Dealing with Ahlul Bid'ah

[1] [2] Muqaddamah An-Nasr Al-‘Azeez, pg. 8; transcribed from a tape recording

of the third lesson from the lessons on Kitaab At-Tawheed which his Eminence delivered in the summer

of the year 1413, in At-Taa’if.

 

 

BENEFIT: THOSE WHO AID, DEFEND AND MENTION THE GOOD QUALITIES OF AHLUL-BID’AH ARE FROM THEM

 

 

In the Name of Allaah, Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem…

 

Principles in the Salafee Manhaj in Dealing with Refutation and the Refuted One

 

Those Who it Is Permissible to Censure, Criticize, and Warn the People Against Their Harm:1

 

It is permissible, rather, it is obligatory to speak about the people of innovation and to warn

against them and their innovation, individually or as a group; those from the past as well as the

present, from the Khawaarij, the Rawaafidh, the Jahmiyyah, the Murji’ah, the Karaamiyyah, and the

people of kalaam (theological rhetoric), those who the knowledge of kalaam has dragged them to

corrupt beliefs like negation of (all of) Allaah’s attributes or some of them. So these, it is

obligatory to warn against them and their books. Likewise, whoever traverses upon their (deviated)

methodology from the present-day sects or groups and from those who outwardly profess tawheed and

the sunnah. It is obligatory to have opposition to them and to avoid their methodologies. Rather,

one must wage war against them and flee from them and their people. Included amongst them are those

who aid them, defend them, mention their good qualities, praise them, and praise their personalities

and leaders2, and show preference for their methodology over the methodology of the people of

tawheed, the Sunnah, and the Jamaa’ah.

 

[1] [2] This is if their condition and that which they have with them from

opposition to the Sunnah is known.

 

BENEFIT: PRINCIPLES IN THE SALAFEE MANHAJ IN DEALING WITH REFUTATION AND THE REFUTED ONE

 

In the Name of Allaah, Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem…

 

Principles in the Salafee Manhaj in Dealing with Refutation and the Refuted One

 

May 31st, 2004 – A lecture delivered by Abu Uways ‘Abdullaah Ahmad ‘Alee (rahimahullaah), former

Imaam of Masjid Rahmah, Newark, NJ, USA. A prime of example of his works and efforts to not only

deciminate knowledge but hammer-down issues of manhaj for the clarity of his community and the

benefit of the Salafees in America at large (the antithesis of what some speakers would like to

introduce of cooperation and ease with Ahlul-Bid’ah, look to his efforts, Usooluth-Thalaathah,

Kitaabut-Tawheed, ‘Aqeedah, Usool, Manhaj, directness with issues of fitnah). This was his da’wah,

clear and direct – conveying the statements of the scholars. Now this lecture (entitled: The

Deception of Abu Usamah Khalifah) may be in reference to the activities of a specific individual but

pay close attention to the manhaj principles in this talk – they apply in all times, modern and

olden. Gems and jewels – take heed!

 

 

From the points obtained:

 

The manhaj is nothing if not practised, nor acted upon! How do we respect the scholars and their

criticial statements of a man? A Scholar refutes an individual (jarh), do we look for a ta’deel

(praise) and move forward in our cooperation with him? How easily we become emotionally affected,

all the books of Ahlul-I’lm (principles) out the window – when a person simply claims

‘rectification’ or ‘tawbah’ Not lending one’s ears to the Innovator (this was the way of the Salaf)!

The distinguishing sign of Ahlus-Sunnah: they are CLEAR from Ahlul-Bid’ah The Banner of Sunnah never

mixes with the Banner of Bid’ah What is the benefit of the Scholars if we don’t follow their word,

instructions and warnings? Avoid Ahlul-Bid’ah! The Scholars do not speak in Jest! The ranks of the

Muslims are weakened when we are silent about Innovation and its people (like the guard who leaves

his post)! Giving the innovator a position to speak is aiding the enemy!!! Allaah is the changer of

the hearts (and He changes them as he wills) – do not love someone so much so that you cannot leave

them (if/when they speak against ahlus-sunnah) Athar of the Salaf: “He who beautifies the status of

an innovator has aided in the destruction of Islam” How many articles, audios on the topic of bid’ah

but when will we take notice? The refutation of an ‘aalim is not negated with the ta’deel of another

aalim or student of knowledge Sincerity (on the part of the criticized one) is to return to the

