What did Hanafi scholars say about Namaz e Ghousia?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

I have not seen any mention of Namaz e Ghousia in classical Hanafi works. The prayer itself is very concerning. It includes some strange practices as well as calling upon a deceased scholar. Prayers that are far less unorthodox have been considered Bidah by leading Imams of the Hanafi Madhab?

Explanation

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِنْ رُسُلِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَإِنْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

And Allah does not reveal the unseen to you, rather Allah selects from his Messengers whomsoever he wills. And if you believe and have Taqwa (piety) then you will have abundant reward. (Surah Ali Imran, 179).

Every act of ritual worship requires evidence from Quran and Sunnah. Muslims are not permitted to invent new forms of prayer or rituals. This is one of the fundamental differences between Islam and other religions. And this principle protects our religion from corruption. Even those who practice Namaz e Ghousia do not claim it is linked to our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Rather they claim it was invented by a scholar.

A scholar does not have knowledge of the unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb). So he cannot dictate which ritual actions do or do not bring about particular benefits. Rather he has to go to the beloved Prophet ﷺ for that. It is unacceptable to ignore this reality and skip over referring to the blessed Prophet ﷺ. The verse in the Holy Quran above makes this abundantly clear.

A strange prayer

Namaz e Ghousia is generally described as a two Rakah prayer by those who perform it. However, they often insist on reciting Surah al-Ikhlas 11 times in each Rakah. This is strange since the Hanafis prefer not to specify specific Surahs unless they are mentioned in the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

After the prayer, they require the individual to take 11 steps in the direction of Baghdad. And it seems to be part of the prayer ritual. This practice has no connection to the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. Nor is it found in the Hanafi tradition.

Salat al-Raghaib

Since classical Hanafi Imams did not address Namaz e Ghousia, it seems it either did not exist as a practice or was incredibly rare amongst Hanafis. However, they did speak about Salat al-Raghaib. And they considered it Bidah.

It is important to note that Salat al-Raghaib is far less innovative than Salat e Ghousia. Since it does not include the ritual of taking a specific number of steps towards Baghdad. Nor does it include making Dua to a deceased scholar.

Despite this, leading Hanafi Imams called Salatu al-Raghaib Bidah. So the same Imams would undoubtedly consider Namaz e Ghousia Bidah. Since, Salatu al-Raghaib is simply praying particular Rakahs on particular nights, and claiming particular rewards and benefits. Salat e Ghousia goes much further than this.

أول لَيْلَة جُمُعَة من شهر رَجَب، وَهِي لَيْلَة الرغائب الَّتِي أحدثت فِيهَا الصَّلَاة الْمَشْهُورَة، وَلَا أصل لَهَا. (عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري)

The first Jum’ah (Friday) night in Rajab, and it is the night of Raghaaib in which the well-known prayer has been innovated, although it is baseless. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, Umdatu al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).

وَمِنْ هُنَا يُعْلَمُ كَرَاهَةَ الِاجْتِمَاعِ عَلَى صَلَاةِ الرَّغَائِبِ الَّتِي تُفْعَلُ فِي رَجَبٍ فِي أَوَّلِ لَيْلَةِ جُمُعَةٍ مِنْهُ وَأَنَّهَا بِدْعَةٌ وَمَا يَحْتَالُهُ أَهْلُ الرُّومِ مِنْ نَذْرِهَا لِتَخْرُجَ عَنْ النَّفْلِ وَالْكَرَاهَةِ فَبَاطِلٌ وَقَدْ أَوْضَحَهُ الْعَلَّامَةُ الْحَلَبِيُّ وَأَطَالَ فِيهِ إطَالَةً حَسَنَةً كَمَا هُوَ دَأْبُهُ وَفِي الْفَتَاوَى الْبَزَّازِيَّةِ. (البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق)

From this, it is known that gathering for Salat al-Raghaib that is practiced on the first Jum’ah of Rajab is disliked (Makruh) and indeed it is a blameworthy innovation. The stratagem used by the people of Rum (Anatolia), where they make a vow to remove it from the status of Nafl (to Waajib) and thus from being disliked, is null and void. Indeed al-Allamah al-Halabi has clarified this issue and expounded upon it thoroughly as was his practice, as well as in the Fatwa of al-Bazaziyyah. (Imam Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq Sharh Kanz al-Daqa’iq).

