A Comparative Investigation of the Benefit of the Dead and the Living from Each Other According to Hanbalism and Wahhabism
Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Student Level 3 of the Specialized Center for Comparative Studies of Islamic Schools, Mashhad, Iran
2
PhD Student in University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Theological Denominations, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom
Abstract
In the view of Wahhabism and Ḥanbalism, there are commonalities in the issue of benefiting the dead from the living. Both of them believe that man consists of two dimensions, soul and body, and although physical life ends with death, the life of the soul continues and the dead can benefit from the actions of the living.
However, their difference is based on the interpretation that Wahhabis have of verses such as verse 39 of Surah Najm: " and that nothing belongs to man except what he strives for", and traditions such as "when a person dies, his work will cease except for three things...". They deny the gainful relationship (Rābeṭeye Entefā'i) of the dead from the living, except where there is a specific text that except some cases from these verses and traditions, but the Ḥanbalis do not have such an interpretation, and not only do they not consider the verses and traditions as the reason for denying the gainful relationship of the dead, but also they believe that the traditions which narrate the gainful relationship are merely for making examples for stating the possibility of the dead to benefit from the living in all good matters.
In the issue of benefiting the living from the dead, Wahhabis consider those who believe in benefiting as deviation maker (Mobtade') or polytheists due to its type, for example, b. 'Oṡaymin considers recourse (Tawassol) to the dead to be illegitimate (Gheyre Mashru') and deviation (Bed'at), and b. Baz calls recourse to the prayers of the Prophet and supplicating (Esteghāṡeh) to the Prophet as great polytheism. The famous view of Ḥanbalism not only indicates the permissibility of recourse, intercession (Shafā'at) and supplication (Esteghāṡeh), but there are even sayings accepting the recommendation (Esteḥbāb) of these issues. This article compares the gainful relationship between the dead and the living among Wahhabis and Ḥanbalis and explains in detail why the dead do not benefit from the living from the point of view of the Wahhabis.
However, their difference is based on the interpretation that Wahhabis have of verses such as verse 39 of Surah Najm: " and that nothing belongs to man except what he strives for", and traditions such as "when a person dies, his work will cease except for three things...". They deny the gainful relationship (Rābeṭeye Entefā'i) of the dead from the living, except where there is a specific text that except some cases from these verses and traditions, but the Ḥanbalis do not have such an interpretation, and not only do they not consider the verses and traditions as the reason for denying the gainful relationship of the dead, but also they believe that the traditions which narrate the gainful relationship are merely for making examples for stating the possibility of the dead to benefit from the living in all good matters.
In the issue of benefiting the living from the dead, Wahhabis consider those who believe in benefiting as deviation maker (Mobtade') or polytheists due to its type, for example, b. 'Oṡaymin considers recourse (Tawassol) to the dead to be illegitimate (Gheyre Mashru') and deviation (Bed'at), and b. Baz calls recourse to the prayers of the Prophet and supplicating (Esteghāṡeh) to the Prophet as great polytheism. The famous view of Ḥanbalism not only indicates the permissibility of recourse, intercession (Shafā'at) and supplication (Esteghāṡeh), but there are even sayings accepting the recommendation (Esteḥbāb) of these issues. This article compares the gainful relationship between the dead and the living among Wahhabis and Ḥanbalis and explains in detail why the dead do not benefit from the living from the point of view of the Wahhabis.
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