Chapter Four Two Incorrect Claims Some people are of the opinion that eight raka´ât of tarâwîh have been transmitted from Nabî (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam) and that Sayyidinâ Umar (Radiallâhu anhu) had given the decree of eight raka´ât. (for details of the nazhab and proofs of the Ahle Hadith, see Tuhfatul Ahwazi vol.2 pg.72-76) The proponents of the first claim quote the following hadîth of Sahîh Bukhârî : Hadrat Â’isha (Radiallâhu anhâ) was asked about the salât of Nabî (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam). She replied, "Nabî (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam) did not exceed eleven raka!ât in Ramadân nor in any other month. He used to perform four raka!ât and do not ask me about their beauty and their length. Thereafter he used to perform four raka!ât and do not ask me about their beauty and their length. Then he used to perform three raka!ât." Hadrat Aisha asked him, " O Nabî (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam) of Allah, do you sleep before performing witr." He replied , "O Aisha, my eyes sleep but not my heart."(Bukhari pg.154 , Qadimi Kutub Khana Karachi) This hadîth apparently seems to indicate that Nabî (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam) used to perform eight raka!ât tarâwîh and three raka!ât witr. Sheikh Nâsirudîn Albâni has quoted this hadith in his book ‘Salât at Tarâwîh’. The Salafis and the Ghair Muqallidîn also hold this view. Nâsiruddîn Albâni, a Salafi scholar, was expelled from Saudi Arabia when he wrote a book on tarâwîh and in it regarded twenty rakâat tarâwîh as an innovation. In this way he labelled the Ahlus Sunnah of fourteen centuries as innovators. Whenever any person becomes a salafi, his first task is to discredit the mutawâtir salâh (the unanimously accepted salaah performed throughout the ages) which has been performed by the Ummah for fourteen centuries and he introduces a new salâh which clashes with the mutawâtir salâh. This is done in order that the Muslims should dispute and clash at least five times daily and every musjid should be made a battlefield. Even if he does not know Arabic, by studying translations, he compiles books and sometimes calls it Salâtur Rasool or Salâtun Nabi. Thus, he objects to the salâh of the Hanafis, Shâfiîs, Mâlikis and Hambalis and presents a new salâh for the general masses. Albâni, by adopting the Salafi sect has also fulfilled this obligation of his. He has written a book, "Sifat Salâtin Nabi...". His very reason for writing this book in his words is that till today (1376 A.H.), no concise book on the salâh of Nabi (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam) has been written. Therefore this gigantic task has fallen on his shoulders. He has gathered pieces from approximately 162 books in compiling this work. In this book, he has not only found fault with the salâh of all four mazhabs, but he has even found errors of the salâh of the Salafis. Ever since the formation of this sect, they have regarded the hadith: "When the Imâm recites, remain silent." as incorrect. Albâni has accepted this hadith as correct. (Sifatu Salatin Nabi ... pg.95) Another hadith which they always disregarded is: "Whoever has an Imâm, the recitation of his Imâm is a recitation for him." Albani has also accepted this hadith. With regards to tarâwîh, Albani claims that jamât is mustahab (preferable). This firstly contradicts the Salafi belief because according to Fatâwâ Ulamâ Hadith, (vol.6, p.388), jamâ’at is a condition. However, Albani thought that if he had to adopt this view, he would not be able to use the above-mentioned hadith of Âisha (Radiallâhu anhâ) because it refers to a salâh performed individually. In fact, Professor Abdullah Bahawalpuri claims that even the name tarâwîh was adopted after the era of Nabi (Sallallâhu alaihi wasallam). Thus according to the Ahle Hadith, even the word ‘tarâwîh’ is an innovation! (Rasail Bahawalpuri, pg 101, first edition) To substantiate his claim of jamâ’at in tarâwîh, Albani quotes the hadith of Thalabah Ibn Abi Mâlik Al-Qurazi and then he goes on to say that this hadith is mursal hasan and has a supporting hadith (shâhid) in Abu Dawûd. But he does not mention what Imâm Abu Dawûd states after the hadith: "This hadith is not strong as Muslim Ibn Khalid is a weak narrator." (Abu Dawood vol.1 pg.217) He has conveniently omitted this text as it goes against his proof. Furthermore, a mursal hadith in his terminology is weak, yet here he has called it hasan and has used it for his own expediency. This hadith also goes against the accepted hadith of Sahîh Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim. (Bukhari vol.1 pg. 101; Muslim vol.1 pg.266)
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 08:45:02 +0000
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