If someone can understand that this Bishr was a Kafir and how the Salaf – very clearly and with unambiguous evidences – addressed him and named him as such – despite him being a scholar, despite him being the author of several books, despite him being appointed by the so-called caliph of the time – they should be able to understand that it is quite possible that others who are less than him and who are even more worthless than him can be kuffar too.
His name was Abu AbdirRahman Bishr ibn Giyath ibn Abi Karima al Marisi al Baghdadi.
His date of birth is not known but has to be before 140/757, on the basis that he was around eighty years old when he died in Baghdad in 218/833 or 219/834. His place of birth is not known, although Bishr’s father was said to have been a Jew who worked as a fuller and dyer in Kufa and Baghdad. After their conversion to Islam they have become mawla of Zayd b. al-Khattab, radhiAllahu anhu. He lived in the western quarter of Bagdad, in the Darb al-Maris, from which he took his nisba.
Besides having studied under Abu Hanifa (d. 150/767) for a short period (see Abu-l-Hasenat Muaammad ʿAbd al-Hay b. Muhammad ʿAbd al-Halim al-Laknawi, al-Fawaʾid al-bahiyyah fi tarajim al-Hanefiyyah 54; al-Kasani, ʿAla al-Din Abu Bakr b. Masʿud al-Kasani, Badaʾiʿ al-sanaʾiʿ fi tartib al-sharaʾiʿ 1:462), Bishr al-Marisi was educated mainly by Qadhi Abu Yusuf. He studied fiqh under Abu Yusuf, who made him one of his close associates because of Bishr’s talent in fiqh. Although he held some opinions of his own, he was counted among the followers of the Hanafi school.
He also heard ahadith from the scholars of his time, like Hammad b. Salama and Sufyan bin Uyainah. He also travelled to Basra, Mekkah and Madinah to seek knowledge.
Bishr al-Marisi played a significant role in the cultural life of Al-Maʾmun’s era. He was in the so-called Caliph Al-Maʾmun’s consultation assembly and had a massive contribution in the adoption and implementation of the idea of createdness of the Qurʾān by the so-called caliph. (see Ibn Abi Tahir, Kitabu Baghdad 36; Ibn Kathir, ʿImad al-Din Abu-l-Feda’ Ismaʿil b. ʿUmar Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa-l-nehaya 10: 301, 308)
| as Saymiri said: “And from the companions of Abu Yusuf in particular Bishr ibn Ghiyath al Marisi, and he has a lot of narrations from Abu Yusuf. And he was from the Ahl’u Wara’* and Zuhd**.” (Akhbar Abi Hanifah wa Ashabah, pg. 162) |
* Waraʿ means piety. It is a spiritual state which protects the soul and keeps it away from slipping. Wara’ is a position higher than taqwa where a person avoids doubtful issues and even permissible actions which may lead to sins.
** Zuhd means asceticism. Even though a Muslim is permitted to enjoy fully whatever unforbidden pleasure Allah ta’ala bestows on him, Islam nevertheless encourages and praises those who shun luxury in favour of a simple and pious life.
| And Ibn al-Nadim said: “He was a pious and religious scholar of Kalam.” Then he narrated that Al-Balkhi said: “It was said about his Wara’ (piety) that he would not have intercourse with his wife at night for fear of suspicion. And he would only marry women who were ten years younger than him – out of fear that she might be his daughter from breastfeeding.” |
The books that are attributed to Bishr in the sources – none of which have survived, alhamdulillah – are as follows
- al Hujaj
- Kitab at Tawhid
- al ‘Irja
- ar Radd ala’l Khawarij
- ar Radd ala’r Rafidha
- al Ma’rifah
- al Istita’a
- al Wa’id
- Kufr al Mushabbiha
The Salaf Ijma that Bishr al Marisi was a kafir
Despite this rather impressive curriculum vitae the Salaf and scholars of his time had Ijma (agreed upon) that Bishr al Marisi was a kafir.
