Fatwa's Insights - Aqidah

THE 59TH MEETING OF THE PERLIS STATE FATWA COMMITTEE / 2022

14 - 15 SEPTEMBER 2022 / 17 - 18 SAFAR 1444H

FATWA ON THE TEACHINGS AND BELIEFS OF SHAYKH NAZIM AL-HAQQANI, SHAYKH OF THE NAQSHBANDIYYAH AL-'ALIYYAH ṬARĪQAH

Based on the studies conducted, the Perlis State Fatwa Committee takes note of the decision of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI) Fatwa Committee Meeting which have been passed 12 times: in 2000 (twice), 2001 (once), 2002 (once), 2009 (four times), 2010 (three times), and 2019 (once). These decisions uphold the following:

1. The Naqshbandiyyah al-'Aliyyah Ṭarīqah under the leadership of Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani contradicts the creedal understanding of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā'ah and deviates from Islamic teachings; and

2. All states are required to issue fatwas and gazette that the Naqshbandiyyah al-'Aliyyah Ṭarīqah under the leadership of Shaykh Nazim is prohibited and may not be practised by Muslims because it conflicts with true Islamic teachings.

3. An additional decision to the original text in 2000: practitioners of this teaching are required to repent immediately. (MKI Muzakarah 116th Meeting, 2019).

After hearing arguments from research groups, whether pro or contra, the Perlis State Fatwa Committee evaluates and resolved that the decisions made by the MKI Fatwa Committee as stated above has a strong foundation even though there are several arguments seen as not particularly robust. 

After carefully evaluating the studies conducted and taking into consideration the arguments of those who support and criticise, the Perlis State Fatwa Committee agrees that the teachings and beliefs of Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani contain matters that are deviant, superstitious (khurāfāt), mythical (tahyul), and contradict the creedal understanding of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā'ah as well as deviate from Islamic teachings. This can be proven from written materials with strong foundations attributed to him and recordings of his speeches that are circulated. Therefore, anyone who follows such beliefs also becomes deviant.

Among the deviant, superstitious, and mythical matters found in the beliefs and teachings of Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani are his claims that:

a) Allah only looks at the children of Adam once a day and delegates almost entirely to the saints (awliyā'). The universe is governed by the Qutub saints who are empowered by Allah.

b) It is not appropriate to ask directly from Allah; instead, requests must go through a saint, as a matter of protocol and etiquette.

c) Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) (after his demise) sends representatives to be present in a wakeful state (yaqaẓah). The representative acts as if he were the actual Prophet.

d) George Bush and Tony Blair who bombed Iraq are saints of Allah. They carried out a noble mission by attacking Saddam Hussein in Iraq. They are guarded by jinn and saints of Allah. They will hand over the sword from heaven to Jesus.

e) Saints obtain divine powers such as being able to move mountains and summon and meet with spirits in this world or in the barzakh.

f) Prophet Khiḍr is Saint George known among Christians as "the green man".

g) The practice of rābiṭah, namely visualising the teacher's face during dhikr, can lead the practitioner to become Allah's representative controlling the universe.

h) Ordinary people need to accept all ḥadīth in books as authentic without requiring examination. Saints, however, verify ḥadīth through spiritual unveiling (kashf), such as light emanating from the ḥadīth text.

i) A disciple may not question the actions of his teacher, even if they contradict Sharī‘ah, because the teacher receives divine commands.

j) Imam al‑Mahdī resides in a cave in the Rub‘ al‑Khālī under the strict control of high‑ranking jinn. Nazim took the oath of allegiance to him in 1960, met him physically in 1999, and met him spiritually in 2011.

k) Husayn ibn ‘Alī (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) did not die at Karbala; instead, he was protected by powerful jinn during the event and someone else was substituted in his place.

l) Sheikh Nazim claims that Imam al‑Mahdī, seven ministers, 99 caliphs, and 313 guides are all members of the Naqshbandiyyah order.

m) He and Shaykh Mehmet Adil were appointed by the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

n) Saints residing in their graves possess the power to protect us, by the permission of Allah.

o) Mi'rāj (ascension) is not only for the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) but also for his ummah. There is a Burāq prepared for them.

p) Shaykh Nazim claims Hisham Kabbani as the Khalīfah of Imam al-Mahdī.

q) Dragons and snakes ate Russian soldiers at the tomb of Ḥasan bin 'Abbās (May Allah Be Pleased With Him).

r) A jinn king named al‑Hazzāz, who guards Imam al‑Mahdī, submits to Sheikh Nazim.

Regarding the MKI Muzakarah statement issued in August 2020 that “the Muzakarah concludes and views that the Naqshbandiyyah al‑‘Aliyyah order of Sheikh Nazim al‑Haqqani may only be practised by its followers on condition that their practices do not contradict the principles of creed and Sharī‘ah within the framework of Ahl al‑Sunnah wa al‑Jamā‘ah,” the Perlis State Fatwa Committee finds that this condition—“not contradicting the principles of creed and Sharī‘ah within the framework of Ahl al‑Sunnah wa al‑Jamā‘ah”—has been violated by the teachings of this order.

The Perlis State Fatwa Committee also agrees to present strong arguments to the MKI Muzakarah Committee regarding this decision.

This decision is also important to prevent Muslim society from being ensnared by practices of polytheism, superstition and intellectual stupefaction. This is in accordance with the principle of Sadd al-Dharā'i' (blocking the means to harm).