In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhali [may Allaah preserve him] said, “After speaking about those who make Takfeer (1) based on falsehood amongst the different factions of the Jahmiyah (2), the Khawaarij (3), the Rawaafid and the Qadariyyah (4), and the reason behind such Takfeer, Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated, ‘On the opposite side of these people who make Takfeer based on falsehood, there are a people who do not know the creed of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah as it should be; or they know some of it and are ignorant of some. And perhaps what they know of it, they do not clarify for the people, rather they conceal it. And neither do they forbid innovations that is in opposition to the Book (i.e. the Qur’aan) and the Prophetic Sunnah nor censure the proponents of innovation in religious affairs and punish them; rather perhaps they would censure speech regarding the Sunnah and the fundamental principles of the religion – completely – and would not differentiate – in that – between what Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’ah say [i.e. adherents to the sound Prophetic Sunnah and sound unity] and what Ahlul Bidah Wal Furqah say [i.e. the proponents of innovation in religious affairs who split (disunite due to opposing the correct path)]; or they would affirm all their differing Madhabs [creeds, paths] in a manner similar to how the scholars would affirm the different opinions related to affairs of Ijtihaad in which difference of opinion is justified (or allowed). (5F)This path has overwhelmed many of the Murji’ah, some of the jurists, those pursuing the path of asceticism and the philosophers, just as it has overwhelmed – first and foremost – many amongst the people of desires and rhetoric. Both these paths are perverted, outside the Book [i.e. The Qur’aan] and the Sunnah”. [End of Quote]

After quoting the above statement of Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi said, “I say, may Allaah have mercy on Ibn Tamiyyah. Indeed, he clarified the situation of the people of his era and those before them; then what if he saw the situation of many amongst the Al-Jamaa’aat Al-Hizbiyyah Wal-Bid’iyyah [The Groups of Illegal Partisanship and Bidah (F.6) who ascribe themselves to Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah and take cover behind him- in particular – to promote [spread, disseminate] their falsehoods. What if he saw them whilst they have definitely gathered between the Madhabs (creeds paths) of the two groups- the khawaarij and those who follow their way in pronouncing Takfeer in the subject matter of Al-Haakimiyyah (F.7) and the way of the Mur’jiah (F.8) in the manner they approach the affair of people who are upon the big and numerous innovations in religious affairs, and equating innovation in religion to those affairs of the religion in which Ijtihaad is justified, whose people are rewarded alongside a refutation against their mistakes. In the view of these people, the leaders of Misguidance and Bidah are just like the Imaams of Guidance and Sunnah. [Al-Mahajjatul Baydaa Fee Himaayatis Suunatil Gharraa Min Zallaati Ahlil Akhtaa’i Wa Zayghi Ahlil Ahwaa 117-118]

Finally, Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyah said, “Rather what is obligatory is to clarify that which Allaah sent His Messengers with and (revealed) in His Books; propagate that which the Messengers brought from Allaah and fulfil the covenant which Allaah took from the scholars. Therefore, it is obligatory to know that which the Messengers brought, believe in it, propagate it, call to it, striving with it, weigh up all that which the people embark upon – [statements, actions, religious fundamentals and subsidiary issues pertaining to the apparent actions of the Limbs and affairs related to actions of the heart]- under the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger; neither following desires [through] customs, a school of law, a religious order, a leader or a predecessor; nor following conjecture through a weak hadeeth or corrupt analogy, regardless whether it is an analogy that offers some degree of certainty or not; or blindly following someone whom it is not obligated to follow his statement and action; for indeed Allaah -in His Book – has censured those who follow conjecture and that which their souls desire, whilst they abandon following that which came to them from their Lord of Guidance”. [Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 12/467-468]

Amr bin Al-Aas [radiyallaahu anhu] narrated that he heard Allaah’s Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] saying, ‘’If a Mujtahid gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is correct, he will receive a double reward, and if he gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is wrong, even then he will get a reward.’’ [Bukhari Number 7352]

