By Mufti Shakeel Mansoor Al-Qasimi
Date: February 16, 2019
The saying “Those who have no leader, Satan is their leader” is not found in any hadith, not even as a disconnected narration.
These are people’s self-made statements and their own invented words.
Yes! In Islam, collectiveness has great importance. That’s why even in temporary situations like travel, collectiveness is so preferred that a lone traveler is called a devil.
That’s why following an administrative and governmental administrator (leader, ruler) has great importance in hadith.
If travelers don’t follow their travel leader and the public doesn’t follow their state leader, collective matters will fall into disorder and then Satan will interfere and begin causing evil and corruption.
A hadith with this meaning is narrated from Abdullah bin Amr:
“One rider is a devil, two riders are two devils, and three are a traveling group.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood – Number: 2607)
Also reported by Tirmidhi (1674), Nasai in Al-Sunan Al-Kubra (8798), and Ahmad (6748)
During travel, in collective matters and especially in state affairs, having one person as administrator and authority allows all collective work to be accomplished well without chaos.
From an administrative perspective, even traveling tabligh groups would do well to select an experienced, patient, follower of sunnah, and religiously knowledgeable leader in light of the mentioned principle.
However, there is no specific hadith text regarding this administrator.
Claiming the mentioned Arabic saying is a prophetic hadith in these exact words is attributing a false statement to the Prophet (peace be upon him), which is forbidden and deserving of hell.
Similarly, it is not correct to expand the necessity of a leader in travel and Islamic governmental matters and apply it to general situations.
And Allah knows best.
Is this saying from Hazrat Maulana Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah have mercy on him) that “whoever has no spiritual guide, their guide is Satan”?
This saying is quoted by Abu Hamid Ghazali in Ihya.
It is not a saying of Sheikh Abdul Qadir.
This saying is also quoted in Awarif al-Ma’arif from various Sufis.
“The seeker necessarily needs a sheikh and teacher to follow who will guide him to the right path, for the path of religion is obscure while Satan’s paths are many and apparent. Whoever has no sheikh to guide him will inevitably be led by Satan to his paths. Whoever traverses deadly wilderness paths without a guide has endangered himself and destroyed himself. The one who relies solely on himself is like a tree that grows by itself – it soon dries up, and even if it survives and grows leaves for a time, it won’t bear fruit. So the seeker’s protection is his sheikh, let him hold fast to him.”
[“Al-Ihya” Vol.3/p.65]
Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali
The essence of this saying is only that since humans are constantly under Satan’s whispers, one should establish a spiritual connection with a sheikh who follows sunnah for self-reformation.
Under the supervision and training of a perfect sheikh, one will be reformed. If no reformative connection is established with a sheikh, then Satan will get free rein to mislead and deviate them, because Satan flows in humans’ blood vessels.
The saying does not refer to mere formal pledge or spiritual guidance without heart connection.
The Sufi saying also doesn’t mean that protecting faith depends on pledging to a sheikh.
Because this belief contradicts religious texts.
Yes, for self-reformation, avoiding sins and following religion, one should connect with a pious person who follows sunnah.
(Mufti) Shakeel Mansoor Al-Qasimi
