Note: The following is an excerpt from the write-up of my teacher Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Saheb, who is currently the Sheikhul Hadeeth at Madrasah In'aamiyyah. The write-up is a treatise explaining the Aquida of Ahl Sunnah and some objections towards the renowned Fadha'il al-A'maal. It is reproduced here with special thanks to At-Tazkira Blog
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…The second belief which the objector has trounced upon which is that of kashf and ilham. Kashf refers to divine manifestation whilst ilham means a divine inspiration. These are two powers given by Allah to whosoever he desires. This is not within the capacity, ability or choice of any individual. This deviant group of people have trounced the belief of kashf and ilham claiming that knowledge of the unseen and of future events is something that can only be attributed to Allah alone, not acknowledging the fact that sometimes, Allah can give certain of his special servants the power of foretelling and foreseeing some future events.
We will use red to indicate the quote of the objector verbatim.
The objector quotes the following two incidents:
QUOTE 2: Allah says in the Quraan, “Verily! Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the womb. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware.” [Soorah Luqman (31): 34]But the Fazaail Aamal says, “Abul Husain Maliki says that he associated with Shaikh Khair Nurbaf for several years. The Shaikh said to him, eight days before his death. ‘I shall die on Thursday evening, at the time of Maghrib Salaat, and I shall be buried on Friday after Jumuah Salaat.” Although, he advised me not to forget, but I forgot about it and, on Friday morning, a man told me about the Shaikh’s death. I immediately went to his place… asked people the details of the Shaikh’s experience of death. A person… narrated to me that the Shaikh swooned for a while just before Maghrib Salaat. Then, he recovered somewhat and said to someone in the corner of the room, who was invisible to others, ‘Stop for a while; you have been commanded to do a thing and I have been commanded to do a thing. That which you are commanded to do (viz. to take my life) will not escape you, but that which I am commanded to do (viz. to observe Maghrib Salaat) will escape me. Let me do as I am commanded.” He then called for water, made a fresh Wudhu and performed Maghrib Salaat. After this, he laid himself on the bed, closed his eyes and gave up his life.”[Fazaail-e-Aamaal, (Eng. Trans.) Virtues of Charity, Chapter.6, p.609, (2nd South African Impression 1414-1993. Published by Waterval Islamic Institute)]
QUOTE 3: Moulana Zakariyah mentions in Fazaail-e-Aamaal, Shaikh Abu Yazeed Qurtabi heard from someone that whoever recited it (the Kalimah: La-ilaha ill-Allah-ho) seventy thousand times he or she would be immune from the fire of the Hell. He completed a course accordingly for his wife and many other courses for himself. There lived a youth nearby who, it was said was ‘a man of Kashf’ and had the foreknowledge of the events of Paradise and Hell. One day it so happened that while sharing a meal with him he suddenly made a loud cry and began to gasp, and exclaimed that his mother had been cast into Hell (burning into the fire of Hell). Shaikh Qurtabi keenly observed the condition of the youth and decided to offer a course for his mother secretly so that the fact that the youth possessed a foreknowledge of the Unseen and the truth of his mother’s sad plight in Hell would be ascertained. The Shaikh said that he did it so secretly that nobody could knew it, except the Almighty, Allah. But the youth soon expressed his gratitude and said that now his mother had got rid of the Fire of Hell.[See, Fazaail-e-Aamaal, (Eng. Trans.), Virtues of Dhikr , Chapter.3 (Part – 3), p.59 (Edt. 1985, Published by Dini Book Depot – Delhi).]
After quoting a story (quote 3 as above) from the book, Fada’il al-A’mal, the objector and his group of followers state:
‘In this deviant story, the knowledge of the conditions of paradise and hell-fire and the knowledge of future events is claimed for the so-called ‘man of Kashf’. He is also aware of the matters between Allah and His slaves and therefore shows gratitude to Sheikh Qurtubi, even though Sheikh Qurtubi did it so secretly that nobody could know it, except the Almighty Allah.’
Allah says in the Qur’an, “(Allah is) the All-Knower of the unseen and he reveals not to anybody of his unseen. Except to a messenger whom he has chosen, then he makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him.” (72:27)
We will now look at a brief study of how this verse has been interpreted by the vast majority of renown mufassirin (exegete). Almost all commentators of Qur’an have supported, included and explained the belief of kashf and ilham under this verse.