Scholar who criticized him and seek to fix his problems! Returning to the Kibaar (major scholars) in

times of fitnah/and regarding people of fitnah Do not use let personal discretion interfere with the

ruling of a scholar (on a man) It is forbidden to listen to the mubtadi’ “It is as if we are tied

up, with the dunyaa – so much so that we don’t pay attention to manhaj” (Don’t drift in/out of

issues of the deen – it will lead to your confusion, safeguard your deen and be diligent following

up issues not isolating yourself) Be thaabit, be upright, don’t be emotional (speaker mentions, “if

not at masjid rahmah, then some other men…” i.e. any one of us can be replaced if we arn’t going

to stand up and defend the sunnah) Abu Uways mentioned “…We study ahlul-bid’ah all day in a book

and then when one is physically in front of you – you don’t know what to do? – that means your

knowledge is theorotical, nothing to do with your real life…what’s the benefit of studying it if

we arn’t going to act upon it…a matter of just studying something, sitting somewhere to pass the

time?!” Keep up on issues, do not be ignorant! Do not seperate based on personal issues (frivolty)

Don’t become astonished with yourself (your ‘knowledge/judgement in matters’?) for you will destroy

yourself Not recognising the mistakes of the refuted one is not an excuse to continuing following

him! al-Usool ad-Da’awatus-Salafiyyah is constant, generation upon gener
ation, as for Ahlul-Bid’ah,

they are constantly innovating/evolving, new tricks, new schemes. Take note and protect yourself!

 

BENEFIT: SPEAKING OUT AGAINST INNOVATORS IS HATEFUL, DESTRUCTIVE AND A WASTE OF TIME?

 

From the effects that the Ikhwaanul-Muslimoon has had on the people is their claim that refutations

are a fruitless pursuit that absorb the Muslim’s time with something that hardens the heart and

brings about no benefit. This viewpoint which wasn’t shared by the Imaams of the Salaf, has

penetrated the hearts of some of the Muslims causing them to ignore or even hate warnings against

innovation and innovators, not realising, that by this, they have opened themselves up to the calls

to misguidance. It is a key focus of those who mix amongst Ahlus-Sunnah intending to bring the

believer away from the manhaj of the Salaf, they utlise emotional arguments and convincing

bedazzling speech to convince him of their approach. Compare and contrast their ideas with that of

the great Imaam, Ibn Taymiyyah.

 

Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullaah, said:

 

And the likes of the Imaams of innovations from the people of statements which contradict the Book

and the Sunnah or acts of worship which contradict the Book and the Sunnah, clarifying their

condition and warning the Ummah against them is obligatory by agreement of the Muslims. This is to

the point that it was said to Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: ‘Is it more beloved to you that a man fasts, prays,

and makes i’tikaaf or speaks about the people of innovations?’ He said: ‘If he stands and prays and

makes i’tikaaf, then it is only for himself. If he speaks concerning the people of innovations, then

it is for the Muslims; so this is better.’

 

So he clarified that the benefit of this is general for the Muslims in their religion and it is from

the perspective of jihaad in Allaah’s path. Hence, (innovation brings about) the purging of Allaah’s

path, His religion, His methodology, and His Legislation. Warding off the injustice of these

(innovators) and having enmity towards them due to that, is a communal obligation by agreement of

the Muslims. Were there not one who Allaah establishes to defend (the religion from) the harms of

these people then the religion would have been corrupted and its evil would have been greater than

the evil of being seized by the enemy from the people with whom there is war. For these people, when

they seize, they do not corrupt the hearts and that which they contain from the religion except at

the end . As for those (innovators) they corrupt the hearts from the onset.1

 

[1] Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 28/231-232.

