On The Islamic Tradition And The Unchanging Religion

Quran

{ وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ }

{ Set your face towards pure religion (as true monotheist)! }

1. The Term Tradition

The term tradition has two significations: a general and a specific one. However it does not have the meaning it has acquired today, such as 'customs' and 'usages'.

Islam is fundamentally and originally tradition; it is a timeless, divine message, and this is why the Islamic tradition defines the Islamic religion, not the other way round. This fact alone constitutes one of the ongoing wonders of Islam.^[1]

2. General (A)

In its general meaning, tradition has to be understood in the sense of transmission of an element of the suprahuman level, as explained by René Guénon (Shaykh `Abd al-Wahīd Yahia).^[4]

3. Specific (B)

In its more specific sense the term tradition also signifies the words and sayings reported from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) which have been recorded in the hadith collections.^[5]

So when speaking of the Islamic Tradition we do not only mean the sayings and words of wisdom by the Prophet of Islam, but also the entire Islamic religion (Qur'ān, Sunnah, schools of law, spirituality, sanctity, etc.)

4. The Preserved Unchanging Religion

Concerning the Arabic expression "al-Dīn al-Qayyim", it is of quranic origin (Sura 10-105; Sura 30-30; Sura 98-5) and signifies the unchanging Religion in its enduring and universal character.

{ وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ }

{ Set your face towards pure religion (as true monotheist) }
Sura 10, verse 105
or
{Then set your face upright for (complying with the obligations of) the religion as true monotheist (hanīfan - and in accordance to the primordial nature (fitrah) created by Allah in which He has created men.) }

Then Allah said:

{ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ }

{ There is no altering of Allah's creation; that is the right religion (al-Dīn al-Qayyim), but most people do not know. }
Sura 30, verse 30

{ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ }

{ And they were not enjoined anything except that they should serve Allah, as true monotheists (hunafā') (being sincere to Him in obedience, upright), keeping up prayer and paying the poor-due. This is the true and unchangeable religion (al-Dīn al-Qayyim). }
Sura 98, verse 5

This means to say that the Islamic Tradition is characterised by being preserved^[3] from all alteration in its fundamental principles and in its essential doctrine, which has not always been the case with the earlier religions before Islam.

This preservation has been expressively attested by the divine Word in the following terms:

{ إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ }

{ Surely We have revealed the Reminder (meaning the Quran) and it is Us Who will most surely be its guardian. }
Sura 15, verse 9

5. Universal

The universal character of the Islamic Tradition^[6] has been formulated in the Qur'ān in the following terms:

{ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ }

{ And We have not sent you but to all human beings as a bearer of good news and as a warner, but most men do not know. }
Sura 34, verse 28

6. Tolerance and Indulgence

Another significant characteristic of this Islamic Tradition is the tolerance and indulgence^[10] as expressed by the Prophet ﷺ (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) when he said: I have been sent with the indulgent and tolerant monotheism (bu`ithtu bil-hanīfiyah al-samha') a saying which is confirmed by the divine quranic Word:

{ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ }

{ And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds. }
Sura 21, verse 107

7. Quotes on Tradition

7.1
”To be traditional means to be part of a tradition, and traditions - by their nature - are moving through time and space.” Sh. Abdul Hakim Murad.^[8]
It is like a tree that grows, constantly changing and evolving, but still connected to the roots and never abandoning those eternal principles.^[9]

7.2
Tradition in the sense used here always ”contains an element of a superhuman order.” René Guénon - Shaykh Abd Al Wahid Yahya

7.3
“Nothing which is purely human can be considered traditional, … because only the hereditary forms of an uninterrupted chain of transmission (silsilah) deserve the qualification "traditional" for they will guarantee the reality and permanence of the "vital element", i.e. that of non-human origin, inside a particular tradition.” René Guénon - Shaykh Abd Al Wahid Yahya, DRG

7.4
And it is only Islam, that preserved the original revelation intact, and the sound sayings and actions (hadith) by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him!).

