In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…
Over the past year, we have documented the teachings of controversial American preacher Yusuf Estes (may Allah guide him) which violate the basic teachings of Islam. From the most offensive of those errors are the ones promoting the rhetoric of the early Jahmiyyah cults who said that the writing in the mus-haf is not the Quran, and that it merely “represents” the Quran.
As reported, this is exactly what Yusuf Estes teaches, word-for-word:
You can’t hold Quran in your hand, cause it means “recitation.” It means that which is being recited. Of course when we write down the sound, we say: “This is Quran,” but what we mean is: What is written here represents the Quran…
…When you write down Quran, it represents the sound. But not until you hear the sound is it Quran.
Source: A lecture by Yusuf Estes delivered in Sydney, Australia, entitled: Muslim Christian Dialogue: The Ultimate Triumph, uploaded to YouTube on February 8, 2012. This passage occurs at 24 minutes into the recording. [YouTube link]
People who attempt to defend Yusuf Estes in falsehood say, “But Sheikh Yusuf has referred to the written mus-haf as the Quran many times.” The response is from Yusuf Estes himself (from the quote above), let us allow him to explain what he MEANS when he SAYS that:
Of course when we write down the sound, we SAY: “This is Quran,” but what we MEAN is: What is written here represents the Quran…
We have documented a number of different lectures over the past ten years where Yusuf Estes repeats and confirms this understanding again and again. These clearly video-documented violations of basic Muslims beliefs can be verified by viewing them here.
In a recent article, we have also shown how Yusuf Estes teaches that the Quran is actually “gone” when you finish reciting it!
Now we have come to know of even more incriminating evidence that further supports the body of our findings here. In an article on his “IslamNewsRoom” website, Yusuf Estes writes (just two days ago):
When the people failed in their duty, it was made necessary for the Holy Qur’an to come into existence in order to correct the teachings that were changed.
Source: Bible – A Closer Look by Yusuf Estes, published on the “IslamNewsRoom” website on August 7, 2013. This screenshot was accessed August 9, 2013.
To outline one of the main distinctions between the beliefs of the Muslims of Ahlus-Sunnah and the disbelief of the Jahmiyyah cults, the following easy comparison can help:
- Ahlus-Sunnah: The Quran is the Speech of Allah, one of His Attributes, not created.
- The Jahmiyyah: The Quran is created, and thus it came into existence at a certain point.
What the Early Scholars Said About This Concept
The early scholars of Islam were united in identifying this Jahmee concept as disbelief, outside of Islam.
A man said to the great scholar of the second century, al-Fudhayl ibn ‘Iyaadh (d.187):
من زعم أن القرآن محدث فقد كفر
Anyone who assumes the Quran is muhdath (something that came into existence) has disbelieved.
Al-Fudhayl said:
صدقت
You have spoken truthfully.
Reference: Kitaab al-‘Uluww lil-‘Aliyy al-‘Atheem (no. 364) of ath-Thahabee.
Another great scholar of the same era, Wakee’ ibn al-Jarraah (d.197) was asked about someone who says the Quran is muhdath (something that came into existence). He replied:
سبحان الله هذا كفر
Glorified be Allah! That is disbelief!
Source: Kitaab As-Sunnah of ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal (1/115).
Later, the great scholar, Ibn Khuzaymah (d.311) would identify this as the united position of all the scholars he ever met from the East to the West, saying:
القرآن كلام الله ووحيه وتنزيله، غير مخلوق، ومن قال: إن القرآن أو شيئاً منه ومن وحيه وتنزيله مخلوق… أو يقول: إن القرآن محدث، أو يقول: إن شيئاً من صفات الله – صفات الذات – أو اسماً من أسماء الله مخلوق، فهو عندي جهمي يستتاب، فإن تاب، وإلا ضربت عنقه، هذا مذهبي ومذهب من رأيت من أهل الأثر في الشرق والغرب من أهل العلم.
The Quran is the Speech of Allah, His Revelation that He sent down. It is not created. Anyone who says that the Quran (entirely), or any part of it, like its revelation, is created… or says that the Quran is muhdath (something that came into existence), or that any of His Attributes or Names are created, he is a Jahmee (one of the Jahmiyyah) whose repentance is sought. If he does not repent, I would subject him to capital punishment. This is my position and the position of all the scholars from Ahlul-Athar (a reference to Ahlus-Sunnah) I have seen from the East to the West.
Source: Al-Haakim’s Taareekh Naysaaboor, as quoted by Ibn Taymiyyah in Dar’ Ta’aarudh al-‘Aql wan-Naql (2/79).
The Natural Effects of Mixing With the People of Innovation
As we reported previously, Yusuf Estes heavily promotes the open Sufi-Ash’ari Suhaib Webb and enjoys an ongoing partnership with him in da’wah, saying openly:
We are all on the same page when it comes to bringing the message to our youth and non-Muslims.
Source: New Alliance – Yusuf Estes and Suhaib Webb, see also: Promoting Suhaib Webb’s Easter Interfaith Dialogue.
Suhaib Webb surely supports Yusuf Estes in all these misguided teachings about the Quran – that what we have is not the Quran itself, it only represents the real Quran with Allah, that the Quran came into existence, etc., as these are the exact beliefs of today’s Ash’aris inherited from their ancestors of the Jahmiyyah cults, and not the beliefs of the Muslims of Ahlus-Sunnah.
So just as Yusuf Estes mixes with the Shiites and studies under their scholars [click here for proof], and this naturally produces love for them and a desire to promote and defend them [example]; Yusuf Estes may very well have adopted his misunderstandings about the Quran from the Ash’aris he mixes with, the likes of Suhaib Webb.
For those who would like more information about the Ash’ari beliefs about the Quran being brought into existence and their opposition to the pure beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah, please visit the following detailed article:
Did the Salaf Believe ‘The Qur’an Came into Existence From Non-Existence’? by Amjad Rafiq
And the following resource is tremendously helpful in matters related to the modern Ash’aris and the points of religious confusion and doubts they spread:
Final Advice
Please be warned of the dangerous teachings of disbelief being spread by Yusuf Estes. Educate yourself by browsing the informative content here at YusufEstesQuran.com, or by reading the following e-book:
Yusuf Estes and the Quran
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
rev.MG.QM
UPDATE: Today (Sept. 10, 2013) the article, “Bible – A Closer Look”, as found on the IslamNewsRoom website, was republished, including the same statement, that the Quran came into existence. May Allah guide Yusuf Estes.
