One of the objections on Fazail-e-A’maal is that Hazrat Shaykh (RA) has mentioned many incidents about Auliya-Allah and their excessive worship which is not humanly possible and excessive (according to Saheeh Ahadeeth) therefore must be either fabrications or Bid’ah….
Lets take a look at the reciting of the Qur’aan:
1) Uthman Ibn Affan (RA) used to finish the entire Qur’aan in one Raka’aat of Wit’r [Tirmidhi, Qiyamul-Lail, Tabaqaat Ibn Saad, Zailul Jawahir]
2) Tamim Dari (RA) used to finish the whole of Qur’aan in one night [Tahawi, Tahzeeb Wat-Tahzeeb, Zailul Jawahir]
3) Abdullah IbnZubair (RA) used to finish the whole of Qur’aan in one night [Tahawi,Qiyamul-Layl]
4) Saeed Ibn Jubair Tab’ae (RA) used to finish the whole of Qur’aan in one night [Tirmidhi, Tahawi, Zailul Jawahir, Tazkiratul-Huffaz]
5) Imam Shaf’ae (RA) used to finish 60 Qur’aans in Ramadhan [Tazkiratul-Huffaz]
6) Imam Wakee Ibn Jarah (RA) used to finish the whole of Qur’aan in one night [Tareekh-Baghdad]
7) Imam Jarh wat-Ta’deel Yahya Ibn Saeed (RA) used to finish the Qur’aan in 24 hours [Baghdadi, Tahzeebul-Asma Wal Lugaat]
8) Imam Subki (RA) relates that Imam Bukhari (RA) used to finish one Qur’aan during the day and one Qur’aan at Iftaar time and at the time of each Khatam (of Qur’aan) he used to say, “Dawwatun-Mustajaba” [Tabqaat Shaf’aiatul Kubra, Alhitta Fi Dhikr As-Siha Sitta]
9) Imam Ibn Katheer (RA) relates that Imam Abu Haneefa (RA) used to perform his Fajar Salah with the wudhu of Esha Salah for 40 years and at the spot where he passed away he had finished the Qur’aan 7000 times (please note that in some manuscripts it is printed as 70,000 instead of 7,000) [AlBidaya Wan-Nihaya]
Now lets take a look at always fasting:
The objection here is that Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) forbade always fasting!
1) Qadi Iyad (RA) and others state that Jamhoor of Ulama agree on “always fasting” as long as the fast is not kept on the days when it is forbidden e.g. on Eid days and Ayamul-Tashreeq etc. [Sha’rh Saheeh Muslim]
2) Imam Ibnul-Haj’r Asqalani (RA) writes, “…Others have opined that Saiyamud-Dah’r (always fasting) is Mustahab for those who have the strength and none of the other obligations will suffer due to it; and this is also the Madhab of Jamhoor…” [Fathul-Bari]
3) From the Sahaba (RA) Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Umar (RA), Sayyidina Abu-Talha (RA), Sayydina Zaid Ibn Suhail and many from the Salaf practised Saiyamud-Dah’r (always fasting) [Sha’rh Saheeh Muslim]
4) Imam Shu’ba Ibn Hujjaj practised Saiyamud-Dah’r [Tuhfatul-Ahwazi]
5) Imam Waki Ibn Jarrah practised Saiyamud-Dah’r [Baghdadi]
6) Imam Bukhari (RA) practised Saiyamud-Dah’r [Meezanul-Kubra]
Now lets take a look at excessive praying of Salah:
1) Imam Ibnul-Haj’r Asqalani (RA) & Imam Dahabi (RA) both relate that Sayyidina Zainul-Abideen Ali Ibn Hussain (RA) used to pray 1000 Rakaat daily till he passed away [Tadhkiratul-Huffaz, Tahzeeb Wat-Tahzeeb]
2) Imam Maumoon Ibn Mehraan used to pray 1000 Rakaat daily and once completed 17,000 Rakaat in 17 days [Tahzeeb Wat-Tahzeeb]
3) Imam Mirra Ibn Sharaheel Hamdani used to pray 1000 Rakaat daily but in his old age he had reduced it to 400 Rakaat daily [AlBidaya Wan-Nihaya]
4) Sayyidina Ali Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abbas used to pray 1000 Rakaat daily [Tahzeeb Wat-Tahzeeb]
5) Umair Ibn Hani (RA) used to pray 1000 Rakaat daily and used to read 100,000 Tasbeehs daily
In the light of above reports of acts of worship by the Salaf; what has Hazrat Shaykh Maulana Zakariyya (RA) written which is excessive.
FAZAIL E AMAAL Author Shikhul Hadeeth (R.A). Clarification is in itself, About these stories
He has written the word of caution in following sentences in hikayat Sahaba.
“Like these real stories there are not thousands rather Lakhs of real stories of Aulia Allah.But these stories are not only impossible to follow these days Rather no one should try also. As physique and stamina is already weak now a days.That why the sheikhs and people working for attaing the quality of Ihsan do not give permission for these hardship.These people were blessed by Allah by special stamina also”.
But it is important to have the desire and intention to do mujahida and followind the real life examples this will bring down our gaze.
This will curtail our luxury and desire to have more and more and will cause some balance and midway corresponding to todays life. (FAZAIL E AMAAL PAGE NO ……).
He again emphasizes.
“I have written already and again emphasizing that while doing Ibadat/Riyazat/and Mujahida the consideration of own necessities,looking into the situation and Care for family ,relatives and dependent are very important. They should always be kept in consideration.(Fazail Amaal par Aitarazat ke jawab by Maulana zakaria Rahmatullahi Alaihi page no 35) Allah knows the best.
