Imam Al-Sha3rani also proved that the claim - that hell fire will become cool and peaceful upon kafirs as the fire in the duniya was told to become cool and peaceful upon Ibrahim 3alaihis salam, and thenceforth their punishment will cease to be a punishment* - found in the work of Shaykh Al-Akbar (forgot the name) - is a gross fabrication and a lie contradicting the Quran, attributed to Shaykh Al-Akbar. *mark hanson too cites this position in his "Who are the Disbelievers?"
Imam Sh'arani on Bayah and tariqa: https://archive.org/details/MawazineAl9asirine His book is called 'Mawazin alQasirin min shuyukhin wa muridin'. It is a scale for measuring fraudsters.
Please elaborate on nature of the critical thinking and logic that they should be taught and how this would be implemented given that vast swathes of people join tariqas
Ala Hazrat says: Then oath of allegiance (bay'ah) is two types. The oath of allegiance for blessings (barakah). Most of the oaths of allegiances in this day and age are of this nature, and even then when the one giving the oath has no worldly reasons for the oath. A person will benefit from the oath of allegiance for blessing when done with the right intention. In this oath it is sufficient that the guide fulfills the four previous conditions. This is also an imitation of the pious people, and by imitating those pious people one attains blessings. The second type is the oath of the will. This is when the seeker reaches the level of cessation and has no will except the will and commands of Allah, the order of the Messenger (SallAllahu alayhi wasallam) and the orders of the guide. (End of Quote from Ala Hazrat) Further down the Imam mentions that this rank is only attained for the truthful seeker, otherwise the generality only fall into the previous category. Most people who give bay'ah in this day and age think they actually fall into the second category when in reality they are in the first, and that is if the conditions are met from both the shaykh and mureed.
This issue is differed over. The scholars differ over it. Imam Suyuti did not consider it necessary for a person to give bay'ah (oath of allegiance). http://abdalhadialkharsa.com/index.php?act=viewArt&id=38 البيعة وأخذ العهد على شيخٍ ليس لازماً في الشروع ولا يلزم القيام به وبشروطه وبلوازمه ، إنما هو من قبيل المستحب للتبرك وذلك كبركة المصافحة ولبس الخرقة الذي عمل به السلف وتسلسل إليهم وقد نصر هذا المذهب وأيَّده الحافظ الجلال السيوطي رحمه الله تعالى في الحاوي للفتاوى . وبناءً عليه يجوز الجمع بين عدة طرق وأخذ العهد على أكثر من شيخ في وقت واحد للتبرك . Many ignorant people use the term 'ubudiyat alshaykh' and similar terms. This was mentioned here: http://www.sunniport.com/masabih/showthread.php?t=10776 Ala Hazrat's fatwa on bay'ah and taking a Shaykh was discussed here: http://www.sunniport.com/masabih/showthread.php?t=10688 Choosing a Pir: http://www.sunniport.com/masabih/showthread.php?t=10996 People need to be taught Islam and correct belief, as well as critical thinking and logic before they are told to have a Sufi order, otherwise the likes of the following happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CufkgqKSAb8
