The Prophetic Vision

‫صلى هللا عليه وآله وسلم‬

In Defence of Shaykh Dr Sa’īd Ramađān al-Būtī

Mustāpha Jamāl

Did Dr Shaykh Ramađān al-Būti deny the vision of the

 Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] in a wakeful state?

On the 1st of January 2018, Shaykh Sayyid Muĥammad al- Yáqoūbī concluded the final
chapter of his book on the noble description of the Messenger of Allah [peace and
blessings be upon Him] in Birmingham [UK]. An event which attracted hundreds of
Muslims from all over the UK and overseas.

However, some of the Shaykh’s comments in the final session against the late martyr; Dr
Sa’īd Ramađān al-Būtī (Allah have mercy on him) has tainted an otherwise landmark
event, and has provoked a mixed response from Sunni Muslims. Shaykh Sayyid
Muĥammad accused Dr Ramađān of rejecting the notion that it is possible to witness the
Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] whilst in a wakeful state. In doing so, he made
reference to the latter’s commentary on the ‘Ĥikam’ of Ibn Átā’illāh al-Sikandarī [Allah
have mercy upon him]. Subsequently, a barrage of accusations were levelled against the
late Shaykh. Namely, his support for an apostate, oppressive regime1, and his destruction
to Ahl ul-Sunnah in Syria.

The following is a transcription of the accusation made by Shaykh Muĥammad against

Shaykh Ramađān al-Būtī on the 1st of January 2018:

“…In our modern times, it is Dr Sa’īd Ramađān al-Būtī who denied seeing the
Prophet [peace be upon Him] whilst awake, and not only that, he mentions in one
of his books, and I say this, and this is very important, because there are a lot of
people who cry over the loss of Dr Sa’īd Ramađān al-Būtī (rahimahullu ta’ālā). He
died as a martyr, but he did a lot of damage to Sunni Islam in Syria, and he did a
lot of damage to Sufism, and to the Sufi way by supporting a regime which is an
unbeliever regime, by supporting a regime which is an oppressive regime, by
supporting a regime that is a secular regime, by supporting a regime that has been
destroying Islam for forty years. You know what he said?! He said those who claim
to have met the Messenger of Allah while awake are liars and should be punished.
It’s in his book, first volume of his commentary of ‘Al-Ĥikam al-Attāiyya’. While in
his time, Shaykh Aĥmad al-Habbāl, a great man of Allah in Syria met the Prophet
[peace and blessings be upon Him] while awake. And many great Awliyā’ of the
past related that they saw the Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] while

1
It should be noted, Shaykh Muĥammad himself supported the regime. The great gnostic of Shaam; Aĥmad
Habbāl [Allah have mercy on him] supplicated for the regime, thus any criticism levelled at Shaykh Būtī must
also be levelled against Shaykh Aĥmad Habbāl [we seek refuge in Allah].
 they were awake. Imām al-Nawawī himself, confirmed that it is possible to see the
Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] while awake. Imām al-Ghazālī; Hujjah
tul-Islam, the Proof of Islam himself confirmed that the Prophet [peace and
blessings be upon Him], it is possible to see him while awake. However, Dr Sa’īd
Ramađān al-Būtī [May Allah have mercy on him] did a lot of good in service of
Islam, and in defence of Islam against the Salafis, especially in his book ‘Alā
Madhabiyya’. So Allah will reward him, and he died as a martyr, and dying as a
martyr is a way of expiation. So we don’t attack scholars but we have to define
what’s right and what’s wrong in what they do. What’s right and what’s wrong,
because I heard a lot of people trying now to show some bravery in supporting or
attacking those scholars who attack Dr Sa’īd. We know what is going on in Syria,
and we know how much oppression has been in Syria, and we know the opinions
of the great scholars of Syria about Dr Sa’īd Ramađān al-Būtī and his praise of the
accursed Hāfiz al-Assed in his grave, and his son now, Bashār al-Assed who killed
half a million Syrians. So it is possible to see the Prophet [peace and blessings be
upon Him] while awake…’

It seems, however, that Shaykh Dr Ramađān al-Būtī did not hold such a position. In fact,
quite the contrary. Commentating on the ‘Ĥikam’ of Ibn Átā’illāh, Dr Ramađān tackles an
issue largely associated with leaders of Sufi groups. Many of whom claim to have seen the
Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] in a wakeful state. Thus, Shaykh Būtī
elucidates on the legal implications of such claims, he writes:

‫فما ذا يقول الشرع في حق هوالء الناس؟ يقول الشرع في حق من يزعم‬

ُ ‫َن‬
‫يعزر‬ ‫ُ أ‬ َّ‫ ا‬:‫أنه يرى رسول هللا يقظة‬
َ ‫ِنه‬
‫يجِب‬ َّ

‘What does the Sharīah say in the right of those people? The Sharīah states regarding the
one who claims to have seen the Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] in a wakeful
state: it is wajib that he be rebuked [discretional punishment]’ [vol. 1, pg. 296].

