Kitab At-Tauhid (The Oneness of Allah)
CHAPTER No: 38
Whoever obeys the Scholars and the Rulers,
forbidding what Allah has made permissible and permitting what He has made forbidden, has certainly taken them as Lords (besides Allah)
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
"(It may be that) Stones are soon to descend upon you from the heavens! I say to you: 'Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said...' and you say to me: 'Abu Bakr and Umar said!?"
Ahmad bin Hanbal (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
I am astonished at a people who know the chain of transmission (of a Hadith) and its authenticity but nevertheless follow the opinion of Sufyan (Ath-Thauri) while Allah the Most High says:
"Let those who oppose his (the Messenger's) commandment (orders, statements, etc.) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, affliction) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them." (24:63)
Do you know what the Fitnah is? Al-Fitnah is Shirk. May be the rejection of some of his words would cause one to have doubt and deviation in his heart and thereby be destroyed.
It is narrated from Adi bin Hatim (May Allah be pleased with him) :
I heard the Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) read this verse: "They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and Messiah -son of Maryam, while they were commanded to worship none but One Ilah (God Allah) La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)". (9:31) So I said to him (May Allah be pleased with him)' "Verily, we did not worship them," to which he replied, "Did they not make Haram what Allah made Halal so you then made it Haram, and (did they not) make Halal what Allah made Haram and you therefore made it Halal?" I said, "Yes." He said, "That is worshipping them."
[Reported by Ahmad and At- Tirmidhi who graded it as Hasan (fair).]
Important issues of the Chapter
1) Explanation of the verse in Surat An-Nur (24:63).
2) Explanation of the verse in Surat Al-Bara'ah (or At-Taubah) (9:31).
3) Pointing out the meaning of worship that was initially denied by Adi (May Allah be pleased with him)
4) The example given, of Abu Bakr and Umar, by Ibn Abbas; and Ahmad's example of Sufyan.
5) Conditions have changed to the point that the worship of monks has become the best of deeds under the name of A/-Wi/ayah (sainthood), while the worship of learned men in religion is considered knowledge and understanding. Thereafter, conditions changed to the point that those worshipped besides Allah were not even righteous, and those were also worshipped who were absolutely illiterate.