The Sufis in their
circles exaggerated greatly upon the concept of
fearing Allah, and subjected themselves to constant
and excessive mental anxiety. They express their
fear in ways that are far from the Sunnah like in
the story mentioned in Fazaail-e-Aamaal of a man who
never lifted his face towards the sky and when asked
the reason, he said, “I am ashamed! How can I lift
up this sinful face to such a Great Benefactor.”[1]
The effect of this
anxiety was that they would enter a state of ecstasy
or fall down unconscious or dead when hearing the
Qur’aan, or music or even the singing of birds.
1. ‘One saint
relates: ‘I saw Hazrat Shaikh Samnoon once swinging
side from side in ecstasy while performing Tawaaf. I
took his hand and asked him: “By the truth that you
shall stand before Allah one day, I ask you, how did
you reach Allah?” As soon as he heard the words,
‘stand before Allah’, he fell down unconscious…”[2]
2. Another incident
mentioned in Irshaadul-Mulook states, “Hazrat Hafiz
(Dhaamin) Sahib was fond of doves. One day when he
approached the cage to feed the birds, one of the
doves sang such a rapturous rhapsody that Hazrat
Hafiz Sahib fell unconscious into an ecstatic swoon”[3]
The effects of
Qur’aan on those who listen with understanding have
been mentioned in the Qur’aan. Listening to the
Qur’aan causes the hearts to fear Allah, the faith
to increase, the heart to soften and the eyes to
shed tears.[4]
But falling unconscious or dead, as a result of
imposed anxiety is not the true fear that stems from
the understanding of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah and
such was never reported from the Messenger of Allah
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) or his Companions.[5]
Another good example
of misunderstanding the proper way to love and fear
Allah, and subjecting oneself to extreme anxiety can
be seen in the following incident mentioned in
Fazaail-e-Aamaal.
It is said that Malik
Ibn Deenar met a young man on his way to Hajj,
walking on foot, with no provision or water. Malik
Ibn Deenar offered him his shirt, but he refused
saying: “…It is better to remain naked, than to
acquire worldly shirts.” Later, when the Hajis (the
pilgrims) put on the Ihram, read the Talbiyah, this
young man kept silent and said, ‘I fear that on
reciting ‘Labbaik’, a reply may be heard, “La
Labbaik, La Sadaik” (Your cry is not heard and we do
not return to you in Pleasure.) The young man
justified his acts that were apparently opposed to
the Sharee’ah by saying, “And blame me not for this
love for Him, for if thou knowest the thing I see
then surely will you never speak.” Later, when the
pilgrims sacrificed the sheep, this young man asked
Allah to accept his life as a sacrifice and then
died shortly afterwards. This story also claims that
a voice from the Unseen said: “This is Allah’s
friend, and Allah’s martyr.” Later that night, Malik
Ibn Deenar asked the young man in his dream, ‘What
did Allah do to you?’ He said: ‘I have gained a
reward like that of the martyrs of the battle of
Badr – Nay, even more… They died at the swing of the
swords of the infidels, while I died by the sword of
Allah’s love.”[6]
We see gross
ignorance in this story on part of the young man -
he does not truly love Allah by performing righteous
deeds prescribed by Him, nor does he truly fear
Allah as is clear from his actions, because fearing
Allah implies refraining from openly committing
sins. Rather, he shows lack of hope in Allah’s Mercy
by saying that Allah will reject his call of
Talbiyah and subjects himself to false anxiety.
Allah knows best whether this person died in the way
mentioned in this story but books of Sufis,
including Fazaail-e-Aamaal, are full of such claims.
[1] Fazaail-e-Aamaal (Hindi
Trans.) Virtues of Hajj, p.256. story no.3
(First Edition 1984 - Published by Idara
Ishaat-e-Diniyaat).
Fazaail-e-Aamaal
(Eng. Trans.), Virtues of Hajj, Conclusion,
p.233, story no. 3, (New Edition 1982, Published
by Dini Book Depot - Delhi).
[2] Virtues of Charity and Hajj
story no: 40, p.270 (New Edition 1982, Published
by Dini Book Depot).
