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Is Sydena our Rehbar?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Rasullulah (A.S.) has said many times that I am leaving Quran and my ahlebait to guide you the right path. Bohra believes that Quran can take you to the right path, only if you know the real meaning of Quran. And, to find out the real meaning, you do need a rehber or a representative of the Ahlebait on this earth. According to the bohra, the current Syedna (t.u.s.) is a rehber and a member of the Ahlebait. Are we wrong?

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Is Sydena our Rehbar?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and We bear witness that Muhammad is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

The Glorious Quran was revealed by the All Wise, All Knowing Allah, for the guidance of all mankind. The Holy Quran was revealed in plain Arabic to people who were the uneducated and illiterate Bedouins and nomads of Arabia. These simple nomads and shepherds of Arabia understood the straightforward message of the Holy Quran, and within a 100 years after the death of the Messenger of Allah (saws), had taken this Message of the Holy Quran to all parts of the then known world! The basic Message of the Holy Quran is simple and straightforward, and does not have any crookedness in it whatsoever. Whoever says that each aayah of the Holy Quran has 10 different meanings, is a liar! Whoever says that the Holy Quran is full of ambiguity and crookedness, is a liar! Whoever says that the basic message of the Holy Quran cannot be understood by normal people like us, is a liar! Whoever says that the Holy Quran can only be understood, and should only be learnt from a particular family or a particular scholar, is a liar!

 

There are no secret innuendos and hints hidden deep in the aayahs of the Holy Quran. This Book is a simple, straightforward and a clear-cut Message for the guidance of mankind, to the Straight Path of Islam. Any one who understands the Arabic language, he can derive the basic message of guidance from this Glorious Book. And if one does not speak or understand Arabic as a language, he can read any good translation and receive the guidance of Islam.

 

Allah says in Chapter 2, Surah Baqarah aayat 185: "Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down: this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of CLEAR teachings which show the right way and are a Criterion of the Truth and falsehood."

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah Dukhan verse 58: We have made this Book EASY in your own tongue so that they may ponder and take good counsel.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verses 1-3: Haa Meem. By this lucid (clear or open) Book. We have made it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand it.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 12 Surah Yusuf verse 1-2: Alif. Lam Ra. These are the verses of the Book that makes its object perfectly CLEAR. We have sent it down as a Quran in Arabic, so that you may UNDERSTAND it well.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 89: We have sent down to you this Book, which makes everything PLAIN, and is a guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 19 Surah Maryam verse 97: O Mohamed, We have made this Quran EASY, and sent it down in your tongue so that you should give good news to the pious and warn the stubborn people.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Ha Mim As Sajdaah verse 2-4: This is a Revelation from the All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful Allah. A Book whose verses are well-expounded, an Arabic Quran for the people who want to understand, and a giver of good news and a warner.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 1-2: Alif, Lam, Ra. All praise is for Allah Alone, Who has sent down this Book to His Servant (Mohamed (saws), and assigned NOTHING CROOKED to it. This Book says everything directly, so that he may warn the people of the severe chastisement of Allah and give good news to the believers, who do righteous deeds, that they will have an excellent reward.

 

The only guide or ‘rahbar’ appointed by Allah, is the Messenger of Allah, Mohamed Rasool Allah (saws). He is our guide, our model, and our example, if indeed we want to follow the Straight Path.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21: There is indeed the best model for you to follow, in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

 

Other than the Messenger of Allah (saws), Allah has appointed no other guide or ‘rahbar’ for the muslims. All the others, who claim to be our guide and our ‘rahbar’, are self-appointed by man himself, and have no authority from Allah whatsoever. Our one and only guide is the Book of Allah, and His Messenger (saws).

 

Thus today, even if someone claims to be the ‘rahbar’ or guide, he must follow every commandment of Allah and His Messenger (saws). He has absolutely no right to change or alter the way followed by the Messenger of Allah (saws). If he does alter or change anything, or does anything that is against the clear guidance of the Holy Quran and the tradition or way of the Messenger of Allah (saws), he should not be followed. And if one follows this self-appointed leader blindly, without confirming his teachings from the Glorious Quran or Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), he will have no one except himself to blame, on the Day of Judgment!

 

The Prophet (saws) said in an authentic narration: “I am leaving behind me two things, which, if you follow, you will never be misguided. 1. The Holy Quran and 2. My Sunnah or way.”

