Allah states:
The Arabs said: “We believe.”. Say: “You ain’t believe yet. But, rather say: ‘We submitted.’. And, it’s because Faith hasn’t penetrated their Hearts as yet. However, if you obey Allah & Their Messenger, then They won’t dismiss any of your Actions at all. Verily, Allah is All-Forgiving Most-Merciful.”.
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.49, V.14)
Author’s-Note:
This-Article is a Sharh/Commentary of a Previous-Article titled “Vying for the ‘Sunnī-Monopoly’ amongst Muslims”.
Vying for the “Sunnī-Monopoly” amongst the Muslims
The Muqaddimah/Prelude to This-Sharh of my “Sunnī-Monopoly” Article
The Maslahah/Purpose of such a Sharh…it stems from a Convo I had, about the Previous-Article, with my Sibling of the Pen: Tālib Nathaniel. Gareth Bryant & Tālib Nathaniel had spoken at length, regarding the Feedback which Tālib disagreed with Gareth about, concerning a Specific-Juncture with the Article itself. I’ll detail precisely what that is. Tālib Nathaniel expressed/verbalized to Gareth Bryant, that they strongly disagreed with the Following as per Point Number-4 below.
They mentioned that they greatly opposed what I stated below. I received/accepted the Disagreement which was expressed/verbalized. I honestly was shocked, at how vehemently opposed Tālib was against what I mentioned below. But, if Allah wills, we’re going to get into it. Yet, at the Same-Time, I most defenitely (as per usual) defended the Reasons how/why I stated what I mentioned. I’m going to detail the Extent of the Convo. The Convo itself became very interesting honestly.
Tālib Nathaniel began stating that even a Person of Negative-Character/Behavior can still be classified as a “Person of the Sunnah”. I strongly contested that Type/Kind of Madhab/Posture. Gareth Bryant’s Evidence is explained via the Statements of Muhammad (Peace be upon them):
a. “The Strong-Believer is superior & more beloved to Allah, as opposed to the Weak-Believer. But, there’s still Positivity within them both.”
b. “The Muslim/Islāmic-Ascriber are those whom protect Fellow-Muslims from the Negativity of their Tongue/Speech & their Hand/Actions. And the Mu’min/Islāmic-Believer secures the Lives&Possessions of People (regardless of whether they’re Muslims of Non-Muslims).”
(an-Nawawī)
An Uncomfortable Fun-Fact:
All of the Muslims (whom hail from Various-Ahzāb/Sects amongst the Muslims) whom pontificate/claim to be “Persons of the Sunnah…barely any of them focus on the Sunnah of Positive/Healthy-Marriages. Ironically, Muhammad (Peace be upon them) once deliberately stated that Marriage is half of al-Islām. So, anyone whom talks that “Persons of the Sunnah” Kalām/Rhetoric & yet they don’t emphasize, cultivate, educate, etc. the Necessity of establishing/maintaining Halāl Sexual-Relationships: know for certain that their Claims are 💯%-Bullshit.
Muslim vs. Mutā`
I’m going to elaborate on what I stated regarding the Difference between Muslim & Mutā`. That’s going to be the Asl/Foundation of my Entire-Argument. It’s crucial for/to the Reader, that it’s distinctively understood the Pount that I’m making.
“Persons of the Qiblah”:
A “Person of the Qiblah [Prayer-Direction towards al-Ka`bah via Makkah])” is simply a Religio-Euphemism for anyone who’s Theologically-Muslim: anyone whom maintains the Belief in All-6 Arkān/Pillars of al-Īmān/al-`Aqīdah (Faith/Islāmic-Theology). Or, also, as Muslim-American Slang goes: “Under-Shahādah”…meaning the Shahādah being the Testimony of Islāmic-Faith.
“Persons of the Sunnah”:
A “Person of the Sunnah/Prophetic-Tradition” is any Muslim whose Character/Behavior matches that of the Lifestyle of Muhammad. And, also it being comprehended the Way as-Salaf comprehended the Lifestyle of Muhammad. The Salaf, of course, being: as-Sahābah/the Companions & Geberations-1&2 of at-Tābi`īn/the Followers.
Now, obviously, not every Muslim is Number-2. However, that’s way different than someone not being Number-1. (Unfortunately) Tālib Nathaniel must’ve thought/felt that Gareth Bryant was (alluding to the Zhann/Assumption) saying if someone isn’t Number-2, then they’re automatically not Number-1. And, that was sonething I picked-up on very swiftly. And, equally, I made it very clear to Tālib Nathaniel that Gareth Bryant isn’t implying that…not at all!!!
As per “Strong-Believer vs. Weak-Believer”:
1. Strong-Believer = Person of the Sunnah
2. Weak-Beliver = Person of the Qiblah
Both 1&2 are still Muslims.
As per “Muslim vs. Mu’min”:
1. Mu’min = Person of the Sunnah
2. Muslim = Person of the Qiblah
Both 1&2 are still Muslims.
There’s also a Multitude of Amthāl/Examples which I detailed to Tālib which further strengthened Gareth Bryant’s Argument.(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.23, V.1-5)
1. Those diligent via as-Salāh/Mechanical-Prayer are Persons of the Sunnah. Those lazy via as-Salāh are still Persons of the Qiblah.
2. Those cautious against Vain/Idle-Talk, Gossip (Backbiting/Slander), etc. are Persons of the Sunnah. Those indulging in Vain/Idle-Talk, Gossip, etc. are still Persons of the Qiblah.
3. Those cautious to ensure their Acts-Of-`Ibādah/Worship are directly predicated upon at-Tanzīl/Revelation are Persons of the Sunnah. Those whom’re careless concerning the Revelatory-Validity of their Acts-Of-`Ibādah are still Persons of the Qiblah.
4. Those whom protect themselves from az-Zinā/THOTery are Persons of the Sunnah. Those whom live their Best-Lies via az-Zinā are still Persons of the Qiblah.
Gareth Bryant also reminded Tālib Nathaniel of the Deathbed-Tawbah/Repentance of Abil-Hasan al-Ash`arī, regarding them retracting their Pontification/Promotion of Unjust-Takfīr/Takfīr-Culture against Muslim Non-Ash`arīs.
Now, what’s ironically important to highlight…Abul-Hasan al-Ash`arī (even via their Deathbed) still never considered their Theological-Opps as being “Persons of the Sunnah”. Yet, at the Same-Time, they recognized/accepted the Fact that they were Dead-Ass Wrong for accusing them of not being “Persons of the Qiblah”.
The Haqqover/Super-Hizbī: Debunking the Pseudo-Justifications for Takfīr-Culture
For the Record:
Tālib Nathaniel admitted, that Gareth Bryant presented Strong-Arguments, as per what’s been aforementioned via This-Article. And, equally, after elaborating my Argument to them: Tālib Nathaniel very much agreed with the Argument which Gareth Bryant present regarding this. I await Tālib Nathaniel’s Response-Article to This-Article, as they mentioned they’d author a Response. Tālib Nathaniel informed Gareth Bryant their Response-Article will be based upon their Research of the Works of at-Tahāwī (regarding whom does vs. whom doesn’t qualify being classified as “Persons of the Sunnah”).
Therefore, I conclude with this:
Gareth Bryant 