# Ritualisation of the deen and the angels' question about Adam: can believers ask?

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zbya7rqfyru/s/6/
- Date: 2016-03-15 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan & Mufti Abu Layth - A Discussion on Contemporary Issues (23:55–29:07)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbyA7rqfyRU&t=1435s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zbya7rqfyru/

**Topics:** Stories of the prophets; Reason and revelation; Guest conversations

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The deen has been ritualised so that scholarly conclusions cannot be questioned, while the angels' question to Allah about creating Adam is read as a model that believers may ask questions.

## Longer summary

One speaker, apparently the guest [?], says there has been an immense ritualisation of the deen that has fossilised: once a scholar reaches a conclusion it is set in stone and questioning it is treated as questioning the religion, even though scholars are free to disagree. He says he began his lectures on Surah al-Baqarah to stir the boat and reached the story of Adam and the angels, which he calls unique even against the biblical narrative. He describes the angels, creatures of absolute obedience, asking what sounds like a critical, even defiant question when Allah announces He will create a khalifah [?], a question that in Pakistan or a madrasa would earn a slap. He reads it not as the angels offering themselves as an alternative but as them saying they do not understand and mean no disrespect, and Allah eventually explains. His point is that if angels can question Allah directly, a believer should be able to question what is presented to him, and he asks why entering Islam is thought to end questioning. He says he has become convinced that one of the Quran's primary functions is to train the believer how to think rather than glorify knowledge, and cites a prophet asking how Allah brings the dead to life [?]. The other speaker agrees that faith is something else, a contentment, and raises the related subject of creation before Adam.

## Sources and names cited

- Nouman Ali Khan
- Quran 2:30 (the angels ask about the khalifah) [?] (reference uncertain; possibly https://quran.com/2/30)
- Quran 2:260 (show me how You give life to the dead) [?] (reference uncertain; possibly https://quran.com/2/260)
- khalifah [?]
- deen

## Transcript (machine tier, 23:55–29:07)

[23:49] their moral like they're messing the concern for Humanity they didn't come to torture people or kill them or like it's not it's like that you see there's been an immense ritualization of the dean which has then unfortunately fil I like I like that filiz because they made so anent comes up with a conclusion then it gets edged and stone you can't questioning that is know I don't even like to name certain individual Scholars that are landmarks in our history but if you say something against what x said you might

[24:26] as well be questioning so this is what we've done we've more than cified certain literature in our history depending on school of thought or l in Aro whatever you I'm free and people are Scholars are free to disagree with each other conversation it's fine like I started doing the lectures to stir the boat a little bit so uh I decided to start with B I did a little bit of B and when we got to the story of which The Narrative is unique to the rest of the Quran

[25:07] because is not anywhere else that that's very unique to the Quran and very unique to the entire story narrative in like even biblical in a biblical sense the what do we know about the Angels like scripture you know so they're in absolute obedience to God you know and they're they creatures of they're creatures ofal protction etc etc okay so he's he decides that he's going to create this this KH and what you get from these angels who are in absolute

[25:46] obedience to him is what seems like a very offensive critical question like a humble student you know like some some teacher comes along and say I'm going to make him I'm going to give him this position and the humble student gets up you really going to put him he's going to make so much trouble you going to make him class mod that sounds like disrespect Defiance it sounds out of line uh if this was Pakistan or some madasa with a question you get a Cham

[26:25] too or sort you get something right and they by the way as they say it they say some have looked at this as we are the alternative I actually don't look at it that way that may be the case but I actually more see it as we're not we don't mean any disrespect to you or take anything away from your by posing this question us not understanding that's very very you know I I us not understanding what's going on and US asking this question in no way takes away from your

[27:02] glory and we don't mean anything by that and simply says eventually explains it to them the answer is very elaborate and very well explained my point was if angels can question Allah straight I don't get it why are you putting him on the earth I can see problem one and problem two then why can't I question like what's being presented to and why is it once you come into Islam you can't ask questions there's nobody

[27:38] more in Islam than the carriers of the you know what I'm saying so I'm I'm now decided to kind of you know as I talk about Quran to kind of highlight that actually one of it and I I'm more convinced of this that before one of primary functions is to chain the believer how to think instead of glorifying [Music]

[28:13] knowledge help and and every time the the narrow-minded want to look at these a okay yes we's piing things like even thean like how do you and this is a messenger this is a prophet of Allah saying that look how do you bring the dead [Music] body you know I do believe it's not that see faith is something

[28:50] else you know I've got I just want to I want some contentment you know what I mean like so so yeah so It Isn't So this this thing of U but it's interesting you mentioned the thing about Adam the whole you see this whole thing it stirred a whole other discussion I think I don't know if I previously spoke to you about it but this whole thing of creation before Adam right now you know we've we other homings that we that are around Neals and things like this and all these other BS that have been found and stuff like you know I've discussed this with people I've said to people this there's actually a very interesting book

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment zbyA7rqfyRU/s/6. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zbya7rqfyru/s/6/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.