Hamza Yussuf: a Shik or a Suufi

[Final_Say]

salamz ppl

 

What I want to know if possible with stated evidence is whether the American "Scholar" Hamza yussuf is someone who's contributions to Islam can be used for personal use or for academic purposes to teach people. Is he someone that as Salafi Sunni Muslims we should take our knowledge from.

 

thank you very much

may all bless you all and reward you for your contributions.. inshallah

[Rahima]

Hamza yusuf is Sufi as he states (just like his buddy Nuh Ha Meem Keller) and his teachers were Sufi. He is generally lenient in his views, but in terms of caqiidah (which is the most important) i am not sure, but if we go by what is normally considered to be Sufi it does not look promising.

 

The brother is eloquent no doubt, but i'm not very found of some of his stances, riba for education is xalaal, so is music so long as evil things are not being sung about, ikhtilaaf is a blessing from Allah etc.

 

He is good to get your iman up I suppose, but you have to have at least some sort of knowledge to listen to him otherwise you will be enticed by his eloquence and will most probably be more prone to taking on all that which is not only right but also wrong simply because of the way he says it.

 

I personally do not listen to him, not that I regard him to be deviant or anything like that (who am I to rant off such things), but simply I know he is not someone who I can rely on to give me the correct information based on the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.

 

The other issue is interms of the political sphere, the brother is extremely and I mean extremely apologetic.

[Final_Say]

salamz,

Thanks Rahima, with your permission can I copy and past your reply to add to my collection of evidence I am making for a friend who regards him as the best Scholar alive today, she thinks I am a extremist when I try and tell her exactly what you have written and more.

thank you very much may allah bless You and grant you jannah

 

salamz

[Rahima]

Jazaakum Allahu Khayran, and yeah sure .

 

You can get a lot more on the net. Just listen to his lectures (most times you can pick out the leniency) and then show your friend what the Qur'an and Sunnah say about those topics which he allows (e.g. riba for education or music).

 

We all commit sins but the problem is when you make it xalaal.

[Final_Say]

salamz

 

i know, the worst sin is when you make somthing which is hala harim, and making something that is harim hala

 

inshallallah may allah guide us all and forgive us for our sins

 

thanks

salamz

[bilan]

rahima sis it is not only him a lot of other scholars say that music is not haram as long as it does not encourage evil,such as great scholar qardawi and others, so i think music issue is not agreed to be haram. i always wanted to know was there a piano and other instruments that are used now,at the time of the prophet(PPUH) and what is the difference between piano and daf.?

[Modesty]

He is suufi from what I heard

[SomeAlien]

can anyone tell me more about sufiism, and whether it existed during the time of the prophet (peace be upon him).

 

a book recommendation would be preferred.

[Final_Say]

salam all

 

it took me forever to find dis massage again. i'm still trying to figure out how this thing worked. i swear i posted on the main, and then it somehow ended up here. and what i'm doing wrong every message i post someone gets mad at me. do you guys have a no go areas, like not talking about ideal men!! so guy abused me coz i said somalis men are not the ideal men!! bit confused i am!!

 

anyway

 

thanks ppl

 

NB:

there was no suffism at the time of the prophet (BPUH) it developed after the salif salhins (so about three generations after his death) its a sector of muslims who are focus on spritual islam, they are well known for maulidual nabiwayi which was very common amogest somalias, in one of the months they kill animals and sing and dance and make space for the prophet to sit. this is from what little i have read on them. however those were the orginal suufi's. the new generation; some of them cliam that its what is in ur heart that u are judged upon not on ur actions, so as long as u love allah u will be saved. there are many different sub divisions.

 

allah knowns best

 

as for a book, i have to look for it in my house which can take ages the way its looking. i'll do after june the 11th when i start summer. lol inshallah

 

 

Also at the time of the prophet they did have music, instruments, but he only allowed the daf, which is a one sided drum for parties and weddings not all the time

 

and music is agreed upon that is xaaram;

suhar Luqman, verse6

read bin khaither tasfir for the extended meaning

 

salam all

[Blessed]

Salaams

 

I've heard Hamza Yusuf address this issue himself a few years ago in a lecture he did in Liverpool UK. 1998, it was on Education. You might be able to get hold of that tape or download the lecture from some websites...!!

 

He stated that he isn't a Sufi. However, he has expressed his respects for Tawasuf – which is a form of 'Sufism' that is very different to the mythical version that is so rampant today. The Nomad Nur has posted a really good topic on Sufism for those interested...!!

 

As far as taking the deen from him. I think he's good on certain subjects - I like to follow theories and philosophies of Education and he is one of the best Muslim authorities on that particular field- at least amongst the English speakers. And not so on others.

 

I say follow the advice of Rahima. It’s never been my style to boycott a particular Muslim- (unless blasphemy and the like are involved). However, I always check their ideas with the Quran and Sunnah and books written by more Authentic scholars. I know it's a task. But it's your aakhira.

 

and welcome to SOL..Lander Miss

[StarGazer]

^ Thank you ...you just said what I wanted to say. Personally, Sh.Hamza is one of my fav. sheikhs...so far I don't have anything to 'disbute' with him. I think as thinking muslims, its always best to double check a scholar's source if you encounter something u don't understand.

