Allaah (SWT) says in Holy Qur’anul Kareem, Muhammad (peace be upon him) in all his dealings and manners. Also, this love is an indication of the love of Allaah (SWT) as stated in the Holy Qur’an Kareem,

“Say” (O Muhammad) “if you do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

And

“Say” (O Muhammad): “Obey Allah and His Messenger. But if they turn back, Allah loves not those who reject Faith.“

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 3 Al-Imran: verses 31 & 32]

We know the Alems are the Nayeb-e-Rosul means those Alem-e-Deen, Qur’an and Sahih Hadiths following the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) should be able to be examples for the other people. That does not mean that those Alems would become “Pirs” and have the right or authority to make those people their “Murids” under “Bayah”(Oath of Allegiance). Thousands and thousands of people of Madina became the companion of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) accepted his (PBUH) faith in Islam and followed his (PBUH) religious activities, they did not become Muslims under “Bayah(oath of Allegiance)” of the Prophet (PBUH).

Hadrat Khawaja Moin Uddin Chisti (RA) has certainly been an Alem-e-Deen and certainly advised the common people the way to love the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his (PBUH) to follow him to love Allaah (SWT), but there is no way or instruction exist in the Holy Qur’an or the Prophet (PBUH) to make “Murid” ”under “Bayah”(Oath of Allegiance).

 Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an,

“Ask those who know if you know not”

[Al-Qur’an Kareem- Chapter no. 16 Al-Nahl: verse 43]

“Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allaah; for without doubt in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find satisfaction.”

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 13 Ar-Ra’d: verse 28]

The Practice of becoming a ‘Pir’ and a ‘Murid’ of a Pir by Bayah (Oath of Allegiance) has been found widespread in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in particular. In fact, nowhere in the Qur’anul Kareem and Hadiths, it is said that we have to become “Murid” of a “Pir”. The word ‘Pir’ and ‘Murid’ cannot be found either in Qur’an and or in Sunnah. Both of them are perhaps the imported words of overseas countries!

So, anybody saying, “everybody must become a “Murid of a Pir” is completely wrong. He is not talking without a valid reference. Many people may say that “Pir” means a teacher. So, you need to have a “Pir” (teacher) to learn Islam.

I personally know a ‘Pir’, who inserts his own name in Durud after the Prophet (PBUH) and gives to his ‘Murid’s and asks them day and night practice.  This way the ‘Pir’ intends to seek forgiveness of Allah (SWT), but certainly is a wrong way!

According to them:

If “Pir” means a teacher, then what is the requirement of giving Bayah (oath of allegiance) to a teacher? Do we give other ‘Bayah’ (oath of Allegiance) to all of our teachers? The answer is ‘No’.

One should have a good number of teachers i.e. in their words “Pirs” which we don’t find generally among them.

If a “Pir” is a teacher, then we require going to a “Pir of Tafseer” i.e. Mufassir to learn Qur’an, “Peer of Hadith” i.e. Muhaddith to learn Hadith, “Peer of Fiqh” i.e. Fakih to learn Fiqh and Ahkam, “Peer of History” to learn Islamic History. But, we don’t find those ‘Murid’ (students) learn separate aspects of Islam from separate ‘Pirs’(teachers) or made any ‘Bayah’ (oath of Allegiance) with them!

If the “Pir” (teacher) does not teach Islam based on Al-Qur’an Kareem and Sahih Hadiths, he should not be considered as a teacher, and we should not go to him.

Moreover, almost all “Pir” in these countries the “Pirs” and their “Murids” are involved in either major or minor Shirk or Bidah-e-saiyyah (forbidden innovation) or Haram(forbidden) acts which are in fact a blasphemous for the sincere innocent Muslims!

If anybody is involved in major ‘shirk’, then he becomes a ‘Mushrik’ and even the minor shirk is more severe than ‘haram acts’ i.e. taking drugs, drinking alcohol, doing zina etc. If anybody is involved in Bidah-e- saiyyah (prohibited innovation) then he is a ‘sinner’ too and will not get the heavenly-water of “Hawz e Kawsar” from our Prophet Mohammad (Sallallahu a’laihe wa sallam) on the “akhirah (the Day of judgement)”.

Some of the major shirks are done by many of the “Pirs & Murids” which take a person out of the fold of Islam (makes him Mushrik or Kafir) are given below:

• Believing that the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallahu a’laihe wa sallam) is also a knower of unseen (‘Alemul gayib) like Allaah subhanuhu wa ta’la.

“I tell you not that, with me are the Treasure of God, nor do I know what is hidden, nor claim I to be an angel. Nor yet Do I say, of those whom your eyes do despise that God will not grant them (All) that is good: God knoweth best; What is in their souls: I should, if I did, Indeed be a wrong-doer.”

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 11 Hud: verse 31]

• Believing that the “awlia/pir/wali Allah” are knowers of unseen (‘Alemul gayib) like Allaah subhanuhu wa ta’la!

