Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Kndhlaws
accomplishments and
views:
Clarifying the Truth and
Dispelling the Lies
Preface
Praise be to Allh to the extent of sufficiency. Blessings and
peace be upon His favored servants, foremost among them
being our chief and authority Muhammad, the Favored.
Blessings and peace also be upon Muhammads family and
companions and all the followers of his footsteps.
1
Hujjatullhil Blighah, (Chapter of the essence of prophethood
and its features) 1/84.
/
temperament of scholars is nothing but a practical
demonstration of Allhs promise to preserve the Qurn and
by extension, this Deen.
): (.
We (Allh) revealed the Qurn and We are there to protect it.
(Qurn)
Constructive Criticism
One of the efforts that this Ummah has made to keep the
Deen of Islm on its right track is constructive criticism. It is
natural and human to get off track, to lapse, to err, to make
mistake. Nobody, not even the righteous scholars, is free of
this defect. The pious scholars and leaders of the Ummah
throughout the centuries have always warned and notified
the lapsers of their slips and mistakes. This is a blessed and
virtuous work which in fact is acting upon Allhs command:
Help each other in virtue and piety.2
To err is human
It is universally accepted that lapses and mistakes are an
essential feature of being human. Imm Shfi' taught his
favorite work ArRislah 80 times. Every time, Imm Shfi'
would discover one or more errors in his book and then
correct them. In the end he once said: Let it be! Allh refuses
to let any book except His error-free3.
2
): (
3
Raddul Muhtr alad-Durril Mukhtr 1/105 (AlMaktabatush
Shamilah version 1/27)
Imm Ahmad ibn Hambal says: Who on earth can stay free of
slips of tongue and malapropisms4?5
4
Malapropism = the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-
sounding one (Oxford Dictionary of English)
5
Muqaddimah Ibnus Salh, Chapter: Marifatul Musahhaf: 140
(Shamilah: 1/383)
6
Prodigious = Remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or
degree (ODE)
7
Geniuses of Basrah like Khall ibn Ahmad, Ab Amr ibn Al, s
ibn 'Umar, Ab 'Ubaidah Mamar ibn Musann, Abul Hasan
Akhfash, Ab Usmn Jhiz, Asm, Ab Zaid Ansr, Ab 'Umar
Jarm, Ab Htim Sajistn, and Ab Abbs Mubarrad.
Kufah like 8 Isnt this list of pioneers and leaders of
writers and speakers enough?
Summary
In brief, constructive criticism, comments pointing out
errors, and remarks calling for correction are gentlemanly
deeds and an important responsibility of scholars. It is also a
bright chapter of academic history, an excellent treatment of
human weakness, and an amazing demonstration of Allhs
power (for He alone can stay free of fails).
Destructive Criticism
At times, criticism and comment calling for correction are
made with devious intentions or they later on lead to spite
and vindictiveness. And then this blessed deed turns into an
evil vice in the form of insulting human honor and prestige.
In extreme cases, it comes close to destruction of Islm
8
Prodigies of Kfah like Kas, Farr, Mufazzal Zabb, Hammd
Rwiyah, Khlid ibn Kulsm, Ibn Arb, 'Al Ahmar, Muhammad ibn
Habb, Ibn Sikkt, Ab 'Ubaid Qsim ibn Sallm, 'Al Lihyn, Tawwl,
Abul Hasan Ts, Ibn Qdim, and Abul Abbs Salab.
9
Tashh-ut Tashf and Tahrr-ut Tahrf, p. 40 (Shamilah: 1/4)
itself. Referring to some such painful incidents, researcher,
critic and Hadth-memorizer Shamsuddn Zahab laments:
10
Tazkiratul Huffz 1/10 (Shamilah 1/10)
11
ArRaf wat Takml 1/67 (Shamilah 1/67)
Praiseworthy deed of scholars to rectify destructive
criticism
When destructive criticism and unfounded allegations raised
their ugly heads, acclaimed scholars of Islm performed the
duty of proclaiming the pure Truth and defending its
flagbearers. This write-up intends to do the same.