| According to Lalakai these scholars considered him to be a kafir:Sufyan ibn Uyainah‘Abdullah ibn al-MubarakAbbad ibn al-Awwam‘Ali ibn ‘AsimYahya ibn Sa’id‘Abd-ar-Rahman ibn MahdiWaki’ Abu al-Nadr Hashim ibn al-QasimShabbaba ibn Sawaral-Aswad ibn AmirYazid ibn HarunBishr ibn al-WalidYusuf ibn al-TabbaSulayman bin Hasan ash ShamiMuhammad ibn `Ubayd al-Tanafasi and his brother Ya`lah`Abd-ar-Razzaq ibn HamamAbu Qatada al-Harani`Abd-al-Malik ibn `Abdal-Aziz al-MajishunMuhammad ibn Yusuf al-FiryabiAbu Nayim al-Fadl ibn Duqayn`Abdullah ibn Maslamah al-Qa`’anabiBishr ibn al-HarithMuhammad ibn Musab az-ZahidAbu al-Bahtari Wahb bin Wahb al-Sawai al-Sawai al Madani the Qadhi of BaghdadYahya ibn Yahya an-Naisaburi`Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr al-Humeidi‘Ali ibn al Madani`Abd al-Salam ibn Salih al-Harawial-Hasan ibn `Ali al-Hilwani. (see Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, pg. 426) |
| “Despite him being an ascetic (zahid) and a worshipper (‘abid) from the fuqaha of the Hanafi it is said that none of the scholars from the Ahlu Sunnah of this time came to his funeral.” (Khatib al Baghdadi 7/66) |
As for the reason of this Khatib al Baghdadi continues:
| When Bishr ibn Ghiyāth al-Marīsī died, not a single person from the people of knowledge and Sunnah attended his janāzah except for ʿUbayd al-Shūnīzī. So when he returned from the janāzah of al-Marīsī, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah confronted him.They said: O enemy of Allāh! You claim to be upon the Sunnah and the Jamāʾah but you attend the janāzah of al-Marīsī?He replied: Allow me respite until I inform you! I have never attended a janāzah in which I hoped for [so much] reward as this janāzah. When he [Bishr al-Marīsī] was placed in the designated place for the janāzah, I stood up in the row and said:O Allāh! This slave of yours used to disbelieve in [the believers] seeing you in the hereafter. O Allāh, blind him from seeing your face on the day the believers will see you.O Allāh! This slave of yours used to disbelieve in the punishments of the grave. O Allāh, punish him this day—in his grave—with a punishment you have never punished anyone from the creation with.O Allāh! This slave of yours used to disbelieve in the mīzān [scale]. O Allāh, lighten his scale on the Day of Judgement.O Allāh! This slave of yours used to disbelieve in al-shafāʿah [intercession], O Allāh, let not anyone from your creation intercede for him on the Day of Judgement.So upon hearing this, they [Ahl al-Sunnah] remained silent [i.e. they let him be] and laughed. (Tarikh Baghdad lil Khatib al-Baghdadi, Tarjamat Bishr al-Marisi al-Jahmi, Volume #7, Pg. 66) |
| Waki’ said: “The curse of Allah shall be upon al Marisi.” (Khalq Af’al al ‘Ibad, al Bukhari pg. 34) |
| al Khallal said, ‘Abd al Malik al Maymuni informed me that Bishr al Marisi was mentioned in front of Aba Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal. So he said: “Kafir.” And I did not see that Aba Abdullah denied anything from the sayings of those who spoke (badly) about him. (as Sunnah, al Khallal 2/190 – 1720/1721) |
| Ahmad ibn Ibrāhīm Ad-Dawraqī narrated to me (and said): Muhammad ibn Nūh Al-Madrūb narrated to me, from Al-Mas’udi Al-Qādī (who said): I heard Hārūn Amīr Al-Muminīn say: “It has reached me that Bishr Al-Marīsī claims that the Qurān is created. By Allāh, if He lets me get a hold of him, it is upon me to kill him in a way I have never killed anyone before.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 66) |
| Abū Bakr ibn Abū Shaybah narrated to us and said: I heard Wakī’ when he was asked about the Qurān, so he said: “The Qurān is the Word of Allāh.” Then it was said to him: “Verily Bishr Al-Marīsī (says something else)…” So Waki’ mentioned him (i.e. Bishr) until he cursed at him. So I said to Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah: “Did you really hear Wakī’ say that?” So he said: “Yes, I heard Wakī’ say that.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 192) |
| Ismā’īl ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Abī Karīmah narrated to me (and said): I heard Shabābah ibn Sawwār say: “My opinion and the opinion of Abū An-Nadr Hāshim ibn Al-Qāsim and a group of the fuqahā is that we agreed Al-Marīsī is a kāfir jāhid. We believe he should be asked to repent. Then either he repents or else he is beheaded.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 194) |
| Ishāq ibn Ibrāhīm the son of the uncle of Ahmad ibn Manī’ narrated to me and said: I heard Ishāq ibn ‘Abdir-Rahmān say: “Bishr Al-Marīsī has the same as the opinion of a group of the zanādiqah (disbelievers), their signs are this and this.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 198a) |
| And Abū Bakr Al-A’yan mentioned and said: I heard Abu Nu’aym say: “May Allāh curse Bishr Al-Marīsī the kāfir.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 198b) |
| Ibrāhīm ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn Bashār Al-Wāsitī narrated to me and said: “I heard Shadh ibn Yahyā discuss with Yazīd ibn Hārūn regarding something from the matter of Al-Marīsī, while he was invoking against him, and Shādh began to curse Al-Marīsī.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 200) |
