, as per Cheryl Benard’s Rand piece, have a scheme to attack Islam. When you read her work, it is CLEAR AS DAY who Mark is working for.
May Allah protect this Ummah and give us the courage to speak the TRUTH even if others don’t care to hear it.
Can we take a minute to recognize that most of us don;t even bother to use the proper greeting and response when addressing Muslims (this applies formal and informal writing as well).
The vitriol against Hamza is palatable. I will be the first to say that I am not a scholar and I am not familiar with the Islamic scholar-hierarchy. So, you are right, I am not educated enough to tell if Hamza Yusuf is a scholar or if he is what “level” of scholarship he obtained. It was my understand that he had the title of “Sheyk”bestowed upon him and as a layperson when I meet someone with “Imam” or Sheyk” in front of their name I take it on good faith that they have had to go through some sort of rigorous religious training.
Hamza Yusuf has a message that resonates with people. He asks people to look beyond issues and focus on themselves and their relationship with Allah, Subhanahu wa-ta’ala سبحانه وتعالى. I have always understood this to be at the core of his message and I think it is why he urges Muslims (especially in North America) to put aside rifts, schisms differences with other sects (ex. Shia). I never understood him to be advocating Shia beliefs, or disregarding whether or not someone is a kaffir, but that he wants the community (particularly here, in North America) to focus on gaining an equal playing ground, socially, economically and culturally. Muslims in North America are on the cusp of legal disaster. To reel this back in – you are right, perhaps he has said things that are shirk, or haram or are deviant – but I wouldn’t know any better because I guess I am one of the “ignorant” Muslims on the street. I know an area masjid (here in greater D.C. does not invite him to speak because they feel he has deviated – so you are not the only one to suggest these things). And it is true, Hamza could be the nicest guy in the world but that does not matter if he is making major mistakes in interpreting Islam.
Beyond all of this…”Gold” the way you present things seems very angry and truthfully you seem to attack not just viewpoints but people. It is not pleasant to have an exchange with you – even though I respect your opinion because at least on the surface you seem knowledgeable.
As-Salāmu `Alaykum السلام عليكم
I take issue with the “anti-Jewish” nature of the Qur’an. In fact, saying the Noble Qur’an is anti-Jewish suggests some people are beyond the embrace of Islam – which is patently not true. The Noble Qur’an has plenty to say about the evil doings of polytheists and polytheism but as we know our beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم logically reached out to these people first.
What about the positive things the Noble Qur’an has to say about Jews and Christians and Monks?
At issue here is not just semantics Swath Moor – you seem to insist on pushing this message of anti-Jewishness.
Insha’Allah إن شاء الله instead of fixating on generalizations potentially extrapolated from the Noble Qur’an, why not make Da‘wah دعوة for those who are misguided about Islam?
Swarth Moor,
Salamaleikum.
I never said I had emotional ties I am just standing up for fairness. there are many issues on which I could equally complain about the softy softy approach some are advocating, but hey, its HARD to go on national television and have to face direct and tactful attacks, so I’m being honest in saying that had I been in his shoes I might have made greater mistakes, and so would many of us.
There is nothing wrong with exposing major mistakes, but don’t abandon the minor rules of engagements i.e justice and good manners.
K, I only wish you would have felt that concerned and disturbed at the ferocious and relentless attacks being directed at Sh Hamza, who happens to be a ‘person’ too, and not a ‘devil in disguise’…. and beyond my ‘anger’, truth exists above your respect or disrespect for me, so thanks… but I don’t need it.
I would be more flattered if you came to the defense of another muslim before giving me the psychoanalysis (Grrrrr… another young and ANGRY muslim youth, keep reading those tabloid)
But you are still muslim and I would readily challenge that ANGER!!!!
towards someone who said the same vicious things about you in public, even if I don’t know you.
Sometimes betrayal comes in the form of silence.
Gold,
The Qur’an says of Ahlul-Kitaab and the mushriks that they are the worst of the creations. (98:6) That is an anti-Jewish statement–to say otherwise is nothing more than an unadulterated lie. Point blank. Period. The problem here is that the open enemies of Islam want Muslims to forfeit the subject of kufr/riddah (disbelief/apostasy). This is their STATED objective, and Mark Hanson is facilatating this. You already have ignorant people who self-identify as Muslims but don’t want to say the Christians and Jews (those since the advent of Prophet Muhammad) are condemned to Hell forever. The Prophet said, on the other hand:
“Any Jew or Christian who hears about me [An-Nabiyy, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam] and my Message, but does not believe, then he is condemned to Hell.” (Muslim related)
This is a basic aspect of the Islamic doctrine that Muslims don’t budge upon. Period.
