In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
How to Treat The Callers to Falsehood When They Become Obstinate and Oppressive
Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali [may Allaah preserve him] stated:
Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] once urged the poets amongst his companions to disparage the Quraish. Aishah narrated that Allaah’s Messenger said, “Lampoon the Quraish, for it will hurt them more than arrows”. He sent word to Ibn Rawaahah, saying, “Lampoon them”. So he lampooned them but it was not good enough. Then he sent word to Kab Bin Maalik, then he sent word to Hassaan bin Thaabit. When he entered upon him, Hassaan said, “Now you have sent for this lion who wreaks vengeance then waves his tail about”, then he stuck out his tongue and moved it. He said, “By the One Who sent you with the Truth, I shall tear them with my tongue as leather is torn”. Allaah’s Messenger said, “Do not be hasty. AbuBakr is most knowledgeable about their lineage, and I share a lineage with them. (Wait) until he summarizes my lineage for you”. Hassaan went to him, then he came back and said, “O Allaah’s Messenger! He has summarized your lineage for me. By the One Who sent you with the Truth, I shall draw you out from among them as a hair is drawn out of the dough”. Aishah said, “I heard Allaah’s Messenger say to Hassan, “The Roohul Qudus (i.e. Jibreel) will continue to support you, so long as you are defending Allah and His Messenger”. She said, “I heard Allaah’s Messenger say, “Hassaan has lampooned them and has satisfied himself and others”. [Saheeh Muslim Number 2490]
Al-Baraa’ah Bin Aazib narrated that he heard Allaah’s Messenger of Allaah saying to Hassaan Bin Thaabit, “Lampoon them and Jibril is with you”. [Bukhaari 3213]
So when the people of falsehood become overbearing towards the people of truth through evil speech, defamation, lies and praising (other) people of falsehood, then the people of truth cannot (do anything else) except to subdue the people of falsehood- clarifying their oppressive (behaviour, views etc), their barefaced lies and unveiling their falsehoods. (1)
Many of Your Elder Teachers Refute Him! Would It Not Have Been Enough If Only One of Them Did So?!
Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali [may Allaah preserve him] stated:
Imam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated whilst disapproving of Ahlul Bidah in Madaarij As-Saalikeen, “And due to this, the disapproval of the pious predecessors and the Imaams against (bidah) was severe and they spoke out (loudly) against its people from the various regions of the earth. They warned against their fitnah (trials, temptations) with a more severe warning and did that to an extent that was not the same as their disapproval against lewd acts, oppression and aggression. (That is) because the harm of bidah (against the religion), its destructive (effects on the religion) and negation (of the religion) is more severe”.
Then Al-Allaamah Rabee spoke about the Fard Kifaayah in relation to Jihaad (see footnote a) – that for example Jihaad is from the Furood al-Kifaayaat (Communal obligations), so if one person goes for Jihaad in order to repel a threat faced by Islam and the Muslims, will the Legislated Islamic goal of this Jihaad be fulfilled by one person, or if hundreds of people went but neither the Legislated Islamic goal is fulfilled nor is the threat repelled, then would it be permissible for the scholars to remain silent in such circumstances; or is it obligated that they exhort the people to go for Jihaad in order to fulfil this communal obligation, because there has to be sufficient numbers of people to fulfil this (Communal) obligation in order to put a stop to the threat face by the rest of the Muslims? And if this sufficient numbers that are required to carry out this obligation is not reached, then indeed all the Muslims are regarded to be sinful in such a case and held responsible for the harm that comes to Islaam and the Muslims. Likewise, this (i.e. the availability of sufficient numbers to fulfil this communal obligation) is the same thing stated regarding the affair of enjoining good and forbidding evil, because there has to be sufficient numbers to prevent the Fitnah, if one, ten or twenty are unable to do so. Therefore, it becomes clear that many of the students- those who ascribe themselves to the sunnah-who seek from the Scholars to clarify their stances have sought after something appropriate and correct if there is a sound reason for seeking after it. It is not to be regarded a mistake and the mistaken one is he who declares those students to be mistaken. The silence of the scholars at the time of need or necessity to clarify the truth is tantamount to concealment of the truth and it is from those grave mistakes that will result in corruption, trials, splitting of the people into two groups, two parties, boycotting one another and so on. (2)
Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] was asked: Is it obligated on the scholars to clarify to the youth and the common people the danger of partisanship, splitting and groups?
