The Baatiniyyahs

Over the years, many movements have arisen bent on fighting Islaam, and destroying its values and teachings. Perhaps the most dangerous of these movements is the Baatinite (Lit. Esoteric) movement which has played a most destructive role in this struggle. This movement attempted to destroy the Islamic faith and lead a revolt against the teachings of Islamic law by employing free interpretations of the religious texts, claiming that all texts have an outer obvious meaning known only to the masses and an inner hidden intended meaning known only to a select few initiates. The greatest danger of these Baatinite movement lies in the fact that they wear the cloak of Islaam while striving to destroy it from within. History will never forget the effects of past groups like the Shi’ites, Sabee’ites, Khattaabites, Keesaanites, the Qaramantians, Nusayrites and Druzes or current cults like Bahaism and Qadiyaanism, etc. which have appeared at random, bursting out of the Islamic community’s ranks in a vain attempt to extinguish the light of Islaam and divert Muslims from the reality of Religion.

O Muslims! Allah has sent down to you the Qur'ân as a clear, plain and straightforward book. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) clarified the contents of the Qur'ân and expanded on their details. He, too, spoke in straightforward speech, not in riddles or vague allusions. This fact, although intuitive and self-evident to those of sound mind and disposition, nevertheless escapes others, who are misled by outrageous, fanciful distortions of the plain meanings of the sacred texts such that they interpret them in a manner not allowed for by the language or the context. Therefore, let us present a brief selection of the textual evidences for this, along with related warnings on not interpreting the Qur'ân based on whims

The Batinis emerged at the time of the Caliph Ma'mun, with Hamdan ibn Qirmat and `Abdullah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah at their head. They are also not Muslims. They try to build good relations with everyone, pretending to agree with them. When they find potential in someone, they invite him to their religion. they believe that punishment in this world is when the Muslims busy themselves with prayer, fasting, Hajj and Jihad. they believe that prayer means following their leader, fasting is visiting him and adultery is disclosing his secret. They allow incest and homosexuality, and in fact dismiss the entire shari`ah. They came to power and caused harm to the Muslims until the time of the `Abbasid caliph, al-Muktafi, in around 300AH.

1. From the Qur'ân:

"and this is plain Arabic language."
"Those are the signs of the Plain Book."
". . . . after we made it plain for people in the Book . . . . "
"A book whose verses/signs have been made decisive, and then detailed."
"What is the matter with these people, that they can scarcely understand speech?"

"Those who commit in Our signs are not hidden from Us. Is then he who is cast into the Fire better, or he who comes safe on the Day of Resurrection?"

Ibn `Abbas said, "They are those who put words into other than the meanings their [proper] places."

From the Sunan and Athaars:
And the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has said, "Whoever spoke about the Qur'ân from his [own, unfounded] opinion, or from that whereof he had no knowledge, let him seek his place in the Fire."

'Umar (R)used to say, "Which sky would cover me, or which earth would shelter me, if I were to speak about the Book of Allah without knowledge?"

From the sayings of the scholars:
Mulla `Ali Qari says, in his supplement to Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar, "The texts of the Qur'ân and Sunnah are taken according to their outward, literal meanings, apart from the well-known difference between the former (salaf) and latter (khalaf) generations regarding interpretation of the allegorical divine attributes."

Similarly, `Abdul-Haqq al-Dehlawi says in "Takwiyat al-Iman" that distorting the texts from their outward meaning, in the manner of the Batinis, is heresy and unbelief.

We proceed now to address this terrible disease, spiritual in scope and devastating in consequence; the disease of heretical 'interpretation'. When the enemies of Islam realized they could not distract the Muslims from the Qur'ân and Sunnah, they transferred their efforts to another, far more devious scheme: they tried to divert them from the true meanings of the sacred texts. This ploy is far more horrendous and devastating in its effects, for once such ideas take root in the minds of the deluded, they shackle the individual into bondage which he himself struggles to retain. His devil hinders him from the Path, while he thinks that he is actually rightly-guided.
"Say : Shall We inform you of those who are the worst losers with regard to their deeds? Those whose efforts are wasted in the life of the world. while they think that they are [actually] doing good." [al-Kahf]

It is in this light that Shaykh `Abdullah al-Ghumari says, in "al-qawl al-jazl fee-maa la yu`adh-dhar feehi bil-jahl" that among that ignorance which is not excusable is ignorance about the reality of some fundamental parts of the doctrine, such as the resurrection of bodies, the fact that the world had a beginning, and that Allah knows even the minute details of things. Therefore, he mentions, those philosophers who denied such things are not excused, even if they prayed and fasted, and thought they were Muslims, and even if they spent their entire lives trying to understand these things rationally, but were unable to. This is because such doctrinal fundamentals must be accepted even if we cannot picture, imagine or justify them on rational axioms.

