Following the forefathers
-Abu Yasir
The blind faith in the forefathers, plays a major role in deviating a human being from the righteous path; making even the most intelligent human being into an ignorant one.
We do see big scientists, legal intellectuals, judges, researchers, etc in this world.
We get impressed at their talent and their analyzing skills. These intellectuals who are known for their knowledge that can impress everyone, are yet found to be hand folded in worship in front of a stone that was made by them; as well as fall onto the ground to individuals similar or lesser than them in intelligence.
What happened to their talent and analyzing skills? Known for being involved in hair splitting detailed research and analysis even for trivial things in life and who can generate energy by the knowledge even splitting atoms; yet why do they close their eyes when it comes to this subject? There can be no other reason except blind faith in their forefathers. The forefathers of them had seen how a certain practice had to be done. They, again by their forefathers were made to practice on how one must follow it. This is the reason why their admirable intelligence is not applied for this subject.
When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah hath revealed:" They say: "Nay! we shall follow the ways of our fathers." What! even though their fathers Were void(empty) of wisdom and guidance?
Al Quran, Chapter 2, v170
Human being’s intelligence and self-respect, which gets destroyed by this very blind faith, is something that should not remain among Muslims, is what Allah commands in this verse. Yet, significant number of Muslims imitate this aspect from communities of other religion.
Despite the practices of the forefathers going directly against the Quran and even when such things are brought out to spotlight, they respond “Our forefathers did it in this manner; We would do the same”.
Worship of graves/tombs, falling onto the feet of Sheikhs (recognized as Muslim leaders), ‘Santhana Koodu’ (procession of a chariot like structures), flag hoisting ritual, doing ‘fatiha’ group sessions with devotion, many such acts appear as if they are part of religion, is due to the practice of following the forefathers.
If one were to highlight showing how Allah and his Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has prohibited this practice, their answer is mostly, “Our forefathers did it in this manner. You became knowledgeable of something that our knowledgeable forefathers were not aware of is it?”. For such people, this verse in Quran (2:170) has dismissed it very well.
What is the reason behind such approach of these people, with blind faith in their forefathers?
To begin with the dheen(religious system) was brought by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The companions of the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) learnt the dheen(religious system) from him. The next generation learnt it from them. In this manner by handing down generation by generation, we have been learning the dheen(religious system). Therefore whatever the forefathers were practising must have been handed down in generation by generation from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is this type of belief the actual cause behind it (blind faith in their forefathers).
Even though from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the companions learnt and from companions the next generation learnt and further the dheen(religious system) got handed down, there could be a possibility of certain addition or removal of things during any given time frame in between. It is this truth, which they don’t realize.
There is a community which believes that Isah (Jesus) is the son of the Creator. They believe that this tenet was handed down from generation by generation. Isah (Jesus) the teacher that there is no son for the Creator, yet in his name the tenet that is against his very teaching; what does this show? Doesn’t it show that the teaching in totality is not possible to reach by relying on handing it down of generation by generation?
Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) as per the command by the Creator reconstructed the house of Kaaba to worship the Creator. Inside the Kaaba, 360 idols were present which his progeny/descendants had placed and worshipped; what does this show? Doesn’t it show that the forefathers are not perfectly reliable?
If what they argue is acceptable that the forefather practices had come from the path of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), then how can one deny when Christians say that the tenet of Isah(Jesus) being son of God had come from Isah(Jesus)? How could one reject what kafirs (disbelievers of God) of Mecca were believing that their practice of idol worship was by the path of Ibrahim?
Our forefathers had introduced to us prayers, fasting and such, as dheen (religious system). Aren’t we following the forefathers in this topics? Is a question some might ask. Here, this verse did not say to reject the forefathers entirely. Like how following the forefathers in every matter is wrong, similarly rejecting the forefathers in every matter is also wrong.
We can understand this when Allah asks in the verse(2:170) “What! even though their fathers Were void(empty) of wisdom and guidance?”
If the forefathers had walked in the righteous path - if it is the same path that was shown by Allah and his messenger - then one can accept it generously.
We have to make everyone realize that the forefathers followers are not truthful in their argument. The forefathers followers follow only in the matters of dheen(religious system). In the worldly matters nobody follows the forefathers.
The forefathers haven’t witnessed modern vehicles. Haven’t seen electronic gadgets. Weren’t aware of concrete buildings. Merely because these were not used by the forefathers, the descendants don’t stop using these facilities. They long for the life which the forefathers could not get to live. If something that brings more reward is told to them, they do what the forefathers had not done. They also leave what their forefathers had been doing.
In worldly matters, following the forefathers would not harm much significantly. In this trivial world, a small discomfort could probably happen. That’s about it!
But what they don’t realize is, in the matters of dheen (religious system) if forefathers are blindly followed, then the life of the hereafter would be completely at loss.
The Day their faces will be turned about in the Fire, they will say, "How we wish we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger."
And they will say, "Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our masters and our dignitaries, and they led us astray from the [right] way.
Al Quran, Chapter 33, v66-67
After being warned by the Creator that blind faith in forefathers & respected elders can push us towards Hell, shouldn’t we realize that we should be more cautious in dheen(religious system) matters over worldly matters?
Once we are knowledgeable of a particular thing that was instructed by Allah and his Messenger, then we have to follow it even if it goes against the practise of the forefathers. One should not give pretext similar to the disbelievers gave the pretext of following their forefathers.
One who throws out this blind faith to the forefathers which is the cause of shunning of Allah’s book and the teachings of the Messenger; is the one who has actually realized this verse and implements it. If this blind faith gets rooted out, most of the prevailing confusions in the society would leave. May Allah bestow his favor!
Translated by: Brother Abu Abdul Baari
The original article (Tamizh): https://www.facebook.com/notes/thowheed-translations/tamizh-following-the-forefathers/190661018111898
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