THE FOLLOWING OF HAWAA IN THE PREVIOUS RELIGIONS

The following of hawaa in matters pertaining to religion and worship is more grievous and serious than the following of hawaa in matters of ordinary worldly desires. The first of these is the condition of those who became kuffar from the Christians and the Jews and the polytheists, as Allah said about them:

[And so, if they do not answer your call, know that they only follow their own hawaa, and who is more astray than the one who follows his own hawaa without guidance from Allah, and Allah does not guide those who oppress.] Qur’an 28/50

And, in another verse, Allah said:

[(Allah) gives to you an analogy from your own selves: Do you have, among that which your right hands possess (i.e. slaves) any partners in that which Allah has given you such that they are equal to you. You fear them as you fear one another. Thus, we explain the signs to a people who understand. No, those who oppress follow their hawaa without knowledge. Then, who will guide the one who Allah sends astray, and they have no helpers.] Qur’an 30/28-29

And Allah said in another verse:

[(Allah) has explained for you that which you have been forbidden in all except cases of absolute necessity. Verily, many go astray via (following) their own hawaa and without knowledge, and verily Allah is most knowledgeable of the violators.] Qur’an 6/119.

And, in another verse, Allah said:

[Say: O, people of the book, do not introduce excesses into your deen which are not of the truth. And do not follow the hawaa of a people who have already gone astray. They have led many people astray, and have themselves become lost from the straight path.] Qur’an 5/77.

And, Allah said:

[The Jews and the Christians will never be satisfied with you until you follow their traditions and ways. Say: verily, the guidance of Allah, that is the guidance. And if you follow their hawaa even after the knowledge which has come to you, you will have no protector nor any helper against Allah.] Qur’an 2/120.“

And, again in Sura Al-Baqarah, Allah said:

[And, if you follow their hawaa after the knowledge which has come to you, verily, you are of the oppressors.] Qur’an 2/145.

Allah said:

[And judge between them with what Allah has sent down, and do not follow their hawaa and beware of them lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has sent down to you.] Qur’an 5/49.

Thus whoever goes outside the dictates of the Qur’an and the Sunnah – among those who are called “scholars” or “worshippers” are known as the people of hawaa, just as the salaf, may Allah have mercy on them, used to refer to them as “Ahlu -l-hawaa) i.e. the people of hawaa.

This is because anyone who has not followed the knowledge has followed his hawaa. What’s more, knowledge of the deen (way, or religion) does not come about except through the guidance of Allah with which He sent His Prophet (sas). Thus, Allah said:

[And, verily many of them go astray by (following) their own hawaa and without knowledge.] Qur’an 6/119.

Allah said in another place:

[Who is farther astray then the one who follows his own hawaa without guidance from Allah.] Qur’an 28/50.