Answer: Yes it is obligatory to clarify the danger of partisanship and dividing and splitting so that the people can be upon insight and understanding because even the common people are being deceived. How many of the common people in this time have been fooled by some of the groups because they believe that they are upon the truth? So it is a must that we clarify to the people, the students and the common people, the danger of these parties and sects because if they remained silent [i.e. the scholars] then the people would say, “The scholars were aware of this and they remained silent.” Due to this innovation would enter upon them. So it is necessary to clarify these matters when these things appear. The danger for the common people is greater than the danger [posed] to the students because if the scholars remain silent the common people will think that this is correct and that this is the truth. (3)
Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali [may Allaah preserve him] was asked: What do you say concerning an individual who advises others to abstain from listening to refutations, and when he was asked about the reason for him adopting this stance he said, “The person who asked me about this was a common person and he is unable to recite the Quran properly”. What are your comments upon this, may Allah bless you?
Answer: If he is a layman then he is to be taught the Islamic creed and to be warned from the people of innovations. The majority of the common people these days have become supporters of the people of innovation. So it is necessary to warn them against them (i.e. the people of innovation). Say to him, “So and so is upon such and such innovations and you listening to him will harm you”. This is so that they will not read (his works), listen to his tapes and that he is cautious about his speech. Meaning that this layman needs someone to warn him and he is to be reminded of the principle: “This knowledge is religion so look at whom you take your religion from.” During these times the common people are targeted by the people of innovation and will say to you, “do not let them read the books of refutations. No. No.” This (approach) will expose them to ruin. (4)
The Shaikh was also asked: Is it permissible for us as students of knowledge to be silent about the innovators, and to cultivate the youth and the students upon the way of the Salaf without mentioning the names of the innovators?
Answer: By Allah, the innovators are to be mentioned by their traits and by their names if there is a need for this. If so and so has put himself forward for leadership and leading this nation and the youth and he is leading them towards falsehood, then he is to be mentioned by his name. If there is a need then he is to be mentioned by his name and it is necessary to mention him by his name. As it relates to this, one of the Salafis in Egypt used to teach and he would just mention general (descriptions without specifying names) and the people did not comprehend these generalities. After this he began to explicitly mention the names of the groups and individuals and they said (i.e. those who attended the lessons), “O Shaykh, why did you not teach us like this in the beginning?” He responded by saying, “I delivered to you many lessons and I would say this and I would say that (i.e. general descriptions without names).” They said, “By Allah, we did not understand.” (5)
Footnote a:
Salafi Shaikh Fawzaan on Jihad in our times and the guidelines of Jihad according to Islam
Is there Jihad in Syria? Should one go and fight? By Salafi Shaikh, Abdullaah al-Bukhaaree
Are we in a period similar to the Prophet in Makkah as it relates to fighting Jihad?
http://www.abukhadeejah.com/?s=ruling+on+jihad
http://www.abukhadeejah.com/?s=+jihad
[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Bayaan Maa Fee Naseehati Ibraaheem Ar-Ruhayli Minal Khalal Wal Ikhlaal. Pages 23-25. slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 2: Bayaan Maa Fee Naseehati Ibraaheem ar’Ruhayli Minal Khalal Wal-Ikhlaal’ pages 62-63]
[Ref 3: Al-Ajwibah Al-Mufeedah. Page 131]
[Ref 4: Fataawa Fadeelah Ash-Shaykh Rabee’ Al-Madkhalee. 1/273]
[Ref 5: Fataawa Fadeelah Ash-Shaykh Rabee’ Al-Madkhalee. 1/277]
More Articles