Two Points of Aqeedah
By Imaam Harb bin Isma’eel Al Kirmaanee
Translated by:
Akram an-Najdee
Source:
Kitaab As Sunnah min Masaa’il al Imaam Harb bin Ismaa’eel Al Karmaanee, pages 35, 50 – 51
Imaam Harb bin Ismaa’eel Al Karmaanee* (Died 280H) said in his book Al-Masaa’il**:
1) The religion of Islaam is based on:
“(Point number) 87-
The religion is:
The Book of Allaah – ‘Azza wa Jal –
And the narrations and Sunan (plural of Sunnah).
And the authentic narrations from the reliable narrators with strong, authentic, and well-known narrations.
They are reported by the first reliable, well-known narrator from the second reliable, well-known narrator. They trust one another, up until it ends with the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him- from the well-known Imaams who are taken as examples and who hold fast to the Sunnah and concerned with the narrations. Those who are not known with innovations, and they are not reviled with lies, and not accused with differences. And they are not companions of [people of] Qiyaas (analogies), or Ra’yy (opinions), because Qiyaas in the religion is Baatil (falsehood), and Ra’yy is like it, rather it’s even greater falsehood.
88 – And the people of Ra’yy and Qiyaas in the religion are innovators, deviant ignoramuses, except if there is a narration from those who have preceded from the reliable Imaams [scholars], for taking the narrations takes precedence. “***
2) The position of Ahlus Sunnah towards Ahlul Bid’ah (the people of innovations):
“(Point number) 34- And I do not like the Salaah (prayer) [to be performed] behind Ahlul Bid’ah (people of innovation), nor the Salaah over those who died from them [meaning the Janaazah (funeral prayer)].”
Source: Kitaab As Sunnah min Masaa’il al Imaam Harb bin Ismaa’eel Al Karmaanee, pages 35, 50 – 51
* Imaam Abu Muhammad Harb bin Ismaa’eel Al Karmaanee Al Handhalee As-Sirjaanee was born in the year 190H and was the Imaam of the Sunnah in Karmaan, a region near Khurasaan and Sijistaan. He was one of the companions and students of Imaam Ahmad, Is-haaq bin Rahawayh (one of Imaam Al Bukhaaree’s teachers) and many other well-known scholars of Ahlus Sunnah at his time. Some of his students include major scholars of Sunnah and Hadeeth such as, Al-Khallaal (the author of As-Sunnah) and Ibn Abee Haatim.
** This translation is taken from Kitab as Sunnah from the Masaa’il Imaam Harb bin Ismaa’eel Al Karmaanee. Imaam Harb bin Ismaa’eel Al Karmaanee’s book Al Masaa’il was quoted and used by great Imaams of later generations like Ibn Taymiyyah Al Harraanee, Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah, and Ibn Hajar Al Asqalaanee.
*** The next point (89) is Imaam Harb’s refutation of those who say that there is absolutely no taqleed (blind following) in the religion. For this is an error as there is a level of taqleed in the religion and not thefanatical extremist Taqleed of some of those who ascribe to the Imaam’s of the four famous schools of Fiqh (See Ibn ‘Abdul Barr’s Jaami’ Bayaan Al ‘Ilm).