 

Some unscrupulous people have changed the second part of the narration and exchanged the words ‘My Sunnah’ to ‘My Ahle-bayt’. We respect and love the noble members of the family of the Messenger of Allah (saws). But just like we do not invoke and worship Prophet Mohamed (saws) or any other Prophet of Allah, we do not invoke and worship any member of the noble Ahle bayt. We are commanded to worship and invoke none but Allah Alone!

 

Allah has not given the monopoly or agency of Islam, or the understanding of the Holy Quran to any one family! This Book is a guidance and a Mercy from Allah to the whole of mankind, and no one can claim exclusive monopoly to its understanding!

 

The Syedna is definately not a member of the Ahle-bayt! There are literally millions of people who claim to be direct descendants of the Messenger of Allah (saws). Allah Alone knows who amongst them are genuine and who are not! The two prominent families who have proven their ancestry directly to the Messenger of Allah (saws), are the Aga Khan family, and the family of the current rulers of Jordan. And if anyone is aware of their actions, there is absolutely no doubt that the Aga Khans are probably the worst examples of muslims and a disgrace to Islam. The rulers of Jordan are no better, and probably the worst enemies of Islam in current times! Thus it is absolutely illogical that the Messenger of Allah (saws) might have even uttered these words where he commanded us to follow his descendants!

 

For Allah, all human beings are his created slaves and all are equal in His eyes. The most honorable or closest to Allah is the one who has the most ‘taqwa’ or God-consciousness. He has not given the exclusive agency or monopoly of Islam, or the understanding of the Holy Quran, to a particular people or family.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 49 Surah Hujurat verse 13: O mankind, We created you from one man and one woman, and then divided you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most honorable amongst you in the sight of Allah is he who is most pious (God Fearing) of you. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

 

Thus the best way to figure out if what we are following is right or wrong, is to go to the Criterion, the Al Quran. If you can find any justification or evidence in the Holy Quran, even one single aayah, that the Syedna (or anybody else for that matter) has been appointed the ‘rahbar’ for the guidance of mankind, then follow the commandment of the Holy Quran. Billions of people have read and understood the Glorious Quran and I can assure you that there is no such aayah or an iota of truth in this (self) appointment. The only people who claim the Syedna to be their rahbar and guide, and give him and his family the exclusive monopoly to understand the Holy Quran, are the Bohras, and the only reason is that most, if not all of them, have never understood the Holy Quran. The guidance of the Glorious Quran has been systematically taken out of the structure of the Bohras. Although they are commanded to recite the Holy Quran regularly in Arabic, they are constantly advised by the same leaders not to try and understand the message of the Glorious Quran! They claim that if you try to understand it, you will mis-understand and will thus be mis-guided! And the poor souls believe this falsehood with all their hearts! Thus once somebody takes away the guidance of the Holy Quran from its people, they can lead the people like cattle anywhere they want.

 

Our sincere request to you, in the name of Allah, is to read and understand the message of the Holy Quran yourself, in a language you can understand best, once, and then decide if what you are claiming and following is in line with the guidance of the Quran. I assure you the Quran is easy reading, and it guides to nothing but the absolute truth. Allah Himself has repeatedly told us in the Quran, that the Quran is easy to understand, so whose words are we going to believe? Allah’s or some self-appointed ‘rahbar’? I urge you, not to take my word for it; but at least take Allah’s word as the truth! How can a Book which was revealed for the guidance of mankind, misguide us? Is it not time, to at least see what message our Lord and Creator has sent for us?

 

All that Bohras have done, is simply follow the religion of their forefathers blindly. They are Bohras, simply because they were born Bohras! At least read the Holy Quran, once, and see whether what you are following is leading you to the Mercy of Allah or towards His Wrath? The time to read and understand the message of the Holy Quran is now, before our last breath goes in, and does not come out! Tomorrow might be too late…. When we reach our appointment of death, it will be too late! …. When the angel of death comes knocking on our door, it will be too late!…. How are we going to stand in the court of Allah and reply that we did not even bother to read and understand the simple message that He had revealed for our guidance?

 

O Allah, we beg You to help us, have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and guide us to the Siraat al Mustaqeem. O Allah, help us to find the Right Path. O Allah, have mercy upon us, and show us the Right Path. O Allah, forgive us our sins, and guide us to the Straight Path that leads to Your Mercy. O Allah, we beg you to help us and guide us to read and understand the Message that you have sent us for our guidance. You are indeed the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 

 

 

 

 

 


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