1) `Allamah Muhammad Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (Allah have mercy on him), a renown scholar and commentator of the 6th century states in his famous Tafsir al-Kabir that this verse has a special and specific meaning. However, he does not deny the belief of ilham. In fact, he openly promotes it where he states, “It must be carefully known that this verse does not mean that nobody else besides the prophets (peace be upon them) are given knowledge of the unseen. This can be supported from various realities (from amongst these realities, one of them as quoted by him is) we see this in the true ilham of the awliya’.” (Tafsir al-Kabir, 15:170)
Yet, under another verse of the Qur’an, this very same great mufassir clearly explains that; “the meaning of angels befriending the believers is this that the angels cause ta’sirat (inspirations) in the souls of these (chosen) believers through ilham and kashf.” Thereafter, he explicitly mentions that; “this is a well known fact experienced by people of kashf and mushahadah (witnessing).” (Tafsir al-Kabir, 14:124)
2) `Allamah `Ala al-Din `Ali ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi (Allah have mercy on him), yet another known commentator of the seventh century openly declares in his Tafsir al-Khazin under the above mentioned verse, “It is the belief of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa ‘l-Jama’ah that the miracles of awliya’ are an established reality as opposed to by the Mu’tazilah and that this is ja’iz and possible. It is permissible and possible for Allah to give ilham (inspire) to some of his awliya’ about some future events.’ (Tafsir al-Khazin, 4319)
3) Shaykh Abul ‘l-Hasan Ibrahim ibn `Umar al-Biqa’i (Allah have mercy on him), a scholar and commentator of the eighth century and a student of Hafiz ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani interprets the relevant verse in his Nazm al-Durar as follows, “(knowledge of the unseen) is taken by an angel and given to whomsoever the angel has been permitted (to by Allah). Sometimes, in the form of wahi (divine revelation) to the prophets (peace be upon them) and sometimes in the form of inspiration and ilham to the awliya’.” (Nazm al-Durar, 8:199)
4) In the tafsir of Muhyi al-Din Shaykh Zadah which is an explanation to the famous and renown Tafsir al-Baydawi. `Allamah Muhammad ibn Muslih al-Din Hanafi, a scholar of the ninth century writes, “The fact that this verse refers to Allah informing his chosen prophets (peace be upon them) of some of the unseen without the intervening of any angel does not deny Allah’s inspiring to the awliya’ with regards to some of the unseen by means of ilham.’ (Hashiyyah Shaykh Zadah, 8:371)
The above mentioned commentaries thus far and including the one given hereunder also refute the objectors claim where, after quoting another story (quote 2 as above) from Fada’il al-A’mal, he states:
`The deviant story promotes that the false belief that someone can receive knowledge directly from Allah without the mediation of the messenger (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and to receive knowledge from is something specific to the messengers.’
5) `Allamah Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Sawi al-Maliki (Allah have mercy on him), a commentator of the twelfth century, states in his famous and most widely accept Hashiyyat al-Sawi, an explanation to the great Tafsir al-Jalalayn, “This verse does not defy the miracles performed by the awliya’ through the power of kashf. This verse relates to Allah’s informing the prophets through wahi. This in turn (wahi) is far more stronger than Allah’s informing his awliya’ through ilham.” (Hashiyyat al-Sawi, 6:185)
6) And, if per chance the above mentioned commentaries happen to coincidentally seem ‘strange’, rare and unknown then who can deny the popularity of Ruh al–Ma‘ani? `Allamah Sayyid Mahmud Alusi al-Baghdadi (Allah have mercy on him) renown mufassir of the twelfth century clearly states that, “this verse does not contradict miracles of the awliya’ which take place by an angel inspiring knowledge of the unseen into the heart of the person.” (Ruh al-Ma‘ani, 15:108)
7) Qadhi Shihab al-Din al-Khafaji (Allah have mercy on him), a commentator of the tenth century writes in Hawashi Tafsir Baydhawi under the verse wherein Allah says; ‘Allah will not disclose to you the secrets of the ghayb (unseen), but Allah chooses of his messengers whom he wishes.” (3:179)
He states, “Allah does not inform everyone but he chooses whomsoever he wishes and gives him knowledge of the unseen. This is one of the signs which can be achieved through firasah (insight) and through divine inspiration (ilham) for some people of kashf.” (Hashiyat al-Shihab, 3:168)
These are 7 widely known and accepted commentaries of the Qur’an written by great researchers and scholars. All of them unanimously support and establish the belief of kashf and ilham as can be clearly seen. We will now take a brief look at some ahadith of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that support this belief.
