QUESTION:
Our opposers call themselves ‘Sunni’ because they claim to be followers of the Sunnah (instructions and traditions) of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him and his pure family); yet, so much of their faith comes from innovations by hypocrites such as Umar.
For instance, crossing arms during prayer, washing the feet during ablution, prohibiting Hajj al-Mut’a, Mut’a marriages, dropping ‘’Haya ‘ala Khair al-’Amal’’ from Adhan (call to prayer), or the Taraweeh prayer are all innovations by Umar (may Allah curse him).
Umar’s innovations were as clear as daylight to the Muslims who had met and accompanied the Prophet, but they did not object, resist or denounce this deviant in a meaningful way.
How did Umar succeed in innovating with impunity, and what gave him the audacity to bend Allah’s divine rules to his will without fear of reprisal? Should the Muslims of that time not have fiercely fought against innovations and excommunicate deviants?
ANSWER:
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Family and damn their enemies.
Some of the innovations mentioned were indeed the work of Umar. In fact, Umar admitted that Taraweeh, for instance, was an innovation when he said: ‘’This is the best innovation
Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2, p. 252.
In Muwatta’ Malik, Umar ordered the Adhan reciter to include “Prayer is better than sleep” in the Adhan (call to prayer) of the morning prayer. His son, Abdullah, objected and said that it was an innovation.
Refer to Nail Al Awtar, by Al Shawkani, vol. 2, p. 38
As to why Muslims hardly objected, Umar was a ruthless oppressor who accepted no opposition, similar to tyrants such as Saddam Hussein or Hitler. Who dared to oppose Saddam when he decided to write whole verses of the Qur’an with his filthy blood instead of ink? People in the past were not that different; they turned their backs and broke their vows to uphold the faith to save their hides or safeguard their interests. They surrendered to the ruling tyrants, accepting the reality of the state.
Only a handful of believers upheld their faith, gathered their strength, and followed the legitimate Divine Leadership represented by Imam Ali (peace be upon him). They became known as the opposition, the ones who dared protest and dared to expose the illegitimate government of Saqeefa. These handful few were the ones who objected to Umar’s introduction of innovations into the pure faith of Islam.
The scholars of the ‘Sunnis’ have found plenty of excuses for Umar’s innovation, as in the case of Taraweeh prayers. They portrayed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family) as someone who was not strict in Allah’s rulings, whereas Umar was the uncompromising believer who always put his faith first. If you carefully observe the ‘Sunni’ methodology in the field of jurisprudence, you will realize that they appreciate Umar’s so-called religious decrees over the authentic decrees of the Prophet (peace be upon and his pure family).
Incidentally, crossing or folding the arms during prayers is an innovation by all accounts. Their highly ranked ‘Sunni’ Imam, Malik Ibn Anas, the Imam of Malikis sect, said:
Letting my arms down and not folding them in prayer is better and dearer for me.” – Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudama vol. 1, p 572. Al-Tahawi reported that Laith Ibn Saad said: “Keeping my arms down during prayer is dearer to me.
Nail Al Awtar, vol. 2, p. 204.
Umar added it in response to an etiquette performed by Persian Zoroastrian prisoners at the time. for the historical account of the incident. The recently deceased scholar of the Salafis, Ibn Uthaimeen, commented:
The folding of the arms during prayers, or not, is not dutiful. It is not of the pillars of Islam. Scholars differ on the issue.” The ‘Sunnis’ have always accused the Shi’a of being Zoroastrian and polytheists, but seeing how they insist on following an innovation by Umar inspired by a Zoroastrian tradition, they should question whether they are simply projecting.
Refer to Jawahir Al Kalam, vol. 11, p. 19
Careful historical research will lead to the fact that it was Uthman who invented the washing of the feet for the ‘Sunnis’ during ablution, as a direct contradiction to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. In Kanz Al-Umal, Abi Malik Al-Dimashqi said:
I was informed that people differed in their Wudu performance during the reign of Uthman Ibn Afan.” Imam Ali (peace be upon him), as reported by Al-Baihaqi, went to the Al-Rahba area, performed Wudu, and said: “This is the authentic way of making Wudu.
Sunnan al-Baihaqi, vol. 1, p. 57
The narration implies that the way Uthman performed it was incorrect.
The ‘Sunni’ scholar, Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari, insisted on wiping feet, not washing them during ablution. Ibn Al-Jawzi said: “Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari saw it fit just to wipe the feet. He did not find it obligatory to wash them. He was attributed (i.e., belonging) to the Rafida.” He was accused of being a Shi’a because his ablution was similar to the Shi’as. At certain times in history, the way one performed it was crucial in terms of survival. Refer to the account of Ali Ibn Yaqteen, the chief minister of Harun, the Abbasid ruler.
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal reported that Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari said to his confidants:
Get together so that I may lead a prayer for you in the manner that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family) used to perform it. When they got together, he asked: ‘Is there a stranger among you?’ They replied: ‘No. Only one extra nephew.’ He said: ‘Fine.’ He then asked for water. He performed Wudhu; gargled, washed his face thrice, arms thrice wiped his head and wiped the top of his feet.
Musnad Ahmed, vol. 5, p. 342.
Note that the term ‘’wiped’’ his feet and the head was used, not washed.
It was Umar who dropped the part “Come forth to the best deed” in the Adhan. Ikrima asked Ibn Abbas:
Why was it dropped from the Adhan?” Ibn Abbas replied: “Umar did not wish people to rely on prayers and abandon Jihad. Therefore, he omitted it from the Adhan.
Al-Sira Al-Halabya, vol. 2, p 105.
It is mentioned that Abdullah, who was Umar’s son and highly regarded individual among the ‘Sunnis,’ opposed his father for omitting that part from the Adhan. He sometimes added it while reciting the call to prayer.
Sunan Al Baihaqi, vol 1, p 524.
The sad reality is that Umar and his ilk have deeply corrupted the faith by relentlessly innovating in it to suit their own ends. The innovations brought to this faith do not target jurisprudence alone but also extend to the foundations of the religion and its core beliefs. The purpose? To perpetuate the government of Saqeefa and keep its founding fathers (and mothers) in power. After the passing of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his pure family), he left the Muslims with Ali (peace be upon him) to safeguard them and the faith from the tyrants’ corruption. By turning their backs upon their vows, the Muslims accepted oppression and allowed tyrants, such as Umar, to *dare* corrupt the faith.
The Office of Sheikh al-Habib