Is Rehbaniyat Prohibited in Islam?
Abdul Rehman Rathore from Lahore asks:
What is the difference between Sufism and Faqiri?
I have only heard of the concept of Rehbaniyat in Sufism.
However, there is nothing about shunning the world or adopting Rehbaniyat in Faqiri.
Kindly shed some light on this. Thank you.
Rehbaniyat - first of all
First of all, let's understand the meaning of this word.
Rehbaniyat comes from the word 'Rahib'
Rahib
And Rahib has now become Rabbi.
So Rahib became [rabbi] but the root word is Rahib in the previous eras.
And due to the linguistic evolutions, 'Rahib' became rabbi.
Obviously, the white folks would have disliked being called 'Rahbi' so they modernised it and invented a new word: rabbi.
You understand?
And Rehbaniyat is connected to this
You could say that Rehbaniyat means Priesthood.
Or you can call it Mullahiyat.
What? [Audience repeats].
Now, these religious clerics in Islam
When they go to the madrassa to become a Maulana, they stay in the madrassa for seven years.
Why? They have to study the religion and they are cut off from the world for seven years.
But the word Rehbaniyat that you have heard of - because there is no one in Pakistan and India to give you this knowledge
All they do is place fatwas
Just like somebody just gave the fatwa that a french cut [beard] is prohibited.
Did anyone keep a french cut in the era of Prophet Mohammad?
It would only be prohibited if it was something done in the era of Prophet Mohammad.
But arguing with idiots is forbidden.
Similarly, the Muslims in Pakistan and India believe that Rehbaniyat means for one to leave one's house and family behind and make the jungle a permanent abode.
You understand?
Now, let's find out what Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said regarding Rehbaniyat.
A Rahib was supposed to abstain from marriage, earning money and keeping in contact with people
so, in that case, one would have to shun the world.
All of this was necessary in order to become a Rahib.
There were Jews and Christians in the era of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
The Companions must have asked the Prophet, 'Will the scholars in our religion also have to adopt Rehbaniyat?'
That is when Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) declared that the system of Rehbaniyat is forbidden in Islam.
They were instructed to practise the religion without shunning the world.
What were they told? [Audience repeats].
Alright, so that's one point.
Now, the question arises: what is the difference between Islam and the other religions?
Why is Rehbaniyat not allowed in Islam?
Why is Rehbaniyat allowed in their religions?
It is because there is a difference between mazhab and deen.
A mazhab (religion) only renders the teachings regarding your faith in God.
It does not teach you how to live your life in this world.
It does not teach you a lifestyle.
Christianity and Judaism are not a lifestyle while Islam is a deen (lifestyle), not a mazhab (religion).
Islam is a lifestyle which teaches you how to establish a connection with God and how to deal with the world.
Because the other two are religions and not lifestyles, therefore, they do not teach how to deal with the world while being a man of God.
This is why they can spend life in solitude.
Whereas, Islam is an entire lifestyle.
You are taught how to establish a connection with God as well as how to deal with the world and people.
Islam can create a perfect spiritual and disciplined society.
For example, have you ever heard that Jews carry out propagation of their religion?
Generally, they don't really mingle with people either.
They don't mingle.
Rehbaniyat is a part of their religion.
Their religion does not render the teachings of the rights of people and how to deal with the world.
Do you understand what I am saying?
This is why when Jesus Christ was living his last days and he told his Companions to leave, they went and sought refuge in a cave instead of asking people for help.
They would stay in Transcendental Meditation for 300 years at a time but they never contacted anybody.
Do you understand?
Due to the lack of knowledge, a negative propaganda is spread amongst Muslims
that if somebody goes into the jungle with the intention of observing spiritual austerity for 11-12 years -
obviously, having completed the 12-year spiritual austerity, they would return to civilisation -
they say that this act of observing spiritual austerity in the jungle is Rehbaniyat
it is actually a move against Sufism from the sectarian elements.
Many great spiritual dignitaries went to the jungles in order to observe spiritual austerity and solitude.
