Salafi Thoughts of Ibn Qayyim Jawziyyah؛ Review and Criticism

Salafism is one of the active and effective contemporary movements that considers referring back to Salaf –es- Salih as a solution for the decadence of Islam. This movement, having its roots in the school of radical literalist and pro- Hadith exegesis, was revived by Ibn Taymiyyah. After  Ibn Taymiyyah it was pursued and well established by his disciple Shams -ud-Deen Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Ayyub Zar’i known as Ibn Qayyim Jawziyyah. Ibn Qayyim, being Ibn Taymiyyah^, s disciple for 16 years, was deeply influenced by his thoughts. Following Salafi school in theology and exegesis, he believes that interpreting religious texts is just valid based on the Aghwal (sayings) of Salaf. As a result, a lot of theological, philosophical, spiritual and scientific findings that could not be traced back to the Aghwal (sayings) of Salaf have been considered as unacceptable by him. In this thesis along with quoting Ibn Qayyim^, s Salafi Fatwas on issues like Towheed (monotheism), Shirk (polytheism), Istighatha (supplication), Tawassol (appealing), etc., the problem of graves and its supplements such as going on pilgrimage, mosque, building shrines on the graves, etc. which is the main pretext for contemporary Salafis and Wahhabis to excommunicate and massacre the other Muslims has been surveyed, challenged and criticized. Finally we concluded that Ibn Qayyim who established Ibn Taymiyyah^, s thoughts has failed to define Towheed (monotheism) and Shirk (polytheism), especially monotheism of worshiping, mistaking Towheed for Ibadah (worshiping). As a result he has considered the worshiping of other Muslims as not being done for God, believing that these people are heretic and polytheist, while firstly Towheed (monotheism) never means worshiping, secondly worshiping itself does not mean just humility and modesty, it also requires a humble person to believe in the creativity, divinity and ownership of the one toward which he shows humility. In conclusion, this kind of worshiping not only has nothing in contradiction with Towheed, but also is in the same direction.