The alleged superiority of Islam over Christianity [Part 2]
Table of Contents
The alleged superiority of Islam over Christianity
Analyzing Jalal Abualrubs Response to an Arab Christian
[Part 2]
We resume our analysis of Abualrubs claims. He says:
All what Christians can bring are statements by people who came after Jesus, who never met Jesus and who can never quote a single statement from Jesus or any other prophet before him- affirming either partially or totally the creed they invented.
He will repeat this again:
All what Christians bring are interpretations of vague biblical texts, none of which is in its original form or language, and claims that these texts mean this or that, without clear evidence.
RESPONSE:
To begin with, there is nothing vague about the overwhelming biblical evidence supporting essential Christian doctrines such as the blessed Trinity, the Deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ etc., apart from Abualrubs Islamic presuppositions which cannot allow the Holy Bible to speak regarding these matters without distorting it.
Furthermore, these Divinely revealed doctrines are not simply based on interpretations or translations but on the basis of the very original languages which the Holy Bible was written in. A careful examination of the original languages of the Holy Scriptures provides further support, not less, for these Divinely inspired truths.
Moreover, note Abualrubs glaring inconsistency at this point. He earlier cited Mark 12:29-30 as the words of Jesus and yet he now wants to call into question the integrity and veracity of these very same documents that he himself cites to prove his position!
Whats even more disturbing and dishonest about Abualrubs statements is that he stakes his entire beliefs on the testimony of a man born approximately five hundred and seventy years after the birth of our Lord, a man who never met Jesus or his companions, who was far removed from the time of Christ in the first century, and who didnt even speak the language of Jesus or his followers!
And contrary to Abualrubs assertions, the NT documents are based on the eyewitness testimony of those who knew Christ personally and who had been commissioned by him to preach his Good News:
"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered TO US BY THOSE WHO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WERE EYEWITNESSES and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent The-oph'ilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed." Luke 1:1-4; cf. Acts 1:1-15
"But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning." John 15:26-27
"But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness -- his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth -- that you also may believe." John 19:34-35
"This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and WE know that his testimony is true." John 21:24
"YOU KNOW THE WORD which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And WE ARE WITNESSES to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." Acts 10:36-43
"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, BUT WE WERE EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, WE HEARD THIS VOICE borne from heaven, for WE WERE WITH HIM on the holy mountain." 2 Peter 1:16-18
"That which was from the beginning, WHICH WE HAVE HEARD, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN WITH OUR EYES, WHICH WE HAVE LOOKED UPON AND TOUCHED WITH OUR HANDS, concerning the word of life -- the life was made manifest, AND WE SAW IT, AND TESTIFY TO IT, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father AND WAS MADE MANIFEST TO US THAT WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD WE PROCLAIM ALSO TO YOU, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:1-3
As far as Paul is concerned, there is ample evidence supporting his conversion and encounter with the risen Lord. For instance, Jesus didnt simply appear to Paul but also to a disciple named Ananias whom he sent to baptize Paul:
"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, he replied. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, 'Ananias! Yes, Lord, he answered. The Lord told him, Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. IN A VISION HE HAS SEEN A MAN NAMED ANANIAS COME AND PLACE HIS HANDS ON HIM TO RESTORE HIS SIGHT. Lord, Ananias answered, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name. But the Lord said to Ananias, Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name. Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God." Acts 9:3-20
"Brethren and fathers, hear the defense which I now make before you. And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet. And he said: I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cili'cia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gama'li-el, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brethren, and I journeyed to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And I answered, "Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, "I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting." Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, "What shall I do, Lord?" And the Lord said to me, "Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do." And when I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. And one Anani'as, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, "Brother Saul, receive your sight." And in that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, "The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name."" Acts 22:1-16
It should be obvious why Jesus appeared to Ananias after having appeared to Paul. By appearing and sending Ananias to Paul, Jesus was giving confirmation that what Saul had seen wasnt a deception or the figment of his overactive imagination. After all, individuals normally do not have the same dream or vision where they receive messages independently from one another so as to verify each others experiences. And:
"Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?" 1 Corinthians 9:1
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, MOST OF WHOM ARE STILL ALIVE, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Furthermore, the other Apostles such as Peter confirmed Pauls Apostleship and gave him the right hand of fellowship:
"And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him." Acts 9:26-29
"For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not mans gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lords brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cili'cia. And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; they only heard it said, He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they glorified God because of me." Galatians 1:11-24
"Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up by revelation; and I laid before them (but privately before those who were of repute) the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. But because of false brethren secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage -- to them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who were reputed to be something (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) -- those, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me; but on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for the mission to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles), and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised; only they would have us remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do." Galatians 2:1-10
It must be kept in mind that, for the most part, the NT books are documents written by different authors at different times which circulated independently from one another. Therefore, these documents serve as independent witnesses that provide multiple attestation for the events they record. This is unlike the Quran which, at least according to the standard Muslim view, came through one man.
