Questions about the Manhaj to Al-ʿAllāmah Sālih Al-Fawzān
From the book al-Ajwibah al-Mufīdah ʿan As’ilah al-Manāhij al-Jadīdah.
Question 68:
What is the ruling on seeking knowledge from a shaikh who differs with ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah in the affair of Allah’s Names and Attributes? Benefit us, may Allah benefit you.
Answer: Choosing a teacher who upright and straight in his ʿaqeedah and knowledge and an affair necessitated—and if that is not possible, and you find someone who has knowledge in fiqh for example, or Arabic grammar or other sciences that are not connected to the ʿaqeedah, then there is no harm in studying from him in those sciences in which he is proficient. As for ʿaqeedah, then do not study it except from those who are from the people of correct ʿaqeedah.
Question 69:
Is it correct to make takfeer upon the Ashʿarīs and Muʿtazilah, and whoever is similar to them in ʿaqeedah. And is it permissible to take knowledge from their shaikhs in [the affairs of] ʿaqeedah (belief), fiqh and tafseer as long as one knows the places of their mistakes?
Answer: Takfeer is not to be made except upon the one who knows the Truth and then stubbornly resists. As for the one who opposes the truth based upon false interpretation (ta’weel), or out of ignorance, then such a person is not declared to be an unbeliever. Instead, it is said, ‘This is an error, this is misguidance.’
And whoever makes an interpretation, and then thinks this interpretation is the truth, or that he blindly follows something else thinking that he is correct, or he makes ta’weel (an interpretation) upon ignorance, then takfeer is not made upon these people, not any of them.
However, taking from them in matters other than the ʿaqeedah in religious sciences that they have expert in, then there is no harm—such as taking fiqh from them, or Arabic grammar and sciences of hadeeth—there is no harm in that which the condition that they are from those who do not announce their innovations (call to innovations).
However, if one can find others besides them from people who are better than them, then it is obligatory to learn from them – those who are better. If he cannot find a person other than them in these Islamic sciences, such as fiqh, the Arabic language, and so on, then there is no harm in taking knowledge from them in these subjects. As for the ʿaqeedah, then that is not taken except from its people (those who are proficient in it).
Question 70: If a student of knowledge speaks with innovation and calls to it, but he is a person who has knowledge of fiqh and hadeeth, does it necessitate that, due to his innovation, his knowledge and speech are abandoned? And that he is not utilised at all, in his knowledge?
Answer: Yes, he is not to be relied upon. If he is an innovator, who announces (calls to) his innovations, he is not to be relied upon, and one should not study under him because the one who studies under him with be affected by his shaikh and affected by his knowledge. So, it is obligatory to stay away from Ahlul-Bidʿah—and the Salaf would prohibit from sitting with the innovators, visiting them, and travelling to them out of fear that their evil may affect the one who sits with them or mixes with them.
