From 'Abdul-'Aziz ibn Abdullah bin Baz to every Muslim who happens to be acquainted with this statement - may all Muslims be protected by Allah with Islam - and may He guard us as well as all Muslims against the evil of the lies fabricated by the ignorant rabble-rousers, amin.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah unto you, and now to our topic:
I have known of a few words reportedly written by a Shaykh Ahmad, attendant of the Sacred Shrine of the Prophet entitled 'This is an admonition from Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, by Shaykh Ahmad attendant of the Sacred Shrine of the Prophet.' In these words he says: "I was sitting up late at a Friday night, reciting the Glorious Qur'an. Having finished reciting the Holy Attributes of Allah, I was prepared for going to bed, when I saw Sayyidinah Muhammad the Apostle of Allah - with his radiant countenance, peace be unto him, who brought to us the Qur'anic Verses and the holy orders of the shari'ah as mercy to the universe. He said: 'O Shaykh Ahmad.' I replied, 'Here I am - Labbayk - O Messenger of Allah, O noblest creature of Allah.' He said to me, 'I am so ashamed of the vile deeds of people that I could meet neither my Lord nor the Angels, since from Friday to Friday, a hundred and sixty thousand people died without faith in Islam.' " Then the Prophet allegedly mentioned some of the sins committed by people, adding that this admonition is mercy bestowed upon them by the Almighty. The Prophet then allegedly alluded to some portents of the Day of Judgement till he said, "Tell them this admonition, O Shaykh Ahmad, since it is transmitted by the Pen of the Almighty from the Guarded Tablet. He who writes and communicates it from country to country and from place to place shall have a palace built for him in the Heaven, but in case he does not do such an act he is to be deprived of my intercession on the Day of Judgement. And whoever writes it, Allah shall enrich him if he is poor, settle his debts if he is indebted, or pardon him and his parents if sinful; thanks to the blessings of this admonition. He who does not write it, his face shall blacken both in this world and in the Hereafter." Shaykh Ahmad then swore thrice by the name of Extolled Allah that he says the truth, and that if he was a liar, he would die as an infidel. He concluded that whosoever believes it, shall be delivered from the torment of the Fire, and who denies it shall become an atheist.
This is a resume of the false admonition trumped up against the Apostle - unto him be the peace and blessings of Allah. We have frequently heard of this fabricated admonition several years ago. It has been spreading out from time to time, and propagating among a lot of common people, with some difference in its versions. The author, according to one version, says that while he was sleeping, the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - appeared to him in a vision, and entrusted to him this admonition. In the other version, as contained in this recent handbill mentioned above, the slanderer claims to have seen the vision of the Prophet - peace be unto him - as he was prepared for going to bed, and not while actually sleeping.
That is to say, the vision of the Prophet appeared to him while being in a state of wakefulness. The liar claimed in this admonition a lot of things, which are among the most lucid lies, and the most obvious falsehoods, against which I am soon going to caution you, Allah willing. I have been warning against them, during the last years, and have explained to the people that these things are the most vivid lying, and the most distinct untruth. Having been informed with this recent handbill, I was reluctant to write anything about it for its clear untruthfulness as well as for the great deal of boldness on the part of its fabricator in the field of lying. I could not conceive that its falsehood could fool anyone possessing the least power of mental perception or sound disposition. Yet several brethren informed me that it fooled many people among whom it was rife, and some of them gave it their credence. On this account, I saw that it was the duty of persons such as myself to write about it, so as to throw light upon its falsehood, as well as to demonstrate that it was invented against the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - so that no one may be deceived by it, and whoever of the cognizant and faithful considers it, or those possessed of sound disposition and sound mind, should come to know that it is nothing but pure lying and falsehood in many respects. I have inquired of some relatives of Shaykh Ahmad about this lie of admonition ascribed to him. They replied that it is invented against Shaykh Ahmad, adding that he, by no means, said it, and that the so-called Shaykh Ahmad had died quite long ago.