God also supplied Paul with supernatural miracles and visions to confirm his apostleship:
"For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ," Romans 15:18-19
"The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works." 2 Corinthians 12:12
In order to show why these statements by Paul are quite significant one must remember that these epistles were written to his contemporaries who had the means of verifying whether Pauls claims to the miraculous were true or not. Thus, if Paul were lying about performing signs and wonders he would have been easily exposed by the very people he was writing to, especially by those who were already antagonistic towards him and wanted nothing more than to discredit him.
This also holds true for the other Apostles and writers since they presented their message to contemporaries, many of whom were hostile to the movement, who knew that what the Christians were proclaiming was true since they themselves had witnessed firsthand what Jesus had said and done. Note, for example, the following statements:
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him IN YOUR MIDST, AS YOU YOURSELVES KNOW -- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." Acts 2:22-24
"To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles. And as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are mad; your great learning is turning you mad. But Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. FOR THE KING KNOWS ABOUT THESE THINGS, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner." Acts 26:22-26
Hence, the writers of the NT were in a position to accurately preserve and pass on the words and deeds of Christ since they were either eyewitnesses to these events or personally knew of those who witnessed these events firsthand.
Now contrast this with what the Quran says about Muhammads inability to do any miracles:
And nothing could have hindered Us that We should send signs except that the ancients rejected them; and We gave to Samood the she-camel -- a manifest sign -- but on her account they did injustice, and We do not send signs but to make (men) fear. S. 17:59 Shakir
And they say: Why are not signs sent down upon him from his Lord? Say: The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a plain warner. Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to you the Book which is recited to them? Most surely there is mercy in this and a reminder for a people who believe. S. 29:50-51
These references emphatically deny that Muhammad performed any supernatural signs apart from the Quran, which was intended to be all that was needed to verify Muhammads prophetic claims. What makes this denial rather amusing is that the Quran is believed to be a document composed during the time of Muhammad, which means that Muhammad wouldnt be able to get away with claiming to be able to do miracles if in fact he couldnt produce any signs or wonders. After all, his contemporaries would have exposed him as a fraud for claiming to be able to do one thing but failing to deliver the goods. In other words, Muhammad was forced to explain to his contemporaries why he didnt bring any miracles since he knew he was unable to perform any.
In light of the foregoing, it isnt at all surprising that it isnt until more than a century after Muhammad death that we find Muslims composing miracle stories of their prophet. At this time, the hostile witnesses were all dead and the Muslims were in control and governed most of the Middle East and could therefore write whatever they wanted without anyone contesting it.
Despite the clear testimony of the Quran to the contrary, Abualrub tries to deceive the Arab Christian by claiming that the Quran mentions some of Muhammads miracles:
The Quran praises Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, more than it praises any other prophet and mentions some of the miracles he performed, by Allahs permission, that are greater than the miracles Prophet Esa performed, by Allahs permission. Example: the splitting of the moon witnessed by the Makkans and surrounding towns [as al-Bukhari reported]: {
The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder
}; [54:1].