This is not a game–the enemies of Islam wish to undermine the most important aspect of the Deen–i.e., the `Aqidah, and the distinction between the Muslim and the kaafir. Mark Hanson writes a twenty page screed therein he attempts to obscure the distinction between being a Muslim and a kaafir. Why? Why would a person write such a piece when HE ALREADY KNOWS many are confused about this essential matter of `Aqidah… and you have all sorts of modernists/apologists crawling about saying that so-called “good” Christians and Jews will go to Paradise–despite the fact they insult God, slander Allah’s Messengers, and call the Prophet of Mercy a liar?!? A`udhu billah! A`udhu billah!!! Because he, Mark Hanson, whether for money, fame, or the joys of breathing (or a combination thereof) is willing to distort the Deen. This isn’t something new. The enemies of Ahlus-Sunnah have always planted deviants and agents amongst us. The problem today is that we are so collectively ignorant that many Muslims can’t x-ray this fraud and see him for what he is… and what he’s not.
If you are sincerely concerned about non-Muslims, as i am, you don’t tell them to remain content in their kufr, but that they need to save themselves by embracing Islam–otherwise, they will be fuel for a Fire that does not cease. And furthermore, if you care about Muslims, you don’t start using this modernist/apologist rhetoric that would make some Muslims think that those who rejected Prophet Muhammad will be hanging out in Jannah.
Regarding the Jews, the Qur’an is a Book that opposes kufr and testifies against the kuffaar. Jews are not Muslims; hence, the Qur’an opposes and testifies against them. Nonetheless, the Qur’an invites the Jews to abandon Judaism and embrace Islam. Some Jews did that, and some of them went on to become amongst the best human beings whoever walked the face of the earth. However, as long as they remain in their state of disbelief, their acribing to Allah unbefitting Attributes, their slandering of the Prophets, and rejecting of Prophets Jesus and Muhammad and the Qur’an, then they are as the Qur’an describes them, and they are among the people whom Allah has condemned.
With Allah is the success.
K,
Simple question: Saying that the “Jews are amongst the worst of the creations,” (98:6) is that a pro-Jewish statement, an anti-Jewish statement, or is it a neutral statement? What do you think Abe Foxman would think of that statement? Now given that it is kufr to belie the Qur’an, why would a person voluntarily say that there is nothing anti-Jewish in the Qur’an when he knows there are Verses that BLATANTLY say otherwise?
No one is saying that the Jews are beyond the pale of EMBRACING Islam. (And the Muslim objection to Judaism is not the ethnicity of its adherents.) Of course, we do not want to see anyone in kufr, and would love to see more Jews embrace Islam. At the same time, we are not going to distort and belie the Deen to appeal to the Jewish people or anyone else. Furthermore, and this is a grave danger, many people self-identified as Muslims are already shaky about the matter of the kuffaar in the Hereafter. This is especially true for converts and weak willed assimilationist minded Muslims many of whom have to come to grips that their kaafir relatives and friends (if they die or have died on kufr) will be FOREVER in Hell. This idea (of salvation for those who ascribe to Allah unbefitting Attributes and reject Prophet Muhammad) is spreading like a virus in Muslim communities, and the open enemies of Islam have STATED that they want to propagate this idea… and Mark Hanson is helping them do this.
Yaa Allah, please wake us before we die–for then it will be too late.
With Allah is the success.
Swarth,
Who told you I was defending kuffar and mushrikeen?
I agree with what you said about limp wristed reverts and weak muslims on the issue of Kufr, but why are you addressing me on that issue?
Tell that to the people who say jews are only ahl kitaab, atheists are only muslims in the making (cause they beleive in la ilAha…. which is already ‘halfway’… and that mother theressa is in Jannah)
I am not vouching on behalf of atheists and other kuffar, but don’t tell me I should also have to ‘kaffirify’ every muslim you don’t agree with.
As-Salāmu `Alaykum السلام عليكم
Swarth and Gold, “limp wristed reverts?” How is that constructive? That is one of the most insulting generalizations I have ever heard from a Muslim. It is really disheartening.
I am having a hard time convincing myself that your comments are meant to help Muslims better understand Islam. I mean, what is your intention here? Seriously, your posts are so vitriolic it is hard to gleam anything of value from them. The delivery is destroying the package. This is too bad because I am actually interested in what you have to say, and that is not just lip service – you are both articulate and seem knowledgeable…but I am having a hard time digesting this “time-to-get-tough” ‘tude you guys are projecting. I mean, your lack of etiquette and lack of restraint is alarming.
Gold,
I extend an apology for misreading/misunderstanding your statement. Nonetheless, if someone (claiming to be a Muslim) knowingly belies/denies/rejects what he knows to be part of the Qur’an, then the person is a kaafir–no doubt. And if it is confirmed that such a person said or such, then we have to deem that person kaafir, as well.
K,
Okay K, i will turn it down… for now at least, in-sha’ Allah. Let’s start from the beginning. Muslims believe that Islam is the only true religion (3:19/3:85). The Christians and Jews (Ahlul-Kitaab) are kuffaar and condemned to Hell (as per the Hadith mentioned above related by Imam Muslim). Yes, regarding Ahlul-Kitaab, Muslim men can marry their women, and we can eat from their meat (if slaughtered properly). And yes they can live in the Islamic state (which doesn’t exist today) under dhimmitude. These are standard positions in Islamic doctrine and law. Contrary to what some of the apologists may claim, what i mentioned is not the position of the extremists (and yes, there are extremists who commit acts of terrorism and have corrupt `aqidahs–but for the time being, we are not talking about the radical extremists (we’re talking about the apologists)).