Supposing that the so-called Shaykh Ahmad or anyone of even much higher standing than he, had in fact claimed that the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - appeared to him in a vision during sleep or wakefulness, and assigned to him this admonition, we would be convinced that he is a liar, or that it was the Devil rather than the Prophet - peace be unto him - that told him so, in many respects. Among other things, the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - after his death, never appears in a vision to a wakeful person. He of the ignorant Sufis, who claims that he sees, while being vigilant, the vision of the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - or that the vision attends the (mawlid) or the like, would have been guilty of the foulest error, and have been exceedingly obscured. He would also have made a big mistake, and have gone against the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of scholars; due to the fact that the dead never rise out of their graves in this world save on the Day of Judgement; as has been mentioned by Allah in connection with the attributes of believers:
"And then at length you will certainly die and again on the Day of Judgement you will be raised up."
Thus Allah has informed us that the resurrection of the dead would take place on the Day of Judgement, and not in this world. Whosoever holds an opinion contrary to this is either an obvious liar or an obscured blunderer, who has failed to perceive the truth recognized by our pious ancestors, and pursued favourably by the companions and followers of the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him.
As for the second aspect, the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - never said untruth, either during his lifetime or thereafter. This admonition goes openly counter to his shari'ah in many respects such as follows. The Prophet - peace be unto him - might be seen during sleep, and he to whom he appears in his holy figure during slumber has actually seen him, since the Devil never finds visual expression in the shape of the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - as has been stated in the authentic ahadith (holy prophetic traditions). The whole consequence, however, depends upon the faith of the visioner, his truthfulness, honourable record, correctness, creed, trustworthiness, and whether he saw the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - in his own countenance, or not. If it even happened that a tradition was imputed to the Prophet - peace be unto him - as being said by him during his lifetime, and it came down to us not through the equitable and reliable sources of good reputation, it would not be an authoritative and reliable tradition. Supposing that the tradition was transmitted through the reliable equitable sources of good reputation, yet it happened to be in conflict with another tradition which was passed on by a better and more reliable memorises, and the difference was too enormous to reconcile both traditions, one of them must be abrogated and ineffective, and the other is abrogative and valid wherever possible and in conformity with its conditions. Should this be impossible, and both traditions could not be reconciled, the one passed on by the less memorising and less equitable is anomalous as well as invalid. Just imagine how much less is an admonition whose transmitter (who reported it from the Apostle, peace and blessings of Allah be unto him) is anonymous, not to mention the fact that his impartiality and trustworthiness is unknown. Such being the case, it deserves to be rejected without consideration, even if it is devoid of anything incompatible with the Revelation. And how much less, if the admonition contains many points demonstrating that it is invalid and trumped up against the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - and comprising the start of a new creed unheralded by the Almighty Allah. The Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - said, "He who imputes to me something which I have not said, let him settle down in the Fire." The man who invented this lie against the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - said what the Prophet did not say, invented against him an open and grave lie. How proper for him this severe threat is, and how more deserving of it he is, unless he hastens to turn to Allah in repentance, and announces publicly that he had fabricated this admonition against the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - since whoever publicizes untruth imputing it to religion, his repentance is not true unless it is announced publicly and made clear, so that people might know that he retracted his lie and refuted himself. Allah - glory be to Him - says:
"Verily, those who conceal the clear Signs and the Guidance which we have sent down, after we have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers. Except those who repent and make amends and openly declare [the Truth which they concealed]. These are the ones whom I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful."
In this holy verse, Allah - praise and glory be to Him - made it clear that he who conceals any part of the Truth his repentance of this shall not be right, save after correction and exposition. Allah - praise and glory be to Him - has perfected the true religion for his human beings, and brought about for them His grace by sending us His Apostle Muhammad - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - as well as the perfect Revelation He sent down with him. Allah made him die only after consummation and demonstration; as Allah - praise and glory be to Him - says:
"This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion Al-Islam."