• Believing that ‘Gaus’, ‘Kutub’ and higher ‘Waliallah‘ are helping hands of Allaah (SWT) in running the affairs of this universe!

“He rules (all) affairs From the heavens to the earth: at the end Will (all affairs) go up To Him, on a Day, The space whereof will be (As) a thousand years Of your reckoning.”                          

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no.32 As-Sajda: verse 5]

“Say: (O Muhammad PBUH) “Call upon other (gods) Whom you fancy, besides God: They have no power, Not the weight of an atom, In the heavens or on earth: No (sort of) share have they, Therein, nor is any of them A helper to God.

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 34  Saba: verse 22]

• Believing that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihe wa sallam) is alive in the worldly sense, that is, he visits us, hears us or arrives during arranged Milad mehfils and so on.

“Verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) will die and verily, they (too) will die (one day) and truly they (too) will die (too one day) In the end you (all) will, on the Day of Judgement, settle your disputes in the presence of your Lord(Allah).”

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 39 Az-Zumar: verses 30-31]

• Writing and wearing Tabiz or amulets etc:

“Whoever hangs amulet (Tabiz etc) commits shirk.”

– Musnad Ahmad 4/156, Al Hysami and Mazmaul Zawaid.

• Making dua to the prophets, awlias, saints and so on to obtain something:

“And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allaah (SWT), to any other ilâh (God), of whom he has no authority, therefore, and his reckoning is only will be with his Lord! And verily! The unbeliever will fail to win through!.”

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 23 Al-Muminoon: verse 117]

• Calling the Pir in his absence to help in a disaster or to solve problems:

“Say (O Muhammad SAW): “It is Allah that delivers you from these and all (other) distresses, and yet you worship false gods!” 

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 6 Al-Anaam: verse 64]

• Trying to get barakah (goodness) from the graves of the prophets / previous pirs, awlias etc:

 “Say (O Muhammad SAW): “I possess no power over any good or hurt to myself except as Allah wills”.

[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 7 Al-Araf: verse 188]

• Believing Hadrat Abdul Kadir Zilani can help inside their grave!

• Calling Hadrat Abdul Kadir Zilani as “Dostogir”. (The person who held the hands of Allaah (SWT)

• Believing in the power of already “dead Pirs” who can harm us on this earth if he gets angry with us.

“Is not Allah Sufficient for His slaves? But they try to frighten you with others (God’s) besides Him! For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be no guide.”   [Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 39 Az–Zuamr:  verse 36]

• Loving the Pir more than or as much as Allaah (SWT)!

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as equal (to Allaah). They love them as they should love Allah. But those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah! If only the unrighteous could see, they would see the punishment: that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will strongly enforce the punishment.”          
[Al-Qur’an Kareem – Chapter no. 2 Al-Baqarah : verse 165]

• Making tawaf (surrounding) alongside the grave of the earlier ‘Pir’ (“Dada Pir or Grand Dada Pir”).

• Praying salat or reciting Al Qur’an in or around the grave of a ‘Pir’ so that ‘ibadah’ is accepted quicker and “Pir” will be happy upon him.

It was narrated that he (peace and blessings of Allaah (SWT) be upon him) said:

“May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.”

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said,

“He was warning against what they had done.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1330, Muslim, 529).

“Do not offer your Salat facing the grave”

(Hadiths : Sahih Muslim, Vol: 2, page:668; Nasai 2/62; Musnad Ahmad 4/135)

• Sacrificing animals in the name of a Pir to satisfy him on different occasions.

• Believing that man can be a part of Allaah Himself in the higher status of “Pir Career”. They take “Ibn Arabee” or “Masur Hallaz” as a great Muslim who declared himself Murtad (Kafir) by all his contemporary scholars from all Madhaabs. He called himself “Anal Haqq” (I am the Truth (meaning Allah himself)

The Bidah and Haram activities normally practised by Pirs are:

• Innovated durud, religious festivals.
  
• Making structures over the graves:

In al-Saheehayn it is also narrated that Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah (may Allah be pleased with them) told the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said about a church that they had seen in the land of Abyssinia, and the images that were in it.

He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“When a righteous man died among them, they would build a place of worship over his grave and put those images in it. They are the evilest of mankind before Allah.”

[Bukhaari, 427; Muslim, 528)

• Celebrating Milad Mehfils, Eid e Miladun Nabi etc.

• Celebrating or doing ‘Urus’. (either birthday or death anniversary of the senior Pirs.)

Very recently a person confessed that he has a “Murshid” as well as a “Pir”. It might give him the deeper scope of thinking about the said ‘teachers’  ‘Murshid’ and ‘Pir’ than Allaah (SWT)!

May Allaah (SWT) give the man to love Allaah (SWT) deeper and deeper!

Zazakallaah Khair

Allah subhanuhu wa ta’la Knows the best.