Some Salafis have raised allegations about Fadhaail-e-A’maal and Fadhaail-e-Sadaqaat, specifically claiming these books contain baseless stories that harm Islamic beliefs (Aqeedah). The allegations focus on several quotes from these books that allegedly promote deviant beliefs.
The Full Stories Behind the Allegations From Fadhail Amal
Let me quote the complete stories from Fadhaail-e-A’maal that are being contested, along with a breakdown of the key points in each narrative.
STORY 1: The Story of Abdaal Meeting Prophet Khidr (AS)
“Moulana Zakariyya mentions in Fazaail-e-Hajj, “Once one of the Abdaal met Prophet Khidr (AS) and inquired from him whether he had ever met anyone among the saints whom he considered higher in rank than himself. To this he replied, Yes, I have. I was present once in the Masjid in Medina, where I saw Hazrat Sheikh Abdur Razzak directing Hadith to his students. On one side was a young man sitting with his head bent on his knees. I went to him and addressed him thus, do you not see the gathering listening to the words of Rasoolullah. Why do you not join them?’ Without lifting up his head or turning in my direction the youth answered: “Over there you see those who listen to the Hadith from the mouth of Abdur-Razzak (the slave of the Sustainer), while over here you see him who listens to Hadith directly from Ar-Razzak (Allah).” Prophet Khidr (AS) said to him, “If what you say is true then you should be able to tell me who I am. Who am I?” He lifted up his head and said, If my intuition does not fail me then you are Prophet Khidr (AS).’ Hazrat Prophet Khidr (AS) said, “From that I realized that among the saints of Allah there are such who are so exalted in rank that I cannot recognize them.”
Key Points:
- An Abdaal (described as a hidden saint) meets with Prophet Khidr (AS), a figure mentioned in the Quran
- Prophet Khidr (AS) describes encountering a young man in Madinah’s mosque
- While others listened to hadith from a teacher named Abdur Razzak, the young man claimed to receive knowledge directly from “Ar-Razzak” (Allah)
- As proof of his spiritual station, the young man correctly identified Prophet Khidr (AS)
- Prophet Khidr (AS) concluded that some saints have such high status that even he cannot recognize them
STORY 2: Sheikh Khair Nurbaf Knowing His Death Time
“Abul Husain Maliki says that he associated with Sheikh Khair Nurbaf for several years. The Sheikh 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 Jumu’ah Salaat.” Although, he advised me not to forget, but I forgot about it and, on Friday morning, a man told me about the Sheikh’s death. I immediately went to his place asked people the details of the Sheikh’s experience of death. A person narrated to me that the Sheikh 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.”
Key Points:
- Sheikh Khair Nurbaf predicted the exact time of his death eight days in advance
- He knew he would die on Thursday evening during Maghrib prayer time
- When the time came, he spoke to the Angel of Death (who was invisible to others)
- He asked the angel to wait while he performed his obligatory prayer
- After completing his Maghrib prayer, he passed away as predicted
STORY 3: The Youth with Kashf Knowledge
“Sheikh Abu Yazeed Qurtubi heard from someone that whoever recited it (the Kalimah: La-Ilaaha 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). Sheikh Qurtubi 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 Sheikh 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.”
Key Points:
- Sheikh Qurtubi learned that reciting the Kalimah 70,000 times could save someone from Hellfire
- He completed this recitation for his wife and himself multiple times
- A local youth was known to have “Kashf” (spiritual unveiling) that allowed him to see conditions in Paradise and Hell
- The youth suddenly cried out during a meal, saying he witnessed his mother being cast into Hellfire
- Sheikh Qurtubi secretly performed the 70,000 recitations for the youth’s mother
- Despite the secrecy of this deed, the youth thanked Sheikh Qurtubi, indicating he knew through Kashf that his mother had been released from Hellfire
STORY 4: Stories of People Receiving Help Through Dreams After Visiting Graves
Story 4A – Bread Appearing Physically After Praying at the Prophet’s Grave
“Hazrat Ibn Jalaa relates, “While in Medina I once suffered tremendous hunger. It became so unbearable that I presented myself at the grave of Rasoolullah and said, “O Rasoolullah, I suffer great hunger. I am now your guest.” Thereafter, sleep overtook me and in a vision, I saw Rasoolullah give me a piece of bread. I ate half of it, and when I woke up, I found myself with the other half of that piece of bread still in my hands.”
Story 4B – Food Sent by Someone After the Prophet’s Command in a Dream
“Three men fasted for days on end since they could not find food. One of them went to the grave of Rasoolullah and said: “O Rasoolullah hunger has overtaken us.” Soon afterwards… a man from Alawi family knocked at the door. We opened the door and found a man with two servants, each one carrying a large basket with many delicious foods.” The man from the Alawi family said before leaving, “You have complained about hunger to Rasoolullah. I have seen Rasoolullah in a dream and he commanded me to bring food to you.”
Story 4C – A Dream Exchange Leading to a Physical Camel Transaction
“Once a group of Arabs went to visit the grave of a very generous person and stayed there for the night. One of them in a dream saw the man of the grave who asked him to sell his camel for his Bakhti camel (Bakhti is a good kind of camel). The man agreed and the man of the grave stood and slaughtered the camel. When the man woke up, he found it bleeding. He slaughtered it and distributed the meat. When the group returned then at a stage, a man came riding a Bakhti camel and enquired whether among them was a man of such and such name. The man who saw the dream came forward and said he was that man. The man related his dream. The camel rider said the man of the grave was his father and he had directed him in a dream to give this camel to him. He gave the animal to the man and went away.”