The Batinis played with the words of Allah, drawing on the works of the heretic philosophers, and planted their venomous heresy into the minds of the neglectful and wretched, where they found fertile soil. They claimed that they had received insight into the "inner" meanings of the sacred texts, and they scorned the Islam of the Companions, viewing them as simpletons who had not progressed beyond the "outer" meanings. "And, when they are told, 'Believe as the people have believed!' they say, 'Shall we believe as the fools believe?' Indeed, they are the fools, but they do not realize." [al-Baqarah]

In this manner, the Batinis proceeded to try to demolish the entire religion.

The term Batini is a general, descriptive name given to all sects who rely upon the perverted methodology we have mentioned above. They include the Qaramitah and the Isma`iliyyah of earlier origin, and the Qadianis and Bahais of more recent times. Yet, the Batini approach is not always encountered in a clear form and with a distinct sectarian identity. There is another category of people among whom it has its traces and manifestations. They are individuals still donning the outward guise of mainstream Islam. Their faith is so weak that they force themselves to justify everything in the religion practically and rationally. Failing that, they resort to distortion of the meanings of the texts so as to mould them around their mentality and outlook. Others among them may not be as deficient in faith, but are impatient and presumptuous. They try to fit the Qur'ân to every new event and scientific discovery they encounter.

"Mankind is a creature of haste. I shall show you My signs, so do not be impatient."

Beware of this approach, brothers and sisters! Remember that the texts of the Qur'ân and Sunnah are straightforward, and their import is clear and literal (except where it is unquestionably indicated otherwise), as we mentioned at the start of this page. Having considered and appreciated this, you will realize the fallacy of the opinions of the heretic philosophers who claimed that Heaven and Hell are merely states of mind after death, and that there is no resurrection of the bodies.

Similarly, you will spurn the 'interpretations,' from these philosophers and other ignorant and misguided individuals, of the Signs of Judgement Day, such as their saying that the Rising of the Sun from the West is merely indicating a state of upheaval and inversion of matters, and that the Dajjal (False-Messiah) is merely an indication of a general state of deceit and fraud. And, knowing the clear descriptions of Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog) and their activities when they will break loose upon the earth as a portent of Judgement Day, you will realize the falsehood of any notions suggesting that they were none other than the Mongols, or that they are merely an indication of the control of mankind by super-powers, and that therefore we are living in the midst of Ya'juj and Ma'juj today.

So, recognize the truth, brothers and sisters, for it stands clear on its own.

"Say : The truth is from your Lord, so let whoever wishes believe and whoever wishes disbelieve." [al-Kahf]

Do not be misled into the heretical ways of the philosophers. Realize, however, that some of the Sufis delight in speaking in allegories and riddles. They will give 'commentary' on sacred texts which in reality is not a commentary, but merely a voicing of thoughts or parallels which the verse or hadeeth brought to mind, albeit on a thread similar to that of the text in question.

So, to speak, for example, about a general state of fraud and deception in connection with the texts on the Dajjal does not by itself constitute heresy, as long as the person is not denying the literal reality of the Dajjal as a one-eyed man of Jewish origin, who will claim divinity and exhibit wondrous feats, for it is conceivable, although not necessary, that the Dajjal should emerge at a time when fraud and deception are rampant, such that he be an individual typifying that situation. Similarly, to draw parallels between the despotism of Ya'juj and Ma'juj on the one hand, and that of today's super-powers, is not by itself disbelief, as long as one accepts the literal reality of the Emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj, as described in the Qur'ân and authentic hadeeth. However, it is essential to accept the literal realities of these things, and to make them plain to people before attempting to offer philosophical insights.

And Allah guides to the straight path, and there is no strength nor power without Allah.