Who Erred in Matters of Creed?

✒ Moosa Swalahi Kara

12 September 2026, 01 Rabi'ul Akhir 1448

“The Creator of the universe is One, and none other is worthy of worship.” This is the fundamental foundation of Islam. Every Muslim must understand and put into practice the principle that prayer and all other acts of worship must be directed to that Creator alone. Those who uphold this principle have embraced Tawheed. Any practice that contradicts it is Shirk.

I happened to come across an article titled “Salafi Tawheeds Steeped in Shirk” in the June 16–30, 2026, issue of Sunni Voice. It is imperative to expose before the community the deceptive arguments made by a Musliyar in that article, wherein he attempted to establish that Mujahids who stand firmly on the path of Ahl al-Sunnah are compromised in their Tawheed, while claiming that their own path alone remains completely unblemished.

Mainstream Muslims and Other Trends

Consider the Musliyar’s assessment regarding the major Muslim organizations operating within the community and engaging across various spheres of society:

“Come to Kerala. Regarding Tawheed, three main streams exist here: Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah (mainstream Muslims), Salafis, and Jamaat-e-Islami. Among the Salafis themselves, there are three streams. They declare one another as Mushriks and invite other groups to their respective understandings of Tawheed.” (Page 12)

It is quite ironic that those who endorse the deviant beliefs and practices of Shi'ite and Sufi factions claim to be the spokespersons of Ahl al-Sunnah! The Shi'ites label everyone who does not stand with them as disbelievers (kafir). Similarly, the members of Samastha present anyone who does not travel alongside them as stray and apostate. It is remarkable that those who present a single face in ideology while remaining split into multiple organizational factions are the ones criticizing others for having distinct streams! While evidence of them leveling allegations of deviance and apostasy against one another floods even social media, they find satisfaction in maligning others.

Why was Samastha described as “mainstream Muslims”? Perhaps “numerical strength” was the reason. If so, understand one thing: throughout history, those on the side of truth have always been a minority, while the proponents of falsehood have constituted the majority! That is what history teaches us. The narration of the Prophet ﷺ indicates that a small group standing upon the truth will always exist, not the majority.

Allah says:

“Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle, rather, they are even farther astray from the path.” (Qur’an 25:44)

Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy upon him, states:

“They are in a worse state than grazing cattle. For those cattle know the purpose for which they were created. However, these people were created to worship Allah alone, without any partner; yet, despite proofs being established against them and Messengers being sent to them, they associate partners with Allah.”

Naive Questions

Under the label of Tawheed, these people distribute concepts rooted in shirk. Posing a barrage of questions to plunge the common people into doubt and maintain ambiguity among them is their tactical ploy. Let us examine the state of some of the Musliyar’s questions:

“The root cause of this division lies in the differences of opinion that arose when interpreting the term ‘Ilah’ (Deity) in the declaration of Tawheed. Everyone actually agrees on the meaning that ‘there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.’ Then where is the problem?” (Page 12)

Regarding Allah, the Qur’an teaches as follows:

“To Him alone is the true supplication...” (Qur’an 13:14)

It is the Musliyars who established an organization to lead the community by invoking and praying to the dead, seeking direct assistance from them, and seeking intercession (tawassul) through their haqq (right), jah (status), and barakah (blessings), who are the true root cause of this disunity! Historically, the very birth of Samastha itself was the first real point of division.

While claiming that they do not associate any partner (shareek) with Allah and do not take anything as a deity (ilah), they actively encourage directing acts that fall under worship ('ibadah) to other than Allah. They recognize individuals who suffered from mental illness and proclaimed statements like “I am Allah” and “I am the controller of the universe” as saints (awliya'), thereby attempting to disfigure the face of Islam. When such people ask, “Where is the problem?”, the appropriate response is that the problem lies precisely in the distortion of creed committed by Samastha.

The Musliyar asks further:

“How is it that jinn, angels, and the abilities granted to them fall within Tawheed, while pious individuals and the capabilities bestowed upon them by Allah when honored fall outside of it?” (Page 15)

Allah has not embedded a nature in any creation that allows it to intervene in His divine power. Since power and ability over all things belong exclusively to Allah, we must seek help from Him alone for the fulfillment of any need.

Ahl al-Sunnah has nowhere taught a belief contrary to Tawheed by upholding the system ordained by Allah for jinn and angels. Yet, these people hesitate not to elevate fake saints (walis) to the status of Allah and equate them with His Names and Attributes. What is more, they have even spread the belief that these figures are granted the power to act as lords (Rabb) and hold sovereignty. The Qur’an warns that certain people will adopt this belief, one that contradicts foundational texts and stems from Jewish and Christian notions.

“And among people are those who take other than Allah as equals; they love them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah. If only those who do wrong could see when they see the punishment that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment!” (Qur’an 2:165)

Another question posed by the Musliyar is as follows:

“If the deceased can hear us when we offer Salam to them while standing beside the grave and speak to them, what non-physical (supernatural) aspect is there in requesting them to perform tasks that lie within their capability?” (Page 17)

The Musliyar lacked the fundamental understanding that Allah has not appointed those who have passed on to the Hereafter as intermediaries with whom those in this worldly life may interact. Conveying greetings (salam) to the dwellers of the graves and praying for them are etiquettes to be observed by visitors. Matters such as their hearing or responding belong to the realm of the Barzakh (the intermediate life). There is no basis in the primary texts for the claim that one can converse with them. These clerics have so far been unable to point to a single Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah who interpreted these Hadiths to mean that the deceased are capable of hearing those who call upon them, listening to their grievances, or providing solutions!

