Biography of Hamdoon Al-Qassaar

26-1-2016 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum, who was Hamdun Al-Qassar? And what was his aqeedah? And was he from Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah?

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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 is His slave and Messenger.

As-Safadi cited the biography of Hamdoon Al-Qassaar in his book Al-Waafi bil-Wafayaat, and Ath-Thahabi also cited his biography in his book Taareekh Al-Islam. Other scholars cited his biography in their books as well. His biography included that his name is Abu Saalih Hamdoon ibn Ahmad ibn ʻImaarah An-Naysaaboori As-Soofi Al-ʻAarif, known as Hamdoon Al-Qassaar; he was a jurist following the school of Sufyaan Ath-Thawri. He studied at the hands of Is-haaq ibn Raahawayh, Muhammad ibn Bakkaar ibn Ar-Rayyaan, Abu ʻUmar Al-Qateeʻi, and other scholars. He accompanied Abu Tarb An-Nakhshabi and Abu Hafs An-Naysaaboori. He was a famous jurist, and among his students were his son Al-Haafith or Haamed Al-Aʻmash, Makki ibn ʻAbdaan, and others. He died in 271 AH.

No criticism was reported regarding his creed or methodology. The fact that he was a Sufi does not essentially mean that he does not belong to Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaaʻah. The early (genuine) Sufis adopted the correct Sufism, which meant asceticism, renouncement of the worldly pleasures, and devoted aspiration to the Hereafter, unlike the later day Sufis, whose Sufism is mostly founded on corrupt beliefs such as the belief in the supernatural abilities and powers of the pious and allies of Allaah and polytheistic practices at the shrines and the like. The version of Sufisim adopted by the late Sufis was affected by the Baatini (esoteric) groups and sects who incorporated corrupt beliefs into the early genuine Sufism and distorted it.

Allaah knows best.