Anyone reading Sura 54:1 would never conclude from it that this is referring to an alleged miracle of Muhammad. In fact, there are several problems with claiming that it does. First, this contradicts Sura 29:48-51 which says that the Quran is sufficient as a sign, or miracle, from God. If Muhammad needed to provide a miracle in addition to the Quran then this only serves to falsify his own statement regarding the Qurans sufficiency. Second, the Quranic text doesnt give us any data whereby to connect this with the story found in the hadith that the moon was split during Muhammads time. It is vague and can refer to any incident, whether before, during or after Muhammads time. After all, even Muslims admit that the text may in fact be referring to a future incident, a sign to occur during the Day of Judgment:
AS RAZI points out, the first verse of this surah appears almost like a continuation of the last verses of the preceding one, especially 53: 57 "that [Last Hour] which is so near draws ever nearer" -: and so we may assume that both were revealed at approximately the same time, i.e., towards the end of the early part (perhaps the fourth year) of Muhammads prophethood
Most of the commentators see in this verse a reference to a phenomenon said to have been witnessed by several of the Prophets contemporaries. As described in a number of reports going back to some Companions, the moon appeared one night as if split into two distinct parts. While there is no reason to doubt the subjective veracity of these reports, it is possible that what actually happened was an unusual kind of partial lunar eclipse, which produced an equally unusual optical illusion. But whatever the nature of that phenomenon, it is practically certain that the above Quran-verse DOES NOT REFER TO IT but, rather, TO A FUTURE EVENT: namely, to what will happen when the Last Hour approaches. (The Quran frequently employs the past tense to denote the future, and particularly so in passages which speak of the coming of the Last Hour and of Resurrection Day; this use of the past tense is meant to stress the certainty of the happening to which the verb relates.) Thus, Raghib regards it as fully justifiable to interpret the phrase inshaqqa l-qamar ("the moon is split asunder") as bearing on the cosmic cataclysm - the end of the world as we know it - that will occur before the coming of Resurrection Day (see art. shaqq in the Mufradat). As mentioned by Zamakhshari, this interpretation has the support of some of the earlier commentators; and it is, to my mind, particularly convincing in view of the juxtaposition, in the above Quran-verse, of the moons "splitting asunder" and the approach of the Last Hour. (In this connection we must bear in mind the fact that none of the Quranic allusions to the "nearness" of the Last Hour and the Day of Resurrection is based on the human concept of "time".)
(Muhammad Asad, Message of the Qur'an [Dar Al-Andalus Limited 3 Library Ramp, Gibraltar rpt. 1993], p. 818, fn. 1; online source; capital and underline emphasis ours)
Third, instead of this verse referring to an actual historical event, with details being provided later on by the Muslims, it is more likely that the story found in the hadith was fabricated around this passage. In other words, Muslims decided to forge narrations asserting that Muhammad caused the moon to split as a sign to the unbelievers so as to connect it with this Quranic verse.
For more on Muhammad not being able to perform signs and wonders please read the following piece: http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Azmy/mhd_miracles.htm
No two Christian sects can ever agree on the details of any part of the Christian creed Yet, even on these vague biblical texts that are interpreted at will to mean whatever various Christian sects wish them to mean, no two Christian sects totally agree on their meaning or on any other aspect of Christianity, including trinity and the nature of Jesus. Each Christian sect declares that theirs and theirs alone- is the true Christian faith and the true interpretation of biblical texts.
RESPONSE:
Abualrub deliberately distorts and exaggerates the differences between the major branches of historic, conservative Christianity. Conservative Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants agree in their official teachings on the following:
- The doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
- The Hypostatic Union of Christ.
- The virginal conception and birth of the Lord Jesus from the virgin maiden Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Christs crucifixion and death for sinners.
- The physical, bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus on the third day and his ascension into heaven.
- The physical, bodily return of Christ to the earth.
- The Divine Personhood of the Holy Spirit.
- The inspiration, inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Bible.
- Gods grace is primary and necessary for salvation.
- The general resurrection of the dead.
- The Day of Judgment.
- Eternal life and fellowship with God as well as eternal conscious torment (hell).
This is not to deny that there are major differences between these groups, i.e. the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures, is justification by faith alone or by faith and works etc. Yet these differences do not undermine the fact that there is considerable amount of agreement regarding what the Holy Bible teaches.
Moreover, all the conservative, mainline Christian denominations affirm and subscribe to the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed.
The most disturbing aspect of Abualrubs "rebuttals" and "scholarly" materials is the rather blatant hypocrisy and dishonesty found in many of them. Take, for instance, his claim that no two Christian sects agree on the details of the Christian Creed, which presupposes that all the diverse Muslim sects are in complete agreement regarding Abualrubs Islamic creed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
For instance, Muhammad is supposed to have predicted that the Muslims would be divided into seventy-three sects, only one of which would be saved:
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The Jews were split up into seventy-one or seventy-two sects; and the Christians were split up into seventy one or seventy-two sects; and my community will be split up into seventy-three sects.(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 40, Number 4579)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: There will befall my Ummah exactly (all those) evils which befell the people of Isra'il, so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly committed fornication with his mother there will be among my Ummah one who will do that, and if the people of Isra'il were fragmented into seventy-two sects my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect. They (the Companions) said: Allah's Messenger, which is that? Whereupon he said: It is one to which I and my companions belong.