Few Issues From This Hadeeth

[a] A Mujtahid (a scholar who strives to reach a judgement) is not deprived of reward. [b] The judgement of a non-Mujtahid is different from that of a Mujtahid. Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said that the one who speaks about the religion without knowledge and out of ignorance [is guilty of] lying and sinning. The one who intentionally speaks to oppose the truth is threatened with entry into the fire of hell, as opposed to the affair of the one who speaks based on permissible Ijtihaad, for indeed he strives, fears Allaah as much as he is able, desires to seek knowledge as much as he was able, speaks for the sake of Allaah, knows the stronger proof and speaks based on that. This person is given two rewards if he is correct; but if he is mistaken, he receives one reward. [c] A Mujtahid can be correct or mistaken. [Arba’oona Hadeethaa Fee Usoolil Fiqh. pages 32-33]

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee said, “We do not say that there are people of ijtihaad amongst ahlul bidah because they are followers of desires, and Allaah and His Messenger have testified to this. The misguided innovator stirs up discord and errs, and then says to you, ‘This is ijtihaad’. When Hikmatiyaar and the misguided parties [in Afghanistan] murdered Shaikh Jameel Ur-Rahmaan, they said: ‘This is ijtihaad.’ They do not fall into an affair of misguidance or a calamity except that they say, “This is ijtihaad.” This is [tantamount] to diluting Islaam, falsehood, misguidance, bidah and confounding truth with falsehood, when the mistakes of the [true and qualified scholars of ijtihaad]- for which they are rewarded- are placed at the same level with innovation, about which the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] declared to be a path that will lead to the hell fire”. [Ajwibatul Allaamatush Shaikh Rabee Bin Haadee Al Madkhalee Alaa As-ilah Abee Rawaaha Al-Manhajiyyah. page 20]

Also read this article by Shaikh Abu Iyaadh: http://www.themadkhalis.com/md/series/the-false-comparison-between-hadith-giants-ibn-hajar-an-nawawi-and-20th-century-ignoramuses.cfm

Footnote1:What is Takfeer? Read here by Shaikh Abu Khadeejah: https://abukhadeejah.com/no-muslim-leaves-islam-unless-he-does-something-that-nullifies-it/

Footnote2:Who are the Jahmiyah? https://www.aqidah.com/creed/articles/xiyvh-the-first-deniers-of-allaahs-speech-a-chain-of-evil-narrators.cfm

Footnote3:https://abukhadeejah.com/isis-in-iraq-syria-ibn-kathir-died-774-ah-if-the-khawaarij-ever-gained-strength-in-iraq-and-syria-there-would-be-mass-killing/

Footnote4: Who are the Rawafid and Qadariyyah? https://abukhadeejah.com/the-devils-deception-of-the-raafidah-shiah/ http://www.aqidah.com/creed/articles/hxnhe-the-splitting-of-the-muslim-ummah-part-3.cfm

Footnote5: What is Ijtihaad: https://www.abukhadeejah.com/tolerated-differing-and-impermissible-differing-in-islaam/ ]

Footnote6:What is Hizbiyyah – illegal partisanship: https://salaficentre.com/2015/03/a-precise-definition-of-hizbiyyah-by-shaikh-rabee-may-allaah-preserve-him/ ]
https://salaficentre.com/2019/01/what-is-the-meaning-of-hizbiyyah-and-what-is-the-ruling-upon-it-shaykh-ubaid-al-jaabiree/

Footnote 7: What is Al-Haakimiyyah?
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=MNJ&subsecID=MNJ07&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm

Footnote 8: Who are the Murji’ah?
http://www.sahihalbukhari.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=GSC&subsecID=GSC05&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm
https://www.abukhadeejah.com/shaikh-rabees-advice-on-interacting-with-ahlul-bidah-in-the-west/