Key Points (for all stories):
- People facing difficulty (hunger or need) approached the grave of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or another deceased person
- They directly addressed the deceased, asking for assistance
- Help arrived in various forms – bread appearing physically after a dream, food sent through another person, or a camel given in exchange
- In each case, the deceased person appeared in dreams and either provided help directly or directed others to help
- The stories suggest that the deceased are aware of the living and can respond to requests for assistance
These full stories provide the context for the allegations that claim these narratives contradict Islamic monotheism by suggesting some people have knowledge of the unseen or that the deceased can assist the living.
Comprehensive Responses to These Allegations
Miracles and Supernatural Events Are Established in Islamic Tradition
The objections made by some Salafis reflect their particular perspective. The Ahlus-Sunnah-wal-Jamaat, along with genuine Salafis, firmly believe that miracles (both Mu’jizah for prophets and Karamaat for righteous believers) are established from both the Qur’an and authentic Hadiths. Denying this principle is not permissible in Islam; in fact, such denial aligns with the way of disbelievers.
The Story of Prophet Khidr (AS) Is Supported by Quranic Evidence
What is objectionable about the episode of Prophet Khidr (AS)? The Qur’an itself mentions him in Surah Kahf, and authentic Hadiths describe things he was commanded to do. This account establishes that Allah may appoint certain individuals to perform hidden tasks sometimes unknown even to prophets.
The words uttered by Prophet Khidr (AS): “Your Sustainer intended” and “I did not do it of my own accord” establish that these individuals act according to divine command, not by their own will.
In Islam, Divine Inspiration Can Be Granted to Non-Prophets
While divine codes of Shariah (revelation containing religious law) are given only to prophets, Allah may inspire others, including pious believers and even animals:
- Hadhrat Maryam (AS) was not a prophet, yet she received divine inspiration (Surah Al-Imraan verses 42-47, Surah Maryam verses 17-26)
- There is no definitive conclusion that Prophet Khidr (AS), Hadhrat Luqman, and Zul Qarnain were prophets, yet they received Allah’s guidance (Surah Kahf)
- Even bees receive inspiration from Allah (Surah Nahl)
- Authentic Hadith states that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said Hadhrat Umar (RA) was divinely inspired by Allah (Mishkaat Page 554)
Therefore, non-prophets receiving inspiration from Allah without prophetic mediation is entirely within Islamic teachings and does not imply prophethood.
Knowledge of the Unseen Is Possible Through Divine Disclosure (One can only know what Allah SWT allows him to)
The understanding of the last verse of Surah Luqman (verse 34) is that knowledge of five specific unseen matters and other hidden knowledge is not inherently possessed by creation except through Allah’s revelation. No creation has independent knowledge of the unseen; if someone receives knowledge of unseen matters from Allah and becomes aware of it, this does not contradict the Qur’anic verse.
- Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was informed about many unseen matters (Surah Jinn verses 26-27)
- The Prophet ﷺ was informed beforehand regarding his death and indicated this to his companions, causing Abu Bakr to weep (Mishkaat Page 546)
- Before the Battle of Badr, the Prophet ﷺ was informed of the exact places where the Quraish would fall (Mishkaat)
- The Prophet ﷺ informed Abu Zar Ghafari of the place and circumstances of his death, which occurred exactly as foretold (Hayaatus Sahabah Vol.3, Page 78)
- Hadhrat Abu Bakr was informed of his wife’s pregnancy with a daughter before his death
Modern technology can provide significant information about unborn children through ultrasounds and forecast weather conditions through specialized instruments. These technologies do not contradict the Qur’anic verse because humans attain this knowledge through intermediary means, whereas Allah’s knowledge requires no medium, is free from error, and is comprehensive.
If someone learns about the time of their death through some means, this knowledge does not conflict with Surah Luqman verse 34.
The Concept of Kashf (Spiritual Unveiling) Is Well-Established in Islamic Tradition
Kashf is when Allah reveals certain matters to specific people:
- Hadhrat Umar (RA) once saw a Muslim army while delivering a sermon and gave them instructions from a distance, leading to their victory against disbelievers (Mishkaat Page 546, Hayaatus Sahabah Vol. 3, Page 637)
Those who claim that Kashf and divine inspirations are exclusively for prophets and cannot be experienced by others should provide proof for their assertions.
Summary
- The pseudo Salafi’s claim that Fadhail Amaal contains Shirk and uses sensational phrases like ‘Grave Worshipping’ to confuse people.
- Miracles (Mu’jizah for prophets and Karamaat for saints) are established in both the Qur’an and authentic Hadiths; denying this contradicts Islamic tradition.
- The Qur’an confirms that Allah SWT may inspire non-prophets, as seen with Maryam (AS), possibly Khidr (AS), and others mentioned in the Qur’an.
- Knowledge of unseen matters can be granted by Allah to chosen individuals without contradicting Surah Luqman verse 34, which refers to independent and comprehensive knowledge.
- The concept of Kashf (spiritual unveiling) has precedents in Islamic history, including incidents involving the companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
- These narratives in Fadhaail-e-A’maal are consistent with established Islamic beliefs when properly understood within their theological context.
