Fatwa ID: 09406
Answered by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Question:
In a fatwa, it is mentioned
Takweeni works are divine instructions and the Qur’aan says: “We don’t take assistance from people who mislead.” (Surah Kahf)
Did the Mufassirun intend non muslims aswell ?are these takweeni non muslims the awliya Allah from a Sunni perspective?
What is the difference between Ilm-e-Takwini & Ilm-e-Shari?
How are both reconciled jointly in Islam?
Are they people still carrying out Takwini works?
Is takwini works only carried out by Belivers? or Disbelivers also?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Firstly, further questions regarding a fatwa should ideally be posed to the original issuer of that fatwa. You may wish to contact the Mufti who originally answered this question.
The scholars mention that there are services essential to the realm of creation, called takwin.[1] Matters of takwin relate to minor incidents and events in this world related to the management of the creation which are not within the purview of the vast majority of human beings.[1] These matters are generally fulfilled by the angels, but some prophets such as al-Khadir ﵇ were also chosen by Allah (ﷻ) to fulfill these matters.[1] In some places, such as in the story of Musa ﵇ and al-Khadir ﵇, it may seem as though there was a contradiction between Shar’i knowledge (which Musa ﵇ possessed) and takwini knowledge (which al-Khadir ﵇ was acting on), however, in reality there was no contradiction–rather, takwin matters are simply exceptions from the general Shar’i rule in specific minor events based on revelation from Allah (ﷻ) regarding those specific minor events.[1]
Since knowledge of takwin is acquired through revelation exclusive to prophethood, non-Muslims most certainly are not involved in takwin.[1] Also, it is no longer possible for any human being to be involved in takwini matters as prophethood has ceased.[1]
Keep in mind that many Aqeedah discussions are complex and best left to experts in the field. We as humans are limited in our comprehension by language and mortality, and are therefore unable to comprehend Allah (ﷻ) in all His glory and majesty. In fact, we are unable to comprehend many matters of the unseen.
In Surah An’am, it is said: “And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.” [6:59] [2]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
Basic difference in the knowledge of Sayyidna Musa ﵇ and al-Khadir ﵇: Resolution of an apparent dichotomy
Naturally, a question arises here. We see that, according to the explanation of al-Khadir ﵇, the nature of the knowledge given to him was different from that of the knowledge of Sayyidna Musa ﵇. Now, when both these two areas of knowledge were given by Allah Ta’ala alone, why did this contradiction and difference show up in their two respective injunctions? Qadi Thanaullah of Panipat has given a research-based answer to this question in his Tafsir Mazhari. It is the closest to being right and appealing. Given below is a gist of what I understand from his presentation:
‘The blessed souls Allah Ta’ala honors with His revelation and prophet-hood are generally those who are entrusted with the mission of making people better. Sent to them is a Book and Shari’ah which offer principles and rules that serve as blueprints of guidance and betterment for the creation of Allah. Blessed prophets and messengers mentioned in the noble Qur’an as such were all assigned with the mission of Law and Reform. To this related the Revelation they received. But then, there are services essential to the realm of creation (takwin) as well. Generally, appointed to take care of these are the angels of Allah. However, Allah
Ta’ala has specifically chosen some from among the group of prophets also in order to carry out the services of takwin (whereby the decisions of Allah’s will relating to the managment of His creation are enforced). Al-Khadir ﵇ belongs to this very group. These imperatives of takwin relate to minor incidents and events, that a certain person should be saved from getting drowned, or someone should be killed, promoted or demoted or subdued. These matters do not relate to common people at all, nor are they addressed by these imperatives. In such events of minor consequences, one may confront some of those situations where killing a person is against the religious law. But, under the imperative of creation, that particular event has been exempted from the general religious law and the act has been made permissible for the person who has been appointed to carry out this imperative of takwin. Under such conditions, the experts of religious law are not aware of this exempted injunction and are compelled to call it ‘haram’ (unlawful) and the person who has been exempted from this law under the imperative of takwin remains in the right in his own place.
In short, wherever such a contradiction is perceived, it is no contradiction in the real sense. It is simply the exemption of some minor events from the general religious law. In al-Bahr al-Muhit, Abu Hayyan said:
…
The majority holds Al-Khadir ﵇to be a prophet and his knowledge was the gnosis of (the inner dimensions of the human) self which was revealed to him and the knowledge of Musa ﵇ was of the injunctions and rulings on the apparent. (Al-Bahr al-Muhit, p. 147, v. 6)
For the aforesaid reason, it is also necessary that this exemption should take effect through revelation to a prophet. The Kashf (illumination) and Ilham (inspiration) of some Waliyy (man of Allah) are never sufficient to make such an exemption effective. This is the reason why the act of al-Khadir ﵇ in killing a boy apparently without a just reason was haram (unlawful) in the sight of the Shari’ah which rules on the apparent. But, as for al-Khadir ﵇, he was appointed to do that while exempted from this law as an imperative of creation (takwin). Taking the Kashf and Ilham of some non-prophet on the analogy of al-Khadir ﵇
and thereby taking something haram (unlawful) to be halal (lawful) – as popular among some ignorant Sufis – is totally anti-religion and certainly, a rebellion against Islam.
Ibn Abi Shaibah reports an event relating to Sayyidna Ibn ‘Abbas ﵁ by saying that Najdah Haruri (a Kharijite) wrote a letter to Sayyidna Ibn ‘Abbas and asked as to how did al-Khadir ﵇ kill a minor boy when the Holy Prophet ﷺ has prohibited the killing of minors. Sayyidna Ibn ‘Abbas answered his letter by saying, ‘if you were to receive the same knowledge about some minor as was received by Sayyidna Musa’s ‘man of knowledge’ (that is, al-Khadir ﵇), the killing of a minor would become permissible for you too!’ What he meant was that al-Khadir ﵇ had received his knowledge about it only through revelation exclusive to a prophet. That nobody can have now because prophet-hood has ended. There is to be no prophet after the Last among Prophets, that is, Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ, who could have through revelation knowledge about some particular person to have been exempted under Divine command in the case of such events. (Mazhari)
From this event too, the real thing becomes clear, that is, no one other than a revelation-receiving prophet has the right to declare anyone as exempted from any Islamic legal injunction.
Ma’ariful Qur’an (English translation, Maktaba-e-Darul-’Uloom) v.6 p.633-635
[2]
وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۚ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍۢ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍۢ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
Surah Al-’Anam [6:59]