Transmitted by Tirmidhi.(Tirmidhi Hadith, Number 56; ALIM CD-ROM Version)
Hence, the vast majority of Muslims will end up in hell according to Muhammad!
And just to illustrate some of the major differences that exist between these sects all one has to do is compare the beliefs of Abualrubs cult regarding the nature of Allah. Abualrub belongs to a group that calls itself Salafis who believe that Allah actually has hands, feet, shins, a face etc., even though these characteristics are unlike anything in creation. In other words, Abualrubs sect believes that Allah has a body of some kind which is unlike any other body in all creation! Note what the following Salafi source claims:
[1] All that has been revealed in Allah's Book [the Qur'an] as regards the [Sifat] Qualities of Allah, the Most High,- like His Face, Eyes, Hands, Shins, (Legs), His Coming, His Istawa (rising over) His Throne and others; His Qualities or all that Allah's Messenger... qualified Him in the true authentic Prophet's Ahadith (narrations) as regards His Qualities like [Nuzul His Descent or His laughing and others etc. The religious scholars of the Qur'an and the Sunna believe in these Qualities of Allah and they confirm that these are really His Qualities, without Ta'wil (interpreting their meanings into different things etc.) or Tashbih (giving resemblance or similarity to any of the creatures) or Ta'til (i.e. completely ignoring or denying them i.e. there is no Face, or Eyes or Hands, or Shins etc. for Allah). These Qualities befit or suit only Allah Alone, and He does not resemble any of (His) creatures. As Allah's Statements (in the Qur'an): (1) "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" (V.42:11). (2) There is none comparable unto Him (V.112:4).
(Al-Imam Zain-ud-Din Ahmad bin Abdul Lateef Az-Zubaidi, The Translation of the Meanings of Summarized Sahih Al-Bukhari Arabic-English, Translated by: Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan [Maktaba Dar-us-Salam Publishers & Distributors, Riyadh Saudi Arabia], p. 842; bold emphasis ours)
The next Muslim author, after mentioning those who seek the face of Allah, writes:
Meaning they want to see Allah's face (because that is the greatest pleasure for the people of Paradise). The Qur'an and the Sunnah affirm that Allah has a face, two hands, fingers, and two eyes. Some people deny these attributes because they incorrectly suppose that by affirming them they are humanizing Allah. Such an argument is only valid for those who would say, for example, "Allah has hands like ours (?)" Such a statement is not allowed because it qualifies Allah's attributes without evidence from the Qur'an or the Sunnah. It would also be in contradiction to the Qur'anic verse: <There is nothing that is like Him, and He is The Ever-Hearing, The Ever-Seeing>. Thus we must affirm the attributes that Allah, and/or his Messenger have affirmed; we must believe that these attributes befit the Magnificence, and Glory of Allah; and we are not allowed to qualify these attributes unless Allah, and/or his Messenger have done so for us.
(Waleed K.S. Al-Essa, Authentic Supplications Of the Prophet [A Daar of Islamic Heritage Publication, P.O. Box 831415, Miami, FL. 33283, 1993], p. 59, n. 145; underline emphasis ours)
Suffice it to say, not all Muslims agree with this conception of Allah and many have even labeled Abualrubs cult "anthropomorphists".
Moreover, Sufi Muslims and Shias believe that one can ask departed Muslim saints such as their prophet to intercede for them since they believe that these dead individuals are alive in what they call Barzakh and can therefore hear the invocations made to them. This practice is known as tawassul:
http://www.ummah.net/Al_adaab/tawas_nuh.html
http://www.ummah.net/Al_adaab/aqeedah/istighaatha.html
http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/questions/QA00000140.aspx
http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/questions/QA00002164.aspx
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4767&CATE=24
Abualrub and his Salafi cultists condemn such a practice as idolatry and have no hesitation to speak out against any Muslim who endorses it.
In fact, here is what Abualrubs Muslim brothers, the Salafis, have to say about the other Muslim sects:
SUFISM-THE DEVIATED PATH
Sufism (Tasawwuf) was not known in the time of the Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) or his Companions, nor was it well known in the first three generations after them. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) praised when he said, "The best of mankind is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them
Answering Islam – Sam Shamoun Theology Newsletter
Join the newsletter to receive the latest updates in your inbox.