The calumnious inventor of this admonition has come in the fourteenth century, with his desire to start a new creed for the people, with the result that whoever adopts this creed shall be admitted to Paradise, while he who does not shall be deprived of it and settle down in the Fire. He wants to assign this invented admonition a position even greater and higher than the Qur'an; since he claims that he who writes and communicates it from country to another country, or from place to another place shall have a palace built for him in heaven, and whoever does not, shall be deprived of the intercession of the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - on the Day of Judgement. Verily, it is of the vilest lying, and of the most obvious indications that this admonition is invented, and its author is impudent and bold in lying, since he who writes the Glorious Qur'an, and communicates it from country to another country or from place to another place, shall not have this favour, unless he acts on the strength of the Glorious Qur'an.
Then how does the writer of this lie and its communicator from country to another country enjoy this favour, while on the other hand, he who does not write the Qur'an, nor communicates it from country to another country shall not be deprived of the intercession of the Prophet - peace be unto him - as long as he has faith in him, and adheres to his Religion. It would suffice to mention only this piece of calumny in this admonition to prove its untruthfulness, the deceit of its propagator as well as his impudence, stupidity, and ignorance of the guidance brought about by the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him. This admonition comprises, aside from what has been already mentioned, several other points, all of which demonstrate its untruthfulness and falsehood. And even if its inventor had sworn, a thousand times or more, that it is true, although he had invoked the greatest torment and exemplary punishment upon himself that he is truthful, he was not so, and neither was the admonition. Rather it is, by Allah (twice), of the most abominable lying and the vilest falsehood. We ask Allah - praise and glory be to Him - and make the angels attending to us as well as him who knew of this writing to be witnesses that this admonition is false and fabricated against the Apostle of Allah - peace be unto him. Such a testimony with which we shall meet our Lord - glory be to Him - and may Allah disgrace him who wrote it, and treat him with what he deserves. The falsehood and untruthfulness of the admonition is demonstrated by many points other than the aforementioned:
First: of these points is the liar's statement (since from Friday to Friday a hundred and sixty thousand people died without faith in Islam), because this is a pretence to know unseen matters. As to the Apostle - peace and blessings of Allah be unto him - the Revelation ceased to be sent down upon him after his death. Considering the fact that the Apostle during his lifetime was not to know the divine secrets, how then is he to know them after his death; because Allah - praise be to Him - says: "Say: 'I do not tell you that with me are the Treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden' , and says: "Say: 'None in the Heavens or on earth, except Allah knows what is hidden' ". In the authentic hadith, it is reported that the Prophet - peace be unto him - said: "On the Day of Judgement, I assume the defence of some men by saying, 'Oh Lord, (but they are) my companions, my companions'. Then I will be told, 'Verily, you do not know what heresy they brought about after your death.' Then I will say as the virtuous man said, 'And I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when You took me up You were the Watcher over them, and You are a witness to all things.' "
Secondly: among the points indicating its falsehood and untruthfulness is the author's contention that: "He who writes it, Allah shall enrich him if he is poor, settle his debts if indebted, or pardon him as well as his parents if sinful; thanks to the blessings of this admonition" etc. Surely, this is of the foulest lying, and of the most manifest proofs, that the inventor of this admonition is a liar and impudent towards Allah and His human beings; since these three matters do not come about even by copying the Glorious Qur'an. Then how do they occur to him who copies this untruthful admonition? Rather, this wicked liar wants to dupe people, and to set their hopes on this admonition, so that they may write it, become attached to this so-called favour, and abandon the reasons that Allah prescribed to mankind, and made them the proper means of richness, discharge of debt, and pardon of sins. May Allah keep us away from the reasons of disappointment, and submissiveness to the Devil, and to evil inclinations.