In the Nusoos (texts) above, we find leading Hanafi Imams disapproving of Salat al-Raghaib and considering it Bidah. Imam Ibn Nujaym went further and explained that some of the excuses people use will not be entertained. It is inconceivable that Hanafi Imams would reject these prayers but accept Namaz e Ghousia.

Prayer must be from Hadith

وَلِذَا مَنَعُوا عَنْ الِاجْتِمَاعِ لِصَلَاةِ الرَّغَائِبِ الَّتِي أَحْدَثَهَا بَعْضُ الْمُتَعَبِّدِينَ لِأَنَّهَا لَمْ تُؤْثَرْ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْكَيْفِيَّةِ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيَالِي الْمَخْصُوصَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ الصَّلَاةُ خَيْرَ مَوْضُوعٍ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)

Therefore, it is not permitted to gather for Salat al-Raghaib. Which was innovated by some of the worshippers. This is because it has not been narrated (in Hadith) with this specific description on those specific nights, even though prayer itself is amongst the best of actions. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtar ‘ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar).

In the Nass (text) above, Imam Ibn Abideen opposes Salat al-Raghaib because such prayers have not been narrated in Hadith. This is the case despite those practicing it claiming Hadith for these prayers. As for Namaz e Ghousia, even those who practice it do not claim it is from the Prophet. Rather they say it is from Shaykh Abd al-Qadir. Hence it has no connection to the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

Cult like  

Many of those who practice Namaz e Ghousia say that it was taught by Shaykh Abd al-Qadir himself. This is a shocking claim. It is contrary to the behaviour and practices of the scholars of Islam.

I cannot imagine Shaykh Abdal Qadir asking people to call upon him. Firstly, he is a great scholar of Islam so he will ask people to call upon Allah (Most High) just like our beloved Prophet ﷺ done.

Secondly, even if one claims that he believed in Istighathah, then it makes no sense for him to ask people to call upon him. Why would he put himself before the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah (May Allah Most High be pleased with them).

Therefore, Namaz e Ghousia may have been a result of cultism. Those who associate themselves to Shaykh Abd al-Qadir in a cult like manner may be misrepresenting the teachings of the Shaykh.

The generality of Sunni Muslims would not put Shaykh Abd al-Qadir ahead of the Sahabah in this manner. Rather cultish Muslims are susceptible to such practices.

Making claims

Advocates of Namaz e Ghousia claim that it is a means to overcome difficulties in life. This is often how Salat e Ghousia is promoted to people. However, it is a very strange position to take. To ignore the methods of overcoming difficulties that were advised by the Prophet ﷺ and go elsewhere is very concerning. It does not seem to be the behaviour of people who love the Prophet ﷺ and prefer him ﷺ over all other people.

It is confusing to see that the people behaving in this manner are often the loudest in claiming their love for the Prophet ﷺ. A person who truly loves the Prophet ﷺ will find it almost impossible to turn away from his advice and methods and call people to something different. Yet that is precisely what is done with Namaz e Ghousia.

Ilm al-Ghayb

Another major problem with their approach is that they contradict the Muslim belief that only Prophets (peace be upon them) are given knowledge of the unseen. In this Ummah Ilm al-Ghayb is unique to the Prophet ﷺ. So only Allah (Most High) and His Messenger ﷺ can inform us as to which actions are a means of benefit from the unseen or the spiritual realm.

To claim this for Shaykhs is to undermine the uniqueness of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. If they believe that all of these scholars have knowledge of the unseen too, then they have challenged one of the greatest miracles of the Prophet ﷺ. They have presented it as something less unique and more common. How could someone who claims to love the Prophet ﷺ do such a thing.

Claiming that other than the Prophets (peace be upon them) have Ilm al-Ghayb (knowledge of the unseen) is the way of the disbelievers. They have been repeatedly rebuked in the Holy Quran for speaking about the unseen without reference to revelation.

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَذَا حَرَامٌ لِتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ

Hence, do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues determine: This is lawful and that is forbidden. Thus attributing your own lying inventions to Allah. Indeed they who attribute their own lying inventions to Allah will never attain success. (Surah al-Nahl, 116).

Conclusion

It would be absolutely incorrect to assume that classical Hanafi Imams were accepting of Namaz e Ghousia. Rather they condemned a prayer that was far less controversial than it. So the correct assumption is that they would have condemned it if they had come across it.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (08.10.24)