1) This hadith appears in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Nasa’i, hence, nobody may dare question its authenticity.
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reports that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Most certainly there existed amongst nations of the past such people who were muhaddathun (spoken to), if there had to be any such person in my nation, it certainly is `Umar ibn Khattab (Allah be pleased with him).’ (Sahih Bukhari, 1:521; Sahih Muslim, 2:276; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2:210)
The world needs no introduction to `Allamah Hafiz ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him), neither can anybody deny the acceptance and popularity of his commentary Fath al-Bari. Explaining the above hadith and in particular the word muhaddathun, he writes,
“There is a difference of opinion with regards to the interpretation of this word. Most scholars say it refers to ilham. They further explain that it refers to such a person who is gifted with true and real thoughts. This means that such a person is inspired via the angels …” (Fath al-Bari, 7:62)
In his commentary of Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) a world renown scholar of the past and present, states under the above mentioned hadith,
“There are different interpretations of this word muhaddathun. Ibn Wahb said it refers to ilham. Some say it refers to such a person whose thinking is always correct. This means that when such a person thinks, it is as though somebody spoke to him, therefore, he thinks accordingly. Some say it means angels speak to them…” (Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim, 15:162)
Imam Tirmidhi (Allah have mercy on him) after narrating the above mentioned hadith quotes Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna (Allah have mercy on him) explaining the word muhaddathun to mean mufahhamun i.e. one who is made to understand. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2:210)
The author of the famous Tuhfat al-Ahwazi, a commentary on Tirmidhi states under the above mentioned hadith, “After concurring with the interpretation by Hafiz ibn Hajar (Allah have mercy on him) as quoted earlier on”, he adds on further, “Some say it means that angels speak to such people. This can well be supported from a hadith narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was asked, ‘How will such people (muhaddathun ) be spoken to?’ he (Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, ‘Angels will speak from his tongue.’”
It is clear from the above mentioned hadith, looking at the various interpretations by worldly renown scholars that the belief of kashf and ilham is well established and that in particular, `Umar (Allah be pleased with him), was bestowed with the power of ilham by Allah.
We will now look at a few incidents during the glorious era of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the Sahabah. These incidents bear ample testimony to the fact that the belief of kashf and ilham is not only well established, but more so it is a reality and that some Sahabah were given these powers.
1) `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once a Sahabi (Allah be pleased with him) pitched up his tent on top of a grave, not realising that it was a grave. All of a sudden, this Sahabi began to hear the voice of an inhabitant of that grave reading Surah Mulk until he completed the entire surah. Thereupon, Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, “Surah Mulk is a barrier, it is a protector from the punishment of the grave.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2:117)
The apparent meaning of this hadith is that this Sahabi (Allah be pleased with him) was blessed by Allah with the power of kashf through which he was able to hear the inhabitant of the grave.
2) `Abd Allah ibn `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once on the day of Jumu’ah, whilst `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) was delivering the khutbah (sermon), he (swerved off the topic and) suddenly said, “O Sariyyah! Hasten towards the mountain.” He said this three times and then continued with the khutbah. The people were confused and astonished at this. Later on, when he was asked as to what had transpired, he said, “I could see that the Muslim army was about to be defeated and at that time, they were walking past a mountain. If they had passed the mountain, the enemy would have defeated them but if they took to the mountain, they would have had one side covered and only one way to fight. So, I called out to the amir (leader) of the army (Sariyyah) that they should take the mountain.” After one month, the army returned victorious explaining that they had heard the words of `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) on that very same day clearly. In other narrations, `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said, “I saw the army fighting near the mountain…” Another narration mentioned that the distance between `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) and the army was the distance of one month’s journey. (Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, 2:579)
Hafiz ibn Hajar and Hafiz ibn Kathir have regarded these narrations as authentic.1
The above mentioned incident is a clear proof of kashf. It explicitly shows that Allah had blessed `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) with the power of kashf through which he was able to see and visualise the battlefield from a distance as far as a month’s journey.
