An attempt to demolish Islaam

Legislations like stoning a married person who committed adultery or death penalty for a person who committed ‎apostasy have always existed. Great Ulama like the 4 Ai'mah, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i and Imam ‎Ahmad Bin Hambal (R) did not find any defect or irregularity in those Hadith that prove that. These were great ‎personalities who, at any moment, never considered nor analyzed the law lightly in any circumstances. They are each ‎well known for their profound knowledge in Deen and for their irreproachable and exemplary behaviour.  After them, ‎the scholars of Hadith, the jurists and the erudites continued to accept them. None in the history of Islaam have raised ‎an objection about these laws. ‎

Those who are unacquainted remain ignorant but those in the field who know these personalities are aware of the ‎value of the researches of these great personalities. It is impossible that the basis or foundation of something is weak ‎and it went unnoticed and undetected by any of these personalities. It is impossible that a falsehood has been ‎practiced for centuries.‎

The fact that the scholars of all religious tendencies have accepted these laws, is quite a solid proof to say that the ‎source of these laws is well founded. They have adopted these laws after verifying that their source is well ‎established. ‎

The authenticity of a Hadith is not only based on the authenticity of its narrators who are found in the chains of ‎transmission. There are many other criteria that scholars in the field take into consideration before pronouncing on ‎any Hadith. For example, a Hadith may be weak in its Sanad but the fact that the Ummat have accepted that Hadith ‎favourably, may at times elevate it to the degree of a Moutawaatir Hadith which may be used to abrogate a categorical ‎stipulation also.

Likewise, a Hadith may seem authentic but at times we see that the Fuqaha did not apply it. Some ‎may think that this have slipped the attention of the Fuqaha. This possibility is too minute to be considered. On the ‎contrary, the fact that they did not consider this Hadith, is an indication that this Hadith is opposed by an evidence ‎which is more authentic than it.‎

We may say that there is so and so weakness in the Hadith that concern the law of stoning or capital punishment for ‎apostasy but we should not forget that the Ulama of all times, have accepted it. An attempt to qualify this as ‎nonexistent in Islaam is an attempt to demolish Islaam because it means that Islaam has been misinterpreted and ‎consequently not well practiced and applied for 1400 years. After such a hard blow, it won't be difficult to say that the ‎Muslim did not receive Islaam in its authentic form because it was distorted in its initial stage itself. After that, what ‎guaranty is there that this Quran is authentic and that the Ummah have understood this Quraan well? ‎

The heart rendering part is that this harm is being caused with the complicity of those who call themselves Muslims. ‎Nevertheless, after such an attempt, it will be difficult to say whether there will be something called Islaam or Muslim that will ‎continue to exist. This is  because, either the Quraan would be inapplicable, manipulated or misinterpreted by the ‎islaamologist or Islamophobic - who have been formed by the hands of others and did not get the chance to benefit ‎from the roohaaniyat and spiritual side of the pious. ‎

[English version of "Tentative pou démolir l’Islam" - Al Jamiat - Vol. 5 No.7]