7.5
Tearing tradition to shreds will not enable us to discover “real Islam” after 1400 years of continual and rigorous Islamic thought. To believe this is to fuel arrogance and pride in the human mind, placing Modern Man as the measure of all things. If Muslims want to be honest in their Islam while facing the deluge that is modernity, then academically engaging with our tradition is essential. It is perfectly acceptable to read Islamic scholarship with a critical eye, but we should engage the Islamic tradition from within, and not arrogantly dismiss it so that we can follow our desires. Let us not delude ourselves into thinking the 1400 years of scholarship we inherited is some sort of curse. Rather, it is a great blessing.
The Incoherence of Modern Reformists – Traversing Tradition

7.6
And so one of the miracles of Islam is the tradition that's handed down. Unbroken chains. Quran, hadith, fiqh. And then the tools.
One Of The Miracles Of Islam | Hamza Yusuf - YouTube

8. Conclusion

The conclusion to be drawn from these teachings is that the most knowledgeable being in respect of God can only be the most merciful one in respect to the creatures, in this world as well as in the next and who has the most universal vision of the essential truths. This is, has been and will always be Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

May Allah spread over him His unifying grace and His peace and over his family and his companions.

Oriental-pattern

9. Related

[Islam is fundamentally and originally tradition - many texts on livingIslam.org are informed by the Islamic tradition.]

The word 'tradition' is derived from Latin 'tradere', i.e. to hand over, deliver, entrust - in its general sense - something from God, Allah through His prophets (upon them be peace).
What is handed over is the Quranic revelation together with the prophetic traditions (hadith) and - through those - divine blessings (baraka), which are heavenly powers, all of these evoke sacred knowledge and disinterested action.^[2]
↩
"Disinterested action":
What is done not following the ego - nafs, but the divine Law, the commandment of Allah (may His Majesty be exalted) and the example of Prophet Muhammad (the blessings and peace of Allah upon him).
↩
Ask yourself dear reader, how was is possible, that despite all the vicissitudes of life over the centuries, the wars, colonialism and later neo-colonialism (the fitna in the world) and despite the slackening and deviation in the diin (way of life of Islam) by some in the community, or falling into extremism by others; that despite all these problems was the Islamic Tradition kept intact in its authenticity, its blessings and its way.
↩
- On René Guénon (Shaykh `Abd al-Wahīd Yahia)
- On Tradition
↩
See:
- Main hadith page
- Alphabetical Index of Some Hadith

- and this hadith:
Whoever revives (ahyā) my Sunnah [by practicing it] really loves me, and who loves me, will be with me in Paradise.
Anas RH1127
↩
(It is about) the unfolding of the simple kernel of (Muhyiddīn Ibn Arabi's) legacy, which is what might be called the knowledge of the unity of existence (wujūd: Mahiyya - Asking What It Is?) with the aim of attaining to a universal perspective.

This knowledge is from the Truth (Allah), and it can be verified by those who single-heartedly pursue it. Which is indeed an invitation to us all, to uncover our true identity^[7] by knowing ourselves and consequently knowing God. (adapted from Peter Young)
Ibn 'Arabi - Universal Point of View
↩
Re: our true identity, which would be mirroring or realizing the Supreme Identity. (La cession de la dualité. DRG202)
↩
This chapter was not part of the original text.
↩
Re: ”those eternal principles”
Disclaimer
“To see similarities with the eternal principles of other religions, which have to be there because the divine message is universal (see Quran: God sent prophets to all nations), does NOT imply that one sees all religions as being equally valid and that it would not matter which one to follow!” It does matter.
↩
Indulgentia (Latin), Definitions:
- favour, bounty
- indulging
- kindness, gentleness
- leniency, concession, pardon.
Here in the meaning of the last two
Latin Definition for: indulgentia - Latdict
↩

On The Islamic Tradition

and the Unchanging Religion

By Ahmad Valsan

1. The Term Tradition

2. General (A)

3. Specific (B)

4. The Preserved Unchanging Religion

5. Universal

6. Tolerance and Indulgence

7. Quotes on Tradition

8. Conclusion

9. Related

Other Titles in This Series

Other Languages in This Series

A. The General Meaning of Tradition

B. The Islamic Tradition