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The Dangerous Divide
By M. Zeyaul Haque
The Milli Gazette has written an
editorial on it, and Aljamiat has devoted a special issue to the subject
 Of
late the differences between the Hanafis and Ahl-e-Hadith have begun to take
on the contours of a dangerous schism that look as menacing and unhealable
as that between Shias and Sunnis. So far these two schools of thought within
Sunni Islam were supposed to be differing only in matters of insignificant
detail like repeated rafa' yadain (raising of hands) during namaz and the
pitch of saying aamin (amen) in prayers.
The older group, the Hanafis, who constitute a majority of the
sub-continent's Muslim population, thought raising of hands was necessary
only once at the time of beginning the prayers, but accepted the
Ahl-e-Hadith (and Shia) practice of raising hands more often during the
prayers also as valid. As for aamin the Hanafis said it sub-vocally, while
the Ahl-e-Hadith said it more audibly, which the Hanafis accepted as legally
valid.
There were differences of detail on divorce, on tarawih prayers during
Ramadan and other issues, all taken as matters of detail and accepted as
valid virtually by all Sunnis. However, of late a vicious campaign of
slander has been launched by mischief-makers sitting in countries of the
Middle East targetting Hanafis of all kinds, and going to the extent of
denouncing then as kafirs. The targets include the late Ali Mian (Maulana
Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi), Maulana Mujahidul Islam Qasmi, Chairman of Muslim
Personal Board and the leaders of Tablighi Jamaat, to name a few.
Books and pamphlets, originating from the same sources, have flooded the
sub-continent. One book, Al Deobandiyah in Arabic, specially targets the
Deobandi sect as apostates and mushriks (poltyheists) worshipping graves.
The Hanafis have also been described as qubooriyeen (grave worshippers) for
their veneration of prophets and saints and for the practice of offering
fatiha (the opening verse from the Qur'an) on the final resting places of
the great souls.
Although this practice is more pronounced in the Barelwi sect of the Hanafis,
the former sect has been subsumed under the larger ruberic of al Deobandiyah
(the Deobandis) for the purposes of this discourse. Even the revered Ali
Mian has been denounced as a closet quboori for his practice of sitting
reverentially before the final resting place of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in
Madina in muraqaba (meditation). The Hanafis of both the Deobandi and
Barelwi sect argue that there is nothing wrong in venerating the prophets
and the saints. They argue that there is a clear distinction between
veneration and worship in Islam -- veneration for any revered soul, worship
for Allah alone.
The Hanafi argument is that even an object can be venerated like the
hajr-e-aswad (black stone) in the Kaaba at-Mecca which the Muslims kiss with
reverence following the Prophet's (PBUH) practice without worshipping it.
Interestingly, there is some confusion on this score among a sizeable
section of non-Muslims in India as well.
Some early Arya Samajis used to vehemently argue that Muslims too were ‘idol
worshipper’ because they worshipped keeping the Kaaba in Mecca in front (qibla).
To this the usual Muslim counterargument is that Muslims travelling alone in
isolated areas generally put their belongings (including their shoes) in
front before starting their prayers. (This they do so that someone does not
run away with their belongings while they are in prayer.) So, from the early
Arya Samaj point of view this should mean that the Muslims worship their
belongings (including their shoes), which is not really the case. This is so
because putting something in front does not amount to worship in Islam. Nor
does veneration.
Sadly, however, this Hanafi versus Ahl-e-Hadith dispute has gone beyond the
limits of mere disagreement which is taken as a blessing in Islam because it
promotes a healthy debate and a more rigorous search for the truth. What is
actually happening is in the nature of an internecine strife, against which
the Prophet (pbuh) had warned his followers.
The hottest battleground for claiming souls are the madrasas which are being
targetted for conversion from one sect to another. It is these placesof
Islamic learning where the books and pamphlets are being sent. The whole
thing has turned into an acrimonious quarrel that threatens to blow into a
full-fledged schism.
As a countermove the Jamiatul Ulema organized a ‘Save the Sunnah conference’
at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi from May 18 to 24. A large number of
Hanafi Ulema cogitated over measures to be taken to tide over the massive
onslaught. They passed a number of resolutions, including one asking Hanafi
parents not to send their children to Ahl-e-Hadith madrasas, and another
requesting the Saudi government to curb anti-Hanafi campaigners working from
Saudi soil.
The Jamiat also objected to the publication of a book in Arabic in Saudi
Arabia called Juhud Ulama-al Hanfiyah fi Ibtaal Aqaed al Quburiyah on which
the author Shamsuddin Afghani has got a doctorate from the Islamic
University of Madina. Afghani has condemned not only the most revered ulama
of Deoband as quburiyah (grave worshippers) but also damned such all-time
greats as Imam Kirmani, Imam Suyuti, Allama Ibn Hajr and Sheikh Abdul Haq
Muhaddith Dehlawi.
However, this may not be enough. In fact, it could be counterproductive,
driving the two sides further apart. What is required is a dialogue between
the two sides and a deliberate attempt to tone down the rhetoric and stop
the chorus of condemnation of revered ulama. q |
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