| I was informed by Yahyā ibn Ayyūb who said: “I used to hear the people when they were speaking about Al-Marīsī. So I hated to say the same until I had heard from him, so I could speak about him with knowledge. So I went to him, and I found him sending many prayers upon ‘Īsā ibn Maryam, alayhi sallam, so I said to him: ‘You send much prayers upon ‘Īsā, so is he related to you? And I don’t see you sending prayers upon our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, while he is better than him.’ So he said to me: ‘That one (i.e. Muhammad, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) was busy with the mirror, the comb and women.’” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 201) |
| Abū Al-Hassan ibn Al-’Attār narrated to me and said: I heard Hārūn ibn Mūsā Al-Farwī (who said): I heard ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Al-Mājishūn say: “Whoever says that the Qurān is created, he is a kāfir.” And I heard him (i.e. ‘Abdul-Malik) say: “If I found Bishr Al-Marīsī then I would verily behead him.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 211) |
| Abū Al-Hassan ibn Al-’Attār Muhammad ibn Muhammad narrated to me and said: I heard Yahyā ibn Abī Qatīfah As-Sarrāj saying: We were with Ibn ‘Uyaynah when the people became disordered around him. So Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: “What is this?” So they said: “Bishr has arrived.” So he said: “And what does he say?” They said: “He says that the Qurān is created.” He said: “Bring him to me and bring me two witnesses so I can order the governor to behead him.” (Kitab As-Sunnah by ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Imam Ahmad 214) |
| It is reported that Ghalib al-Tirmidhi, who was a righteous man, said: “I heard that Abu Yusuf said to Bishr al-Marisi – not once or twice, but countless times: ‘Woe to you, leave these words, and it is as if I see you crucified on this bridge with your hands and feet cut off.’” (Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, Lalakai 642) |
| It is reported that Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn `Abdullah al-Tahrani said: “I heard al-Juzjani, i.e. Musa ibn Sulayman, a man asked this question and he gave him a fatwa. Then this man said that al-Marisi says the opposite to this and Juzjani said to those who were with him: ‘SubhanAllah! Have you heard anything more surprising? He asked me about this matter, and I answered him, and then he tells me about a kafir!” (Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, Lalakai 643) |
| It is reported that Hisham ibn ‘Ubaydullah said: “According to our opinion, al Marisi is the successor of the Jahm ibn Safwan, the stray. He is heir, and the ones like him are, in our opinion, the same as Bal’am ibn Ba’urah, about whom Allah said: ‘And recite to them, the story of him to whom We gave (knowledge of) Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Shaytan pursued him, and he became of those gone astray.’ (Al-A’raf 7/175) (Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, Lalakai 644) |
| It is reported that Muhammad ibn Abu Qabsha said: “I heard a voice that sounded in the sea and said: ‘There is no one worthy of worship except Allah, al-Marisi lied against Allah.’ Then the second time the voice said, “There is none worthy of worship except Allah, may Allah curse Thumamah and al-Marisi.” And with us on the ship was one of the companions of al-Marisi, who fell dead.” (Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, Lalakai 645) |
| It is reported that Yahya ibn Yusuf al-Zummi said: “On the night of Friday, when we were on our way to Khorasan and were on the outskirts of Amviyyah, I saw Iblis in a dream. His body was covered with hair, his head down, his legs up, and his body had eyes like fire. I asked, “Who are you?” He said, “I am Iblis.” I said to him, “Where are you going?” He said, “To Bishr ibn Yahya.” This man was with us in Merv, and he professes the ideas of al-Marisi. And then he said, “And there is no city where I do not have my viceroy.” I said, “Who is your viceroy in Iraq?” He replied, “Bishr al-Marisi. He called people to what I was incapable of, and he said, “The Quran is created.” (Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, Lalakai 646) |
| Yahya bin Yusuf told us: I heard Shababah say: My opinion is the same as the opinion of Abu al-Nadr Hashim bin al-Qasim and a group of the fuqaha: that al-Marisi is a kafir. If he repents (than it is good), otherwise I will strike his neck. (Sharh Usul Al-Itiqad, Lalakai 502) |
| Yazid ibn Harun said: I have incited the people of Baghdad more than once to kill al-Marisi. (ar Radd ala al Jahmiyyah, ad Darimi pg. 205) |
Some of his views which are kufr are following- may Allah curse him:
Iman is confirming with the heart; confession with the tongue also is a kind of confirming. Deeds are not part of Iman
Allah is not in the heaven, but He is everywhere
Prostration to the sun and the moon is not kufr, rather it is a sign of kufr
Kufr is the denial of a judgment, therefore worshiping idols is not kufr, but only a sign of kufr
His attributes are separate from Himself and were created later
The Qur’an is created
Allah can’t be seen with the eyes in the Hereafter
Allah can only be characterized with the attributes ‘Ilm (knowledge), Qudrah (power), Iradah (will) and Khalq (creation). He can’t be given the attributes Sem’ (hearing), Basar (seeing) and Kalam (speaking)
Attributes like Wajh (face), Yad (hand) and Qadam (foot) have to be interpreted (Ta’wil)
Jannah and Jahannam are not yet created
There is no punishment in the grave, there is no questioning from the two Angels Munkar and Nakir, there is no mīzān [scale] and there is no Sirat (the bridge set up over Hell)