Introduction
The Noble Shaykh, Ahmad an-Najmee (rahimahullaah) wrote a book called: (المورد العذب الزلال فيم انتقد على بعض المناهج الدعوية من العقائد والأعمال) - The Sweet Cool [Water] Spring Regarding What Has Been Criticized of Beliefs and Actions of Some of the Methodologies of Da'wah" in which he covered the mistakes, innovations and deviation of many groups and movements including al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen and Jamaa'at ut-Tableegh.
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen sent a letter to Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee requesting him not to print the book, and he said, as quoted by Shaykh an-Najmee in his response to him (p. 3):
ولمّا وصلتُ إلى الباب التاسع وقعت على مالم أكن أتوقع
And when I reached the ninth chapter, I came upon what I did not expect...
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen was surprised at the criticisms and pointing out of the errors of Hasan al-Banna. In this series we want to mention some of what Hasan al-Banna was criticised for by Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee, by quoting from Shaykh Najmee's response to Shaykh Ibn Jibreen.
Wahdat ul-Wujood
Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee (rahimahullaah) said, addressing Ibn Jibreen:
فكّر ما الذي حملني على الكلام في رجل قد مات وأنا في سن الطفولة ولم يسفك لي دماً ولم ينتهك لي عرضاً ولم يأخذ عليَّ مالاً , فما الذي يحملني على الكلام فيه ولم يظلمني أنا شخصياً بشيء , إن كنت تكلمتُ فيه من غير سابق ظلم منه لي ولا مصلحة دينية تكلمت فيها من أجلها فأنا ظالم معتدي وسيأخذ الله له بحقه مني
Reflect upon what has carried me to speak about a man who died whilst I was only young in age, and he did not shed any blood of mine, and nor violate my honour and nor take wealth from me. So what has carried me to speak about him when he personally has not wronged me? If I had spoken about him without him having previously wronged me, and it was not for any religious benefit that I spoke about him, then I am an oppressor, transgressor, and Allaah will soon take from me his right.
And thereafter, he gives him an example of the criticism, on account of which he spoke against him:
فهو الذي يقول بإعتراف أخيه مفتخراً وهو منشور في كتب أهل حزبه
فإن كنت ترى أن حمّلت كلامه مالم يحتمله ففسر لي كلامه هذا بما يحتمله شرعاً وعقلاً غير وحدة الوجود .
He is the one, according to his own brother's acknowledgement, who would boastfully say, and this is widely circulated in the books of his party:
Allaah raised and scattered (all) the existence and what it contains
So if you desire to attain perfection
Then everything in the universe if you realize it
Is non-existent, specifically and generally
What Hasan al-Banna has alluded are some meanings that arise from the asl (foundation) of what was propounded by Muhiy ud-Din Ibn Arabi in his book "Fusoos al-Hikam" of the doctrine of Wahdat ul-Wujood, and it derives from the emanation philosophies of the likes of Plotinus (270CE). Whilst this is not the place to go into detail, we can refer the reader to the book "Hatk Astaar il-Fusoos" (Removing the Veils [from] the Fusoos) by Shaykh Imaad ud-Deen al-Waasitee (d. 711H), where the great "secret" of Ibn 'Arabi is laid bare.
Then Shaykh Ahmad addresses Shaykh Ibn Jibreen:
So if you think that I understood from his words that which he didn't intend, then please interpret for me what this statement of his contains religiously and intellectually, other than Wahdat ul-Wujood.
And a little later he says:
:فسّر لي ثناءه على المرغني المعروف بوحدة الوجود بتفسير مُرضٍ لله ورسوله ثم للمؤمنين غير الرضى بوحدة الوجود والثناء على أصحابها
Thirdly: Explain to me his praise for al-Mirghanee, the one well known for Wahdat ul-Wujood with an explanation that would please Allaah and His Messenger and then the believers other than [the explanation] that he [al-Bannaa] was pleased with Wahdat ul-Wujood and praised those who held that view.
And there was no response from Shaykh Ibn Jibreen as Shaykh Ahmad sent this to the Shaykh and allowed him ample time to respond. So when it angers a person that Hasan al-Banna is refuted for this saying, more than it angers them that Hasan al-Banna actually said this saying, then that is a calamity indeed!