It is entirely absurd for the very Musliyars who lead people to visit shrines to request things that are ordinarily beyond the realm of human capability to ask: “What non-physical aspect is there in requesting them?”

Allah says:

“So rely upon Allah; indeed, you are upon the clear truth. Indeed, you cannot make the dead hear, nor can you make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs, retreating.” (Qur’an 27:79–80)

Only the followers of Samastha are capable of believing that others can accomplish what the Prophet ﷺ himself could not!

He further asks:

“In the case of pious souls, nothing occurs except the exercise of abilities granted by Allah. If the argument is that this makes them like Allah, would one not have to say that Allah’s own power and abilities were received from someone else? Is this not belittling Allah and associating Him with creation?” (Pages 17–18)

This question from the Musliyar uproots the very foundation of Samastha’s belief system. If this shift from their long-held stance that Allah generously bestowed saints (awliya') with boundless, absolute power over all things, to the refined claim of mere “abilities granted by Allah” is taken a step further, it might actually lead them to the true doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah: that Allah never delegates His divine power to anyone.

Some Musliyars will surely suffer grief knowing that all the misinterpretations of textual proofs they used to prove that such powers were delegated have now gone in vain. Are not the clerics who distribute Allah’s exclusive attributes to others the ones truly insulting Allah? Had the Musliyar truly absorbed the Qur’anic verse, “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (Qur’an 42:11), he would never have raised such trivial questions.

The Musliyar then asks:

“Without believing in that manner, does a Sunni become a Mushrik if he asks something from a great personality, living or deceased, believing that Allah is capable of causing this call to be heard and that Allah will make this call a means for him to receive assistance?” (Page 18)

Ahl al-Sunnah does not engage in the practice of branding people as Mushriks; rather, their role is to clarify that Shirk, a grave sin that one must not approach even in thought, remains Shirk regardless of the path through which it manifests in a person. Consider what the Qur’an asks:

“Or do they have a deity other than Allah? Exalted is Allah far above whatever they associate with Him!” (Qur’an 52:43)

Consider the Musliyar’s next question:

“Every Sunni believes that any great personality hears only if Allah intends to make him hear, only what He intends, only at the time He intends, and only to the measure He intends. If so, how does Shirk occur?” (Page 18)

There is no doubt that only what Allah wills occurs. However, will Allah ever grant humans His exclusive divine powers on any occasion? The miracles (Mu'jizat) displayed by Prophets were manifested through them directly by Allah as proof of their truthfulness. Is there any such necessity for the saints (Awliya') claimed by these people?

Allah says:

“And they have attributed to Allah equals to mislead [people] from His way. Say, ‘Enjoy yourselves, for indeed, your destination is the Fire.’” (Qur’an 14:30)

Another question from the Musliyar is as follows:

“Now, do they believe that Allah is incapable of making someone hear, no matter who calls, from wherever, at whenever? Is the God of the Wahhabis so weak and helpless?” (Page 18)

“Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.” (Qur’an 2:20) This is the core belief of the Mujahids. However, the Allah taught by the sacred texts is not One who grants any human the ability to control the world or manage cosmic affairs, nor does He entrust such matters to them. It is in this Allah that the Mujahids believe.

Consider the Musliyar’s next question:

“Now, suppose Allah did grant someone the ability to hear like that. Even then, can it be said that he has been made a god? If an ability that exists purely at the will of another is called divine, how can one say that God’s own power was not received in the same way?” (Page 18)

This is the consequence of fabricating nonexistent beliefs to cause anxiety and reading Allah’s divine attributes through the lens of logicians. Associating anything with Allah’s exclusive rights constitutes worship of that object.

The followers of Samastha view fake saints (awliya') for the exact same purpose that disbelievers held for their objects of worship. Just as the disbelievers justified the Shirk that befell them, Samastha’s followers whitewash their own Shirk. Allah is far exalted above all of this.

The Qur’an states:

“So do not be in doubt regarding what these people worship. They worship not except as their fathers worshipped before. And indeed, We will give them their share undiminished.” (Qur’an 11:109)

The Musliyar has also attempted to equate seeking help (Isthighasa) and seeking intercession (Tawassul), despite their clear differences in literal meaning and concept:

“That is why the Wahhabis, who continuously preach on this matter, were forced to admit that the Tawassul (Isthighasa) performed by Bilal ibn al-Harith (May Allah be pleased with him) was not Shirk.” (Page 17)

Here, the Musliyar shatters yet another of Samastha’s own stances. Since when did Tawassul and Isthighasa, which they previously interpreted as two distinct concepts, become the exact same thing? Will the meaning of the Isthighasa verses in their devotional songs (Maalas) now change accordingly?

This weak narration, claiming that someone came to the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and prayed for rain, was the sole straw the Musliyars clung to in order to justify asking for help from and seeking intercession through pious personalities.

Consider this curious finding by the Musliyar:

“There is only one difference between the person who requests a physician for a cure from illness and the person who requests a saint (wali): one relies on an apparent (physical) cause, while the other relies on a hidden (unseen) cause.” (Page 20)

When illness strikes, seeking relief through prayer and medical treatment is an established and explicit means affirmed by revelation. Nowhere in the religious sources is there any basis for praying to the deceased as a means of curing illness. Therefore, this supposed “hidden means,” which has no basis in the religion, is nothing more than a form of priestcraft.

The ideological difficulties these Musliyar scholars now face are the consequences of throwing stones at a faith that was clear, unencumbered, and free from needless complications. The advice to them is simple and sincere: Return to the sources of revelation.

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