 

Translation by Raha Batts

 

BENEFIT: THE OBJECTIVE TO WATER DOWN THE SALAFEE DA’WAH TO FACILITATE AHLUL-BID’AH

 

I say: There has come about in this time of ours, he who thinks that he is upon the methodology of

the Salaf while in fact he is not. Rather, there is he who applies the name ‘as-Salafiyyah’ to the

modern partisan groups and those who, some of them are upon the ideology of the Khawaarij and thinks

that the common denominator between them is as-Salafiyyah. This is as a result of an abundance of

ignorance and the scarcity of knowledge, as Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah has said. Or it is that

the objective is to water down the Da’watus-Salafiyyah which is predicated upon the Book and the

authentic Sunnah with the understanding of the Salafus-Saalih so (as to facilitate) the entrance of

the deviant groups into the realm of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.1

 

[1] | Be Salafee Upon the Path

 

Translation by Raha Batts

 

BENEFIT: SALAFIYYAH IS A DA’WAH DISTINCT FROM AHLUL-BID’AH

 

Let the reader compare the approach to da’wah of the late Imaam of Yemen, Muqbil Ibn Haadee

al-Waadi’ee (rahimahullaah) in comparison with the likes of Abu Usamah and those whom he praises,

who line up alongside people of innovation and hizbiyyah, praising them and being silent about their

innovation. The words of the scholars speak volumes:

 

Hassan Somali recounts:

 

“I close with a piece of advice that I hope will benefit Aboo Usaamah and his likes, that I heard

directly from the Imaam of Ahlus-Sunnah, our Shaykh, Muqbil Ibn Haadee al-Waadi’ee (d.1421H) when he

said,

 

‘The call of the people of the Sunnah in Yemen did not spread, or from the greatest reasons for the

spread of the call of the people of the Sunnah in Yemen is that they distanced themselves from every

innovator, and they do not care, even if this person [whome they abandoned] had once studied in

Dammaaj like ‘Abdullaah al-Haashidee, ‘Abdul-Majeed ar-Raymee, Muhammad al-Baydaanee, Muhammad

al-Mahdee and ‘Aqeel al-Maqtaree…

 

It is incumbent to be distinct and clear [in one’s call] and it is incumbent to stay far away from

the innovators and to warn against them.'”1

 

[1] Taken from Shaykh Mubqil’s refutation of Suhaib Hasan.

 

Translated by Abu Abdillah Hassan Somali An excerpt from the important article:  A Response to the

Claims of Aboo Usaamah adh-Dhahabee by sunnahpublishing.net

 

BENEFIT: REFERRING TO ONESELF AS ‘SALAFEE’

 

Nowadays, the followers and sympathisers of al-Halabee focus heavily on rebuking the term ‘salafee’,

with the intention of causing distance between the Muslims and the methodology of the Salaf, the

scholars who defend it, and the people who proceed upon it. This is a carefully designed scheme to

sway the unsuspecting one away from issues of manhaj and ascertaining the truth from falsehood,

sunnah from bid’ah. They claim “upon the Qur’an and Sunnah and the way of the Salaf…but not

Salafiyyah the hizb!” This is their attempt to distance the person away from investigating

salafiyyah, for if he were to do so, inevitably he would come to know the Salafee scholars and

therefore come to know the reality of Halabee and his companions. A term they used to defend that

they now dispose of since it is no longer favourable to their interests and those whom they now

cooperate with from Ahlul-Bid’ah. What do some of the Scholars of our time say about the terms

‘salafee’ and ‘salafiyyah’?

 

Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Baaz, rahimahullaah, was asked this question: “What do you say about one

who is referred to as ‘as-Salafee’ and ‘al-Atharee’? Is this a tazkiyah?” He, rahimahullaah,

responded: “If he is truthful that he is an Atharee (one who follows the narrations) or a Salafee,

then there is no harm in it. (This is) a tazkiyah which is inevitable; a tazkiyah that is

obligatory.”1

 

[1] From a lecture entitled: “Haqqul-Muslim” delivered in At-Taa’if.

 

Likewise, the Shaykh, the ‘Allaamah, Saalih Ibn Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan mentioned it in Al-Ajwibah

Al-Mufeedah, wherein he was asked: “What is as-Salafiyyah? And is it obligatory to traverse upon its

methodology and cling to it?” He said: “as-Salafiyyah is traversing upon the methodology of the

Salaf, from the Companions, the Taabi’oon and the virtuous generations in the ‘aqeedah,

understanding, and manners. It is obligatory upon the Muslim to traverse upon this methodology.”1

 

[1] Al-Ajwibah Al-Mufeedah, pg. 103.

 

Translated by Raha Batts