The Sixteenth Flash

CONCLUSION

Today I received a letter from Refet BeyRefet Barutçu, one of the foremost students of Bediuzzaman.. In response to his question concerning the blessed hairs of the Prophet’s beard (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), the Lihya-i SharīfThe Sacred Beard; a revered relic consisting of hairs from the beard of Prophet Muhammad (saw), preserved and honoured by Muslims as a sign of love and respect for him., I say the following:

On the basis of narrations, it is established that the number of hairs that fell from the blessed beard of the Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him) was limited—perhaps thirty or forty, or fifty or sixty. Yet in thousands of places there are hairs regarded as being from his blessed beard. This once occupied my mind deeply.

Then the thought occurred to me that the Lihya-i SharīfThe Sacred Beard; a revered relic consisting of hairs from the beard of Prophet Muhammad (saw), preserved and honoured by Muslims as a sign of love and respect for him. does not consist only of the hairs of his beard.

Whenever the blessed head of the Prophet was shaved, the SahābahThe Companions of Prophet Muhammad (saw); Muslims who met him, believed in him, and died as Muslims., who did not wish anything belonging to him to be lost, carefully preserved those luminous and blessed hairs. They numbered in the thousands; they may correspond to the number now present.

Later I asked myself:

Is it established for every hair found in a mosque, by a reliable chain of transmission, that it is truly a hair of the Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), so that visiting it may be considered justified?

Then the thought suddenly occurred to me that visiting those hairs is a means of invoking blessings upon the Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), and a source of reverence and love.

With a means, the matter is not what it is in itself, but the function it performs. It is therefore not necessary to establish with absolute certainty that a hair truly comes from the Blessed Beard, so long as it is regarded as such and fulfils that function—namely, awakening reverence, devotion, and the recitation of salawātPrayers asking Allah to bestow blessings and peace upon Prophet Muhammed (pbuh).. It is sufficient that there is no decisive proof demonstrating the contrary. For the general acceptance of the ummahThe worldwide Muslim community. itself has the force of a proof.

Although some pious people may raise objections in such matters—out of piety, caution, or the pursuit of the highest religious ideal—their objection is personal. Even if they were to call it a bidahA religious innovation not prescribed by the Qur’an or the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), it falls under the category of a good bidahA religious innovation not prescribed by the Qur’an or the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), a bidah-i hasanah“Commendable religious innovation”; a new religious practice considered beneficial and consistent with the principles of Islam, without contradicting the Qur’an or Sunnah., because it is a means to the recitation of salawātPrayers asking Allah to bestow blessings and peace upon Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)..

In his letter, Refet BeyRefet Barutçu, one of the foremost students of Bediuzzaman. writes: “This matter has become a subject of discussion among the brothers.”

I advise my brothers not to engage in discussions that may lead to division or discord. Let their conversations among themselves remain limited to a calm exchange of thoughts, without dispute or polemic.