Refuting Sufi innovations in Thikr
29-12-2012 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalaamualikum some people follow "silsila" and also "murshid-mureed" concept they say ..a type of zikr was given to our prophet SAWS at miraaj. they say becoming mureed is of great benefit, like when person becomes mureed, he is taught this zikr by murshid (by blowing into his ear) and this zikr (after practising) becomes fixed in his breath and he keeps on doing zikr as he takes breath (they usually do loud group zikr while shaking heads ) and follow the command of Allah to worship 24 hrs (they relate ayah to this in which Allah swt says as to worship while sitting, standing and laying) their zikr Allah hu Allah Allah hu hu hu Muhammed (keep repeating no. of times) illlallah la ilaha illah, muhammadur rasool ullah and some more lines which i neither undersand or remeber i know its not sunnah but i want points to prove that its not sunnah cuz they relate hadiths n ayahs they say beccoming mureed is from Quran. > does Allah SWT ask us to worship 24 hrs?? (what is the right tafseer to this ayah ?) > what kind of zikr was givn to Prophet SAWS at miraag ? (any daef hadith?) > what abt breath fixing zikr? they say its done even in washroom while taking breath pls provide ayahs n hadiths is it allowed to attend this gathering every week (this zikr keep rotating in my mind after hearning n also feel depressed sometimes)? they told me to ask them doubts abt this as they are professionals in this field n say that i will be convinced . pls reply soon and in detail. i will share ur reply with my closest relative who follow the above things JazakAllahukhair
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
We would like to begin answering this question by clarifying a certain fact, that it is from the greatest reasons of misguidance that some people follow a wrong path in their conduct or hold some perverted ideas or invent heresies, and then they desperately seek to find evidence for them until they end up distorting the words from their proper places and incorrectly interpret the word of Allaah and the word of His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Such people fall into ascribing lies against Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allaah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allaah will not succeed.} [Quran 16:116]. It is also narrated from Abu Hurayrah 
that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever intentionally lies against me, then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
It may now be suitable to answer each point you raised individually as follows:
First, the concept of “the Shaykh” and “the Mureed” in the way followed by some of the misguided sects is based on Bid‘ah [heretical innovation] which was unknown by the best of generations (i.e. the Prophet's generation and the ones after him). It is better for you to follow those who preceded (i.e., the first Muslims). For information about the concept of “the Shaykh” and “the Mureed” according to the Sufis, please refer to Fatwa 91919. As for a person being a “Mureed” having basis in the Quran, this is not true. Rather, this is a kind of leading the masses and simple people astray.
Second, where is the evidence that this type of Thikr (which you mentioned) was given to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, on the night of Mi‘raaj? We are unaware of any such Thikr given to him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and we could find neither a weak Hadeeth on it nor even a fabricated one. Further, where is the evidence that the Mureed learns the Thikr from the Murshid (the Shaykh) by blowing in his ear? The companions of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would memorize the Thikr from the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, just as they would teach their children to memorize it, never claiming what these people claim.
Third, regarding shaking the head or other body parts back and forth during Thikr, we know of no basis for it. Instead, Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd 
mentioned that this is a Bid‘ah from the reciters (of the Quran) taken from the Jews, as they would move their heads when reciting the Torah. For more benefit, refer to Fatwa 120590. Also, refer to Fataawa 82629 and 83773, which are about group Thikr.
Fourth, plentiful and continuous Thikr is something ordained. However, the most perfect guidance in that respect is the guidance of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as he is the master of those who make Thikr. Yet while he used to make plenty of Thikr for Allaah, he would also joke with his friends and play with his family, socializing with them and talking with them after praying 'Ishaa'. The soul is often seized by boredom and weariness, so there must be some times to relax. For this reason, Ibn Mas‘ood said: "The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would stop preaching sometimes for fear we may be weary of it." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
It is very difficult, if not impossible, for a person to make Thikr the whole day without becoming weary or fatigued. Allaah The Exalted Said (what means): {Who remember Allaah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides.} [Quran 3:191]; using this as evidence for making Thikr twenty-four hours a day is not correct. Rather, it only explains that those people make Thikr in these different situations. At-Tabari reported from Ibn Jurayj, about this verse, that he said: “It is the Thikr of Allaah while in prayer, outside of prayer, and it is the recitation of the Quran.” This is what ‘Aa’ishah 
meant when she said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would make Thikr of Allaah in all situations." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Fifth, making Thikr with a single name of Allaah, like “Allaah, Allaah”, or as a pronoun, like “Hu, Hu”, is not established in the Quran or the Sunnah and it is not reported from any of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) of the Ummah or any of its notable people. This is only practiced by a people of the astray latecomers. This is what Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said.
Sixth, making the Thikr of Allaah in a place prepared for answering the call of nature is disliked, so it is not proper for a Muslim to seek doing so. This is regarding Thikr of the tongue; as for the heart, then there is nothing wrong with that. An-Nawawi mentioned in Al-Athkaar: “Thikr and speech is disliked while answering the call of nature.…. but if one sneezes and praised Allaah The Exalted in his heart, without moving his tongue, there is nothing wrong with that.” Please refer to Fatwa 88470 regarding Thikr in the toilet.
Seventh, it is not permissible to mix with the people of Bid‘ah or to sit with them while they are committing their Bid‘ah, let alone practicing it with them. Allaah The Exalted Said (what means): {And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversion. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.} [Quran 6:68] Therefore, if you do not have sufficient Islamic knowledge, you must completely avoid them and you must not talk with them, as they could cast some misconceptions in your heart which it will absorb while you are incapable of dispelling them. That is misguidance, so seek safety for yourself from it.
Allaah Knows best.