There has been a movement, especially by the apologists/”modernists,” that has tried to blur the matter of disbelief/apostasy and what constitutes it. By leaving the door wide open regarding who is a Muslim, they want to include all sorts of deviant ideologies and characters–that CLEARLY contradict the Qur’an–to be included in Islam and amongst the Muslims. Obviously, there must be a distinction between Islam and kufr (disbelief). To make that easy to understand there are three general categories of disbelief:
A. Ta`teel: that is, negating the Attributes of Allah that are necessarily known that Allah would attributed with, such as, Oneness, Eternality, Absolute Incomparability, Absolute Non-Dependency, Knowledge, Will, etc.
B. Tashbih: that is, resembling Allah to the creations (explicitly or implicitly), such as, claiming Allah is a human, a celestial body, an idol, a material or spiritual body, goes thru changes, or anything similar to the creation.
C. Takdheeb: that is, intentionally denying or rejecting what one knows to be part of the Religion, whether it be the obligatory prayers, fasting, the hijaab, the permissibility of eating meat (properly slaughtered), polygyny (and prohibition of polyandry), prohibition of swine, alcohol consumption, etc. or, for example denying that Islamic is exclusively the religion of salvation. Simply put, if the person cannot accept what Allah revealed and the Messenger conveyed, then he can’t be a Muslim (for he (or she) has not submitted to Islam).
It is deeply disturbing to see some individuals/organizations attempting (somewhat subtly) to undermine the foundations of Islamic Doctrine (from both within Islam and from with out). They are altering the Deen to comply with the precepts of global consumer secularist culture. The issue of “salvitic exclusivity,” blasphemy/apostasy are among those matters that they wish to efface from the Religion. What is also disturbing is how so many people are blindly following those who are calling to Hellfire–that is why my posts have had the tone they’ve had. I’m not irrational or blinded by anger, but i do get a little frustrated dealing with hard headed people.
Lastly, although Muslims believe that the kuffaar are condemned to Hell and have the (lowly religious) status that they do in this world, that doesn’t mean that one cannot be kind and generous to non-Muslims, or help them (in what doesn’t constitute disobedience to Allah), or contribute to the society. Nonetheless, the one who fears Allah, he (or she) would not DARE deny what Allah revealed and change the Religion for anyone or anything.
With Allah is the success.
Salamaleikum,
Apology accepted and brother Swarth, for my part of the story i apologise equally for my missunderstood delivery, the objective was not lost as i beleive we were both seeking to protect the Deen from our own sides, its all good InshaAllah.
Sister/Brother K, I sense some dissatisfaction and disappointment in your messages and I’m honestly saddened by that, although I stick to my message of non apologetic expression of Islam, my statement about reverts can be applied to born muslims to a greater and more verifiable degree, but my statement about reverts is due to the FACT that in some cases they are less willing to accept the concept of Kufr as they may still be emotionally tied to their non muslim heritage… fair enough, but we cannot allow people to service their emotional ambitions by altering the solid core of our religion, a Kaffir is a Kaffir on any given day and its how it is, if they don’t want to be Kaffir then they can be muslim, no one is banning them from it, but to expect Jannah and the favour of Allah at the same time…. with muslims making crazy excuses on the way, that cannot be allowed.
If it makes a difference, it is well known that reverts are the most vocal defenders of Islam unlike the professional sellouts we know from our born muslims, but we expect more from a community that embraced Islam AS IT IS not AS THEY WANT IT TO BECOME.
Don’t take it too hard, with so few muslims speaking up the frank and uncomfortable truth these days, you won’t encounter my rhetoric too often…
Peace.
Good points by brother swarth moor.
May Allah preserve Shk Hamza! He is a beacon of light in islamic scholarship in a time when darkness exists….thank God we have him in our midst.
Zakariyya,
Mark Hanson (HY) is an apologist, who is distorting basic matter in `Aqidah. The man is a menace to the Muslims and he is misguiding tens of thousands of people. May Allah protect us from his evil.
No one has even considered that the Sheikh might have been percieved as ill and prescribed stupid drugs to eliminate strange behavior (anti psychotics) like the majority of the people who are considered to have imbalances in their brain chemicals (mental disorders/ chemical disorders) street drugs are not the only impurities?
Salamaleikum,
“And let not a people mock another people, because perhaps they are better than them. neither should a group of women mock another group of women, perhaps they, are better than them.” (Surah Al Hujuraat)
Learning to be a Muslim. In Islam we are commanded to speak good or remain silent. if what you have said is true, it would be considered backbiting, and since we know its false, that counts as backbiting & slander.
“Does one of you like to devour the dead flesh of his brother? No, you would detest that” (Surah Hujuraat)
My advise to you. Stop looking out the window and start looking into then rea the mirror. Then read Surah Al Hujuraat, it is the “Surah of Manners”
Salamaleikum.
Stop looking out the window and look into the mirror -