 

Thanks Rahima, with your permission can I copy and past your reply to add to my collection of evidence I am making for a friend who regards him as the best Scholar alive today,

Sis...just as a reminder, most of the comments here are personal. I don't think it's fair to use them as 'evidence' against a scholar.

 

Good luck on ur search for the best scholar alive...let us know what u come up with!

[Salafi_Online]

As-salamu alaykum

 

As it is from the muslim character to be objective and just at all times, I must say Our Brother Hamza Yusef is an opportunist, he says and acts according to what suits his needs a that particular moment. He use to come to a masjid near me and my friends directly asked him if he was a sufi and without a doubt he affirmed it. But at other times especially if he knows the people abhor Sufism he would decline it. Furthermore it is one thing to deny a label but to act according to its methodology is another. If you’re not a sufi then why do u act like one???Brother Yusef Estes respected speaker did a great job in revealing Hamza.

[Yusef Estes]: Recently it has escalated to the extent that he is misquoting the Quran, denying certain verses, presenting wrong hadeeth and in general showing Islam in the wrong light. And to make matters worse, he is doing it on prime time television. Due to his fame and access to the media, this now presents a great problem for all of us.

http://www.allaahuakbar.net/individual_callers/hamza_yusuf/hamza_yusuf_where_did_he_go_wrong.htm

 

As For the Issue of tawassuf, then it is a form of shirk when you seek assistance from the dead.

 

Disclaimer: the following words are not my.

 

By Brother Muhajid:

Okay everyone, last night Agent Hanson (aka Hamza Yusuf) gave a lecture for a fundraiser for one of the local Islamic schools in Mass. (http://theislamicacademy.com/events.htm) Two brothers (who are among my best friends) and myself attended this "lecture" (we got in for free so we decided to go) with the intention of trying to confront Agent Hanson. One of the brothers (who is very knowledgable) was able to confront Agent Hanson shortly before the lecture. The first thing he asked him was why he supported Bush again Afghanistan. Agent Hanson was totally shocked that he was being confronted about this. He made some excuse that he told Bush not to do it (which may be true, Allaahu'alim). Anyways he then asked Agent Hanson why he was clapping his hands at Bush's speech (a video seen by many). And I kid you not, Agent Hanson denied he ever clapped, but said he was fixing his tie (Wallahi, that is what he said, I and several others witnessed this event).

[Viking]

Subhannallah! This is all about Salafis. If anyone doesn't comply with their beliefs (which includes obeying a ruler even if he is evil - but as long as he "loathes innovation") then they are wrong/misguided.

 

Salafi,

Did you read the link you gave? It was (excuse my language) pure ballocks! What is wrong with doing dhikr for a long time? What is wrong with smelling a perfume before someome rolls it on your hand?

 

May Allah SWT guide us!

[bilan]

salaam

salafi you're out of line here,there is no need to discredit the brother like that, if you've something against him say he said so ,so and that's wrong and here is the evidence, but you're doubting his believe, did you open his heart to know that he was not sincere in his believe, how do you know he is using islam for personal gains? i am sure he knows islam more than you,and presented islam in positive light more than other scholars, while i do not agree some of what he says. this is not first time that i have seen you accusing other scholars who do not agree with you, campanion of the prophet(PPUH) disagreed on many things but they remained brothers/sisters. i really do think that islamic issues should be left only scholars to discuss not those who memorized one or two hadiths :mad:

[Salafi_Online]

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi

 

I free myself from your strnage and ill-concieved words Bilan. I personally did not disrespect the man in anyway shape or form. I represent the imformation as it happend. Everything that i posted has taken place without any exaggerations or fabrications. I took the same cautious route as that of our Sister Rahima . The sister asked a question and this is a forum for discusion, hence i tried to be as objective as possible by provide her with an sufficeint and concise answer based upon actual occurences. Furthermore, it is sheer idioticy to attribute Yusef Estes words to me. If you dont agree with it, do yourself a favor and email him. but to rant and rave about how I had something to do with it is ludicrous.

 

Viking akhee,

i read the article, and pardon me for my ignorance,i honestly dont understand what you mean. Here is what i got out of it, and please feel free to correct me. sincerity is from noblest pillar of islam.

 

[yusef]Zaytunna Institute in California and watched as Shaikh Muhammad Yaqubi from Syria was conducting a class in Sufi Dhikr.

For hours his students sat there on the floor rocking back and forth saying only: "Allah. Allah. Allah."

Over and over again. One of the complaints from a student was that a Shaikh at Zaytunna Institute was forcing them to do hundreds of different Dhikrs everyday. So much so, that they were not able to complete their daily chores, but if they tried to stop a shaytan would start beating them.

&

[yusef Estes] I recall one instance when I offered him some scented oil and he pulled away and then said he needed to smell it first. After smelling it,

he began to tell those gathering around that actually from the Sunnah he was able to understand that smells provided cures for diseases

Bro do u know of any hadith that says smells can cure deasease(so please share), plus from what i understand, that not the point Yusef Estes is trying to get acrross, he is saying Hamza is tried to protray himself as a scholar, and he is going to extreme measures.

 

Also the sister asked if he was/ss a sufi, he may not call himself one, but he sure does act like one.