Notes:
ʿImrān Ibn Hiṭṭān narrated hadeeth from a group of the Sahābah, and he was from Ahlus-Sunnah in the beginning of his affair. However, due to his companionship and mixing the Khawārij, he became afflicted by their madhhab. Yaʿqoob Ibn Shaybah said: “The reason for that, from that which has reached us, is that the daughter of the paternal uncle held the views of the Khawārij. So, he married her, hoping to convince her to recant from her views. Instead, she turned him to her madhhab!” (See Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, 8/113)
Imām Al-Dhahabī (d. 748H, rahimahullāh) said that Abu al-Walīd al-Bājī said in the book Ikhtisār Firaq al-Fuqahā’ when discussing al-Qādī Abu Bakr al-Bāqillānī (d. 403H):
“I asked Abu Dharr al-Harawī (d. 434H)―and he was inclined to the Ashʿarī creed, ‘From where did you get this belief?’ He replied, ‘I was walking with Abu al-Hasan al-Dāruqutnī (d. 385H) in Baghdād and we met Abu Bakr ibn al-Tayyib [al-Bāqillānī], the Ashʿarī. So, al-Dāruqutnī embraced him, kissed his face and eyes. When they parted company, I asked him, ‘What is this that you have done? I cannot believe that you would have done such a thing―and you are the scholar of the era?!’ Al-Dāruqutnī responded, ‘He is the imām of the Muslims, a defender of the Religion, al-Qādī Abu Bakr Muḥammad ibn al-Tayyib.’ So from that moment onwards, I continued to visit him (Abu Bakr al-Bāqillānī), and started following his creed.’“
Imām al-Dhahabī said, “Abu Dharr took al-Kalām and the creed of Abu al-Hasan [al-Ashʿarī] from Abu Bakr ibn al-Tayyib [al-Bāqillānī] and spread it in Makkah, then the Maghrabīs took it from him and carried it into Maghrib (North West Africa) and Spain. Before this, the scholars of Maghrib did not used to engage in al-Kalām (speculative theology), rather they would seek precision in matters of Fiqh, Ḥadīth and Arabic―and they would not engage in futile discussions based upon the intellect. And this was the way of Abu al-Walīd ibn al-Faradī, Abu ʿUmar al-Talmankī, Makkī al-Qīsī, Abu ʿAmr al-Dānī, Abu ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-Barr and the [other] scholars.”
(See: Tadhkirah al-Huffāẓ 3/1104-1105, al-Siyar 17/558-559)
Look at how Imām al-Dāruqutnī’s conduct with al-Bāqillānī (the Ashʿarī) in his praise of him was enough to deceive those watching him. He extolled him and called him an imām of the Muslims, such that Abu Dharr al-Harawī adopted the madh´hab of the Ashāʿirah, and then it reached the Maghrib and Spain!
And this is the case with anyone who praises ahl al-bidʿah and al-ahwā (the people of innovation and desires)―he may become the reason for large numbers of people following their beliefs and methodologies. And this is especially so if the one praising them is seen to be a person of knowledge and upon the correct path.
The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) made clear how the gatherings and sittings of people can affect the religion and guidance of a person:
الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ أَحَدُكُمْ مَنْ يُخَالِلُ
“A man is upon the religion of his friends, so let each of you consider who he takes as a friend.” (Abu Dawood no. 4833, At-Tirmidhi no. 2378, Ahmad no. 8417, authenticated by Al-Albānī)
And the Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:
الأَرْوَاحُ جُنُودٌ مُجَنَّدَةٌ فَمَا تَعَارَفَ مِنْهَا ائْتَلَفَ وَمَا تَنَاكَرَ مِنْهَا اخْتَلَفَ
“The souls [of people] are like gathered armies—those that are acquainted will be friendly with each other, and those that are repelled will keep apart.” (Abu Dawood no. 4834, graded saheeh by Al-Albānī)
(See, al-Ajwibah al-Mufīdah ʿan As’ilah al-Manāhij al-Jadīdah, FN, p. 32 and p. 123)
Abu Qilābah (d. 104H) said: “Do not sit with the People of Desires, for indeed I fear they will immerse you in their misguidance, or they will deceive you concerning some of what you know [to be the truth].” (Al-Ibānah ʿan Sharīʿah al-Firqah an-Nājiyah wa Mujānabah al-Firaq al-Madhmūmah of Ibn Battah, no. 369)
Mubash´shir ibn Ismā‛īl al-Hubulī said: “It was said to al-Awzā’ī (d. 157H): ‘A man says: I sit with Ahl al-Sunnah and with Ahl al-Bidʿah.’ Al-Awzāʿī responded: ‘This man wants to unite truth and falsehood.’” So, Ibn Battah (d. 387) said: “Al-Awzāʿī has spoken the truth. I say: This man does not know truth from falsehood, nor kufr from īmān. It was for the likes of this person that the Qur’ān was revealed, and the Sunnah was reported from the chosen Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Allāh said:
وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ
“And when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, Indeed, we are with you.” (Ibid, no. 435)
Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid
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