Thirdly: among the points proving the falsehood of this admonition, is the statement of its author: "whoever from human beings does not write it, his face shall blacken both in this world and in the Hereafter". This, too, is one of the vilest lying, and of the most manifest proofs of the falsehood of this admonition, and the deceit of its author. How can a man sane in mind, deem it permissible that he who does not write this admonition brought about by an anonymous man in the fourteenth century (of hijrah) who trumped it up against Allah's Apostle - peace be unto him - and who claims that he who does not write it, his face shall blacken both in this world and in the Hereafter, and that he who writes it shall be rich after poverty, free from debts after being lost in them, and shall have his sins forgiven. Praise be to Allah, what a big lie! Both evidence and reality confirm the deceit of this liar, his gruesome boldness against Allah, and his shamelessness in front of Allah and people. There were too many people who did not write it, yet their faces did not blacken, and here is a large crowd of people, innumerable save by Allah, who wrote it a lot of times, but their debt was not settled and their poverty did not come to an end. May Allah guard us against the deviation of hearts as well as the prevalence of sins. These are attributes and requitals which the holy Revelation did not bring about for him who does not copy the greatest and most meritorious book, namely, the Glorious Qur'an. How, then, does it occur to him who copies a falsified admonition comprising a variety of untruths as well as several kinds of infidelity. Glory be to Allah, how Clement He has been, towards the man who was daring with Him to lie.
Fourthly: Among the points demonstrating this admonition being of the most untruthful falsehoods and the most vivid lying is the statement, "Whoever gives credence to it, shall be delivered from the torment of the Fire, and whoever denies it, shall be an atheist". This, too, is of the most terrible boldness in deceit, and the most foul untruth. The liar calls upon all people to believe in his lie, claiming that thus they shall be saved from the torment of the Fire, and that whoever denies it shall be an atheist. What a prodigious terrible lie this liar has told against Allah. He by Allah, said nothing but untruth. And it is rather he who believes it that deserves to be an atheist, than he who denies it; since it is a lie, untruth and completely unfounded falsehood. We ask Exalted Allah to be a witness for its untruthfulness as well as its falsifier's deceit; since he is willing to prescribe to the people what is not authorized by Allah, and to introduce into their religion what is alien to it, despite the fact that Allah had perfected and completed the religion for this nation, about fourteen centuries before this calumny was fabricated.
O readers and brethren, be heedful and beware of believing such lies, and take care not to let it circulate amongst you; since truth has its own lustre that does not confuse its seeker. Thus seek the truth through its evidences, and ask the men of learning about what is vague for you. Do not let yourself be deceived by the oaths of liars, since the cursed Iblis (Devil) took the oath before your foreparents - Adam and Eve - that he was a good adviser to them, though he was the most disloyal and untruthful liar as was told by Allah in the Qur'anic Chapter Al-A'raf wherein He - praise be to Him - says: "And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser." So beware of the Devil and his followers, since how many a perjury, perfidious pledge and vain saying he, as well as they, have for temptation and misleading. May Allah render us along with all Muslims immune against the evil of devils, the enticements of seducers, the erring of wrongdoers, and the deceit of the futile foes of Allah, namely, those who want to extinguish the Light of Allah with their mouths, and to make religion obscure for the people, but Allah will perfect His Light and render His religion victorious, even though the devils and their followers of the unbelievers and atheists (enemies of Allah) may detest it.
As to the emergence of various evils mentioned by the slanderer, that indeed is a matter of fact against which the Glorious Qur'an and the Immaculate sunnah, both of them being full of divine guidance and sufficiency, warned strongly. We ask Allah for the betterment of Muslims, and to bless them with the favour of observance of truth, of rightness and of turning to Allah - praise be to Him - in repentance of all sins, as He is most Merciful and Omnipotent. As for what was mentioned, however, about the portents of the Day of Judgement, the traditions of the Prophet have illustrated what shall be of those portents. The Glorious Qur'an, too, has indicated some of them. He who wants to know that, shall find it in its proper place in the works on sunnah, as well as in the works of scholars possessed of sound knowledge and true faith. People are in no need for an explanation from such a liar, who mixes up truth with falsehood. Allah is quite sufficient for us, and what a perfect trustee He is. There is no power and no strength save that of Allah, the all-Exalted and the all-Great.
Praise be to Him, Lord of the worlds, and peace be unto His devout servant and Apostle, truthful and honest as well as unto his family, companions, and those following him with good faith, until the Day of Judgement.
From At-Tahzir min Bid'at, published by Jamiyah Islamiyyah of Madinah al-Munawwarah, 1396H