Answer to an Enemy of Islam

27– In the seventh dialogue the religion reformer says:
“Who demoted the religion into this state of theoretical
philosophy are the later Islamic scholars. They put some
definitions and limitations. They divided it into sections. In
fact, there were those who said that becoming a scholar of
fiqh required twenty years of study. However, it had taken
that much time to establish all the branches or the rules of
the religion. It had not taken even two years to establish the
fiqh. I want modern Muslims to be like the Muslims of the
time of the Four Caliphs. Therefore, it is the duty of every
Muslim to perform the ’ibâdât on which there has been
unanimity. It is not necessary to perform the controversial
ones even if they were said to be fard. On such matters, you
should act upon your studying its evidences or act in accord
with a narration (qawl), if you prefer this narration because
it suits your case. But you should not blame others for not
doing as you do. It is not proper to perform salât behind
different imâms belonging to different madhhabs in the
same mosque at the same time. In short, we should do what
as-Sahâba did, and we should not do what they did not do.
We should exercise an option in doing controversial
matters. We should employ qiyâs on what as-Sahâba did
not explain. On controversial matters everybody should act
in accordance with the hadîths which they believe to be
sahîh.”
He attacks Islamic scholars with the accusation that they
turned Islam into philosophy by dividing it and introduced
definitions and limitations into it. Yet the fact is that, the scholars
of kalâm had nothing to do with philosophy, for, they were much
higher than philosophers. However, during the time of the
Umayyads, Muslims who spread over the three continents met
various groups of non-Muslims, and also such groups as the
Khawârij and the Mu’tazila appeared, who tried to mislead the
new Muslims. The scholars of Ahl as-Sunna had to protect
Muslims’ faith and to answer various religions, philosophers and
zindîqs. Preparing answers refuting their philosophy as they
should deserve, they promulgated the knowledge of kalâm far and
wide, thus preventing the youth from being deceived. While it is
an obligation for us to praise them for their glorious and
honourable services and to thank them and invoke blessings on
them, does it become a Muslim to attempt to speak ill of them for
this reason? Because as-Sahâbat al-kirâm were very wise and
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