Innovations in Faith: Shaykh Huseyn Hilmi Isik (Rah)

Bid'ats(Innovations)in Belief:

One of the maladies of the heart is the belief of Bidat ie, one's having the wrong, corrupt and deviated belief. Many of the Muslims suffer very much of this disastrous malady. The reason which leads one into this malady is one's attempt to rationalize or reason in the matters which cannot be sensed through sense organs and which cannot be reached or comprehended through calculations.

 THE MUST SOLUTION:

It is to follow the teachings of either one of the two schools of thought*(Madhhabs)* with respect to faith, i.e., "Maturidi" or "Ash'ari".

Following the teachings of any one of them will protect or save a human

being from the malady of innovations *(Bidat belief).

Because, the scholars of the "Ahl as-Sunnat" path adhered to the teachings of the Qur'an al-karem and hadith ash-sharifs when the matters to be decided

were beyond the reach of mind. In other words, they utilized their

intelligence and wisdom to search, find and understand the meanings

included in the Qur'an and hadiths. They learned these meanings from the

Sahaba (RA) and in turn they learned them from the prophet Muhammad,

(SAWS), and recorded them in their books.

Muhammad Shihristani, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, says in his

book _Milal and Nihal_ that the scholars of the "Hanafi" school of

thought followed the teachings of Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, (Rah), with respect to faith (Itiqad).Because, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi was following the methodology ("usul" and "furu") of imam Azam Abu Hanifa, (Rah),the founder of the Hanafi school of thought. ["Usul" means "Itiqad" belief. "Furu" means "Ahkam al-Shar'iyya" or rules that are based on Islamic laws].

The scholars of "Maliki", "Shafi'i" and "Hanbali" schools of thought followed the teachings of imam Abu Hasan al-Ash'ari,may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, with respect to faith (Itiqad).

Abu Hasan al-Ash'ari was following the "Shafi'i" school of thought.

Imam al-Subki, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, who was one of the

famous "Shafi'i" scholars says that he has studied the book of Abu

Ja'far Tahawi, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, who was one of the

scholars of the Hanafi school of thought and noticed that it was almost

the same as the teachings of the "Ash'ari school of thought in faith.

They were departing from each other only in three points.

Abdulwahhab Taj-ud-din al-Subki who was the son of imam abul Hasan Ali Subki, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, says that he has studied the books of

the scholars of "Hanafi" school of thought in faith *(Itiqad)* and

noticed that they were in disagreement with respect to "Shafi'i" school

of thought in faith in thirteen points. But he says that their

disagreements are on minor matters and do not take them out of the

correct path. They do not dispute in essential matters. They both are in

the correct (Haqq) path.

 Muhammad Hadimi, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, in the 317th page of his book _Barika_ says that he has studied the teachings of both "Maturidi" and "Ash'ari" schools of thought in faith and considered even the smallest of their disagreements and came up with 73 differences between the two schools of thought.