The Shaykh then makes mention of the righteous Salaf; the Companions, the Successors,
and those who succeeded them. None of them ever lay claim to witnessing the Prophet
[peace be upon Him] in a wakeful state after his passing, and if anyone was deserving of
this honour, it was surely these noble men and women. He then writes:

‫و نحن ال نستدل بهذا الذي عرفناه من تاريخ السلف الصالح على‬

‫ فرسول هللا حيّ يتمتع بحياة‬.‫أن روية رسول هللا يقظة مستحيلة معاذ هللا‬
‫ و امكانية‬.‫برزخية متميزة عن حياة غيره من االولياء الصالحين‬
.‫ِماة‬
‫روية أهل البرزخ عقال قائ‬
 ‘We are not inferring with this statement, something which we know from the history of the
righteous predecessors - that the vision of the Messenger of Allah whilst in a wakeful state is
impossible, refuge is sought in Allah! 2 The Messenger of Allah is alive, enjoying an afterlife
which is distinct from the living of anyone other than him from the righteous friends (of Allah).
The possibility of witnessing the people of the afterlife (barzakh) is rationally established’.

‫َقلية لها شئٌ و ادعاء وقوعها شيء آخر‬

‫ولكن االمكانية الع‬

‘Having said that, it being rationally possible is one thing, whilst claiming it happens is another’.

‫ بل األربعة‬,‫ن فى العصور المفضلة الثالثة‬ ََّ َّ‫ا‬

‫ِن التاريخ ال يعلم أ‬
‫نها ربما وقعت‬ َ
ّ‫ْ أ‬َ َ
َّ‫ما أ‬
‫نها لم تقع أو‬ ِّ‫ فهى ا‬...‫من ادعى هذه الروية‬
‫ ال في‬,‫ و لكنه لم يزعمها لنفسه و لم يتحدث بها‬,‫لبعض منهم‬
‫ كما يفعل‬,‫مجالسة الخاصة و ال على المأل و امام عامة الناس‬
‫بعضهم اليوم‬

‘In history, it is not known from the three great generations, rather four, that anyone of them
lay claim to this type of vision… so, either it did not occur, or it was a rare occurrence for a few
of them. Despite that, a person would not make such a claim for himself, and neither would he
disclose it to others, whether it was a gathering of the elect ( awliyā’) or a gathering for the
masses, contrary to what some people do today’.

‫ْ يرى رسول هللا يقظة في زماننا هذا‬ ‫َو‬ ََّ

‫ أ‬,‫نه رأى‬ ‫اذن فالذي يدعي أ‬
‫ اذ لو رآه فعال بناء على االمكان‬.‫ينبغي أن يعزر ألنه كاذب‬
‫ لكان اذن من أصلح الصالحين و لحملته حاله المتميزة‬,‫العقلي‬
‫ على أن يصمت و ال‬,‫من الصالح و الفضل و التقوى و القرب من هللا‬
‫د ان تحمله حاله تلك على‬ ّ‫ بل ال ب‬,‫يجلجل بهذا االمر بين الناس‬
‫َن يزداد وجال و تواضعا و‬ ّ ‫ وأ‬,‫أن ال يفتح فمه بهذا الخبر ألَحد‬
‫خوفا من هللا عزوجل‬

‘Thus, the one who claims to have seen the Messenger of Allah in a wakeful state in our time
deserves to be reprimanded because he is a liar3, even though his vision (of the Prophet) is an
action which is rationally possible. Such a person would be exceptionally righteous, and this
would cause him to conduct himself in such a manner which sets him apart, in terms of virtue,
piety, and proximity towards Allah, he would remain silent and not announce this matter
amongst people. Rather, it is necessary that he carry himself in such a manner whereby he
does not open his mouth and inform anybody of this matter, and it increases him in fear,
humility and dread of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted’.

2
Shaykh Būtī categorically affirms the prophetic vision.
3
Shaykh Aĥmad al-Habbāl did not ever announce visions of the Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him]!
 !‫و لماذا يحدث الشيخ مريده بمثل هذه المزاعم أو االخبار؟‬
‘Why does the Shaykh inform his disciple of these kinds of claims and reports?!’

Shaykh Ramađān al-Būtī quite clearly adheres to the position of mainstream Sunni Islam,
and to suggest anything contrary to this is outright slander. His concerns with modern
‘Sufi’ scholars are absolutely justified when considering the impact it has on undiscerning,
naïve followers who are duped into thinking their Shaykh has reached unprecedented
heights and cannot possibly do any wrong. In recent times, this has become a growing
problem in various parts of the Muslim world, most notably in Pakistan. In 1989, Tāhir
ul-Qādrī addressed a large crowd, telling them of an absurd dream in which he saw the
Prophet [peace and blessings be upon Him] complaining about his mistreatment at the
hands of the scholars of Pakistan. The Prophet, according to Tāhir, was upset because the
people of Pakistan did not treat him well after having invited him. These preposterous
claims were enough to lure an otherwise docile public to donate thousands, if not millions
of rupees towards his organisation. Shaykh Ramađān al-Būtī was fully aware of these
charlatans, and it is ultimately these claimants of prophetic visions who display
annoyance at his comments.

We ask Allah to shower his mercy on the late martyr, Shaykh Dr Sa’īd Ramađān al-Būtī,
and to elevate his rank. We also ask Allah to unite Ahl ul-Sunnah, to unite the scholars,
and to remove any animosity from our hearts for one another.

Countless prayers and blessings be upon our Master; Sayyidunā Rasūl’Allāh

[peace and blessings be upon Him]