3) Abu Dawud Mazni (Allah be pleased with him), who was a Sahabi, that participated in Badr says, “On the day of Badr, I was chasing one of the enemy to kill him when all of a sudden, his head fell off even before I could reach him. I then realised that someone else (angels) killed him.” (Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, 2:472)
4) Sahl ibn Sa’ad (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Abu Usayd (Allah be pleased with him) said to him after he had lost his eyesight, “Had you been with me now at Badr, and Allah restored my sight, I will certainly show you the mountain pass from where the angels came out so clearly without any doubt.” (Majma‘ al–Zawa‘id, 6:84)
5) Irbadh ibn Sariyyah (Allah be pleased with him) was an elderly Sahabi and he reached a stage where he yearned for death. He used to make the following du’a, “O Allah, I am old, my bones are weak so take my soul away.” Thereafter, one day whilst sitting in the masjid in Damascus (he says) a very handsome young man appeared wearing green robes. He asked me why are you making such a du’a? I replied, “how should I make du’a?” he said, “Say, O Allah, make me do good (and continue to do good) until the appointed time comes.” I asked him, “Who are you?” he replied, “I am Riba’il (the angel) who removes grief from the hearts of the believers.” (Majma‘ al–Zawa‘id, 10:184)
The above are just a few of the various incidents from the lives of the Sahabah from which we can see clearly that they too, at times were blessed with the power of kashf which enabled them to see the angels, which are a part of the unseen as well. In fact, the books of hadith are full of such incidents where the Sahabah saw angels fighting and capturing the enemy in Badr and helping them in Uhud and Khandaq. ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) and ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) saw Jibra’il (peace be upon him). Angels used to make salam to Imran ibn Husayn (Allah be pleased with him). All these are clear indications that the belief of kashf is a well established belief that is apparent not only in the Qur’an and hadith but in the lives of various Sahabah a reality that nobody can deny.
Finally, we will take a look at what the great renown ‘ulama of the past have to say about this belief.
1) Shaykh al-Islam `Allamah Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyah (Allah have mercy on him). In his famous Majmu’ al-Fatawa states, “miracles (of the awliya’) sometimes occur by a person hearing something that others can’t, sometimes a person sees something that others don’t whilst awake or in a dream, sometimes a person is given knowledge of something which others don’t know about through wahi (revelation) or ilham (inspiration)… this is called kashf and mushahadah (witnessing)…” (Majmu‘ al-Fatawa li Ibn Taymiyyah, 11:173)
2) Mulla `Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him), a great scholar of the 10th century, who needs no introduction, writes in his famous commentary on Fiqh al-Akbar, “There are 3 types of firasah (insight). The first type is imani firasah, this is a nur (special light) that Allah places in the heart of his chosen slave.” Thereafter quoting `Allamah Abu Sulayman Darani he says, “this type of firasah is visualising of the unseen. This is a special status of iman.” (Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar, p.80)
3) Hafiz `Allamah Jalal al-Din Suyuti (Allah have mercy on him) in his famous al-Hawi li’l-Fatawi quotes many examples from the lives of the Sahabah, one of which was quoted ealier on, i.e. the story of `Umar (Allah be pleased with him) calling out to Sariyyah (Allah be pleased with him) and how Allah had blessed him with the power of kashf. (al-Hawi li’l-Fatawi, 2:482)
The above are three worldrenown scholars that have made indepth research and authored great works in almost every branch of knowledge. Suffice to take note of the fact here, that all three of them have openly and explicitly supported and promoted the belief of kashf and ilham.
The abovementioned facts bear ample testimony to this fact that the belief of kashf and ilham is something that has been clearly explained by and established in Qur’an, hadith and by the great ‘ulama and muhaddithin of the past. Furthermore, numerous incidents of such nature have been recorded in various other books besides Fada’il al-A’mal, the details of which will be discussed towards the end of this treatise.