Such as Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and Imam Abu Hanifa
We are the Hanafi school of thought, aren't we? So we should know that the Greatest Imam, Imam Abu Hanifa made jungle his abode for the purgation of his Lower Self.
The Greatest Imam of the Prophet's Nation went to the jungle for spiritual austerity and upon completion, he returned.
Similarly, Baba Farid observed spiritual austerity for 36 years but once it was complete, he returned to civilisation, didn't he?
Abdul Qadir Jilani spent 40 years in the jungle
but after that he also returned to the city, didn't he?
Therefore, this is not Rehbaniyat.
They would temporarily leave the world for the sake of obtaining purgation, purification and knowledge.
Just as a common scholar lives in the madrassa for 7 years, they lived in the jungle for 12 years.
You can't complete the Dars-e-Nizami course at home, can you?
You can't, right? You have to go to a madrassa to complete it.
Similarly, they went to the jungle to become a saint.
So what's the difference?
You also returned to your life after completing the Dars-e-Nizami
and they too returned to the world after completing the spiritual austerity.
You returned as a Mullah; you got a job and gave the call of prayer and lead the prayers
but they returned from the jungle as a saint and they began to enlighten the hearts of people.
Now, what Islam doesn't allow is for you to make the jungle your permanent abode.
But God has made laws for [going to the jungle for spiritual austerities].
God has some laws in place for it.
Let's say you went to the jungle for spiritual austerity and God made you a saint
Now, there are three types of people:
3 types.
One is called a Mufeed
Once the spiritual benevolence is obtained in the jungle, then there are three types of people:
1- Mufeed, 2- Mustafeez, 3- Munfarid
Mufeed means beneficial.
Mustafeez means student.
Munfarid means unique.
A Mufeed is one who is beneficial to God and God's creation
Meaning one who is in his senses - he can witness the divine splendour, deal with the people of the world and the mirror of his intellect is intact.
So that's a Mufeed.
God assigns such saints on duty [in the world] and some become Data, Khwaja or Abdul Qadir Jilani.
They were known as Mufeed.
Mustafeez are those who are earning spiritual benevolence and also rendering it.
The third type is Munfarid
They are those whose relationship with God and the level of their sainthood and rapturous love for God is such that they can no longer endure the company of humans.
What can't they do? [Audience repeats].
And God tells them to stay in the jungle and not go back into the world.
Sabir Piya Kalyari was forced to marry
On his wedding night, he went to his bedroom and saw that there is a woman there
and he asked her, 'Who are you?'
He asked her, 'Who are you?' And she replied, 'I am your wife.'
He slapped her clean across her face
and said, 'God does not have a wife!'
He was in a spiritual state; he was a Munfarid.
Therefore, God keeps such people separate.
Do you understand?
But the common person becomes a Mufeed saint and is assigned on duty
but a Munfarid is useless for the world.
God keeps such people limited to himself but you can carry on thinking they have adopted Rehbaniyat.
Rehbaniyat is exclusively related to Judaism.
Rehbaniyat is to make efforts to become a Rahib
It means to adopt hermitage.
In English, a Rahib is known as hermit.
H-E-R-M-I-T hermit
or you could say recluse
And Rehbaniyat would be hermitage.
So going to the jungle for a temporary period of time for purgation and purification is not Rehbaniyat.
Forget everything else, even Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) would go to the Cave of Hira
Didn't he?
He would go for three days at a time and then come back.
Now, if you say that you should also go [to the jungle] for three days at a time then you're comparing yourself to Prophet Mohammad.
Prophet Mohammad would go there for solitude but if we go, we are impure, we have to purify ourselves.
How can we become purified in three days?
Prophet Mohammad is the Light of God and he would only go to the Cave of Hira for solitude.
He didn't have any other purpose. But he did go there.
It is proven by history that Prophet Mohammad, for the sake of solitude and to gain focus and concentration, would go to the Cave of Hira occasionally.
And he would stay for three days sometimes.
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