Download PDF: [S] Accusations against a Great Scholar (Islamic Story)

Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him, was among those Islamic scholars that were considered as a drawn sword against the enemies of the Ahle Sunnah, namely the Khaarijites and the Mutazilah. None of them had the knowledge or the acumen to be able to debate with Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him – on any issue. However, all of these corrupt people spared no opportunity in trying to bring disgrace to the great Islamic scholar. In fact, once they brought such disrepute to him that he was even forced to leave the city. All of this was based on mere false accusation.

 

In fact one day, when Sultan Alp Arsalan came to the city of Herat in Afghanistan, some of these misled groups went in a delegation to visit Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him – and informed him that they were going to meet the famous Sultan. As the great Imam went into another room, they placed a doll made from brass under his Musallah.

 

They then went to the Sultan and informed him that this great scholar was affiliated to the Mujassimah cult and that he had also made a small idol and was claiming that Allah Almighty was actually inside this doll. They said that he hid this doll under his Musallah and during prayers, he took out this doll and prayed to it. They advised the Sultan that if he could send one of his trusted guards to the house of Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him, he would certainly find this brass doll under his Musallah.

 

When the Sultan heard this, he was completely shocked and sent one of his guards to search the house of this eminent scholar. Obviously, the guards did return with the brass doll. When the Sultan saw this, he was extremely angry and sent for the great scholar.

 

He then presented this brass doll to the Islamic scholar and asked him what this was. Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him – replied, “This is a doll made from brass and something which children play with as well.”

 

The Sultan mentioned that he was not asking him this and he was asking him about the fact that these ‘Ulama present had informed him that he also worships this doll as an idol. When the great scholar heard this, Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him – was himself became extremely angry and in extreme wrath, he shouted, “Glory be to Allah Almighty, this is certainly a great accusation against me.”

 

When the Sultan saw the open truth and the extreme anger of this eminent scholar, he himself became calm. He immediately knew that this was nothing but a fitnah started by the fitnah mongers.

 

The Sultan, with immense respect, then allowed the great scholar to leave the palace and he threatened these fitnah scholars that if they did not speak the truth about what had happened, he would surely punish them.

 

When these fitnah mongers saw the anger of the Sultan, they began to panic. They also began to tremble with extreme fear. They admitted that they had placed the doll under the Musallah of the eminent scholar. The Sultan then removed these people from his court with extreme dishonour and disgrace.

 

In fact, these types of incidents took place many times with Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him. In fact, nearly five times, a sword was placed on his neck and he was told he should not refute the false sects or else he would be killed. However, on every occasion Shaikhul Islam, Abu Ismail Abdullah bin Mohammed Ansari – may Allah be pleased with him – replied, “As long I have one droplet of blood in my body or a single breath left, I will continue to consider false as false and truth as truth. And I will also continue to admit this in public. I will also continue to reveal the false sects and always continue to reveal their false beliefs.” On every occasion, the Divine Help of Allah Almighty was always there.

 

This type of love and respect for the truth and his immense bravery continued until his final breath in this world. He passed away in the 481 A.H. in the month of Zul Hajj. (Tadkiratul Huffaaz)

 

Standing for the truth of religion

 

There is no doubt that this type of steadfastness and firmness in religion is a lesson for those so-called modern individuals of today who are “Sulla Kulliyat” in their behaviour and are prepared to accept any corrupt belief which is presented to them. When they are informed to stand firm on the real Aqaa’id of the Ahle Sunnah wa Jamaah, leave alone standing under a sword, they will never be prepared to do this even for the smallest bit of test and trial. But when we look at the ‘Ulama of the past, they were prepared to place their heads under the sword but never allowed anyone to deviate them from the true beliefs of the Ahle Sunnah wa Jamaah. There are numerous examples of this in Sunni history which would have even made lions tremble with fear but these ‘Ulama nevertheless stood firm with the result that the sword could not even cut a single hair of theirs. This is also one of the reasons that when examples of steadfastness is presented in the modern era, it is only the examples of the past ‘Ulama which are presented and it is very difficult to find examples of this nature in the present age.