Shaikh Rabee’s Advice on Dealing with Ahlul-Bid’ah in the West and the affair of Al-Mawāzanāt

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In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

It is binding that we invite them to Allāh just as we invite others. We invite them to return back to the Book of Allāh and to the Sunnah of His Messenger (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam). If they accept, then that is good and that is what is desirable. However, if they insist upon the path of misguidance, then we behave towards them just as our Righteous Salaf behaved towards them. [1]

Indeed the Messenger of Allāh (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) urged killing of the Khawārij (the Insurgent Renegades)** after he disparaged and censured them severely. Furthermore, ‘Alee bin Abī Tālib (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) began with fighting them before battling against the non-Muslims. These Khawārij are harmful to Islām, and it was for this reason that Allāh’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) described them as the most evil of creation!

There are many, many Muslims living in Europe whilst holding the beliefs of the Khawārij and the Rawāfid, and refuge is with Allāh, and they portray Islām with the most evil of images – so it is obligatory to refrain and keep away from them, as was the stance of the Righteous Salaf.

You must criticise and refute their behaviour and their actions so that those near and far are aware that Islām is free from the activities of these people. And many amongst the Muslims say, “How can we live in Europe whilst some of us are disparaging others?” No! Rather we disparage and criticise them. Firstly, for there own benefit, so they may return to their true Religion. Secondly, so that the opponents of Islām may come to know that these activities and beliefs are not from Islām and that Islām is innocent and free from them.

It is a must that you convince the unbelievers of Islām—that, that which the Rawāfid, the Khawārij, the various misguided groups and parties (ahzāb) are upon is not representative of Islām at all.

As for remaining quiet or using flattery and being complimentary towards them, or defending these misguided groups, then this is treacherous to Islām, it brings about disgrace upon Islām and causes the opponents and enemies of Islām to throw scorn upon it and hold it in contempt. That is due to the fact that these people of misguidance claim that they follow Islām and that they raise it’s banner, whilst in reality the opposite is the case. By Allāh they do not follow Islām, not in their beliefs, not in their behaviour, not in their stances towards the Muslims neither towards the non-Muslims.

So you must inform the opponents of Islām that Islām is free of these activities that are perpetrated by these people.

The affair is not as is asserted by those people who upon the methodology of al-Mawāzanāt [2], these misguided ones, these ruined Murji’ah [3] who exaggerate the station and praise of the deviants. Whatever they say and whatever principles they establish are not in the service of Islām or the Muslims, rather they are the destruction of Islām!

So beware of tolerating their principles and beware of their deceptions and beware of their extremist Murjī views. I regards these groups and parties that call to the methodology of al-Mawāzanāt, those who call to the false principle: “We advise but never disparage,” [4] and, “If you judge others, you too will be judged upon” [5] — I regard them to be new-age Murji’ah —they are more evil than the extreme Murji’ah of old because they do not establish these despicable, corrupt and astray principles except due to their desire to safeguard innovations and the people of innovation, because they honour and respect individuals who are deeply immersed in the belief that Allāh is in-dwelling in the Created beings, or that everything in reality is Allāh, or those who deny the Attributes of Allāh, or those who curse the Sahābah, or curse the Prophets (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam) – so they exaggerate the praise of these individuals and those who resemble them and aid them.

They introduce these astray principles and this corrupt Manhaj to defend them and defend their books and their corrupted methodologies so as to disfigure and distort Islām and to keep the non-Muslims away from from accepting Islām. How many people are there who desire Islām but they turn away due to the activities of these individuals?!

I warn you from these principles and I repeat this, time and time again that these extreme Murji’ah, their principles are more corrupt than the Murji’ah of old. The extreme Murji’ah laid down these principles for the purpose of safeguarding falsehood, and protecting the one who is loose-tongued and lax with the [honor of the] Prophets (‘alahimus-salaam); and the one who distorts the verses in the Book of Allāh, and the one who is easy-going and lax with the Islamic beliefs – and he wages war upon Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah and wages war upon the Companions. They lay down these principles for the likes of these individuals and for the modern-day Khawārij [6] and the modern-day extremist Murji’ah. It is even possible that they have laid down principles that even Iblees himself could not have concocted throughout the history of mankind!

So I strongly warn you from these people and I warn you from those who defend them, and binding upon you is that you raise the banner of the Sunnah and as for the one who is not able to do so, then it is binding upon him to return to his homeland. Do not waste away your own-selves and do not waste away Islām.

This is what I am able to say to you and others besides you at this juncture from words of advice and guidance. I warn you with the severest of warnings from the modern-day Khawārij [7], the modern-day extreme Murji’ah, the people of false and destructive methodologies of al-Mawāzanāt and whatever else that comprises of contrary and despicable principles.

We ask Allāh (the Most High) to safeguard the Muslims from the evil of these people because of the fact that they rush with their evil and their fitnah from the East to the West of this World – so be aware of them and warn the Muslims from them, and from their misguidance, and from their tribulation, and from their false principles that are the destructive and subversive principle of the Murji’ah.

May Allāh’s salutations and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad (salallaahu ‘alahi wassallam), and upon his family and his Companions. And may the peace, security, mercy and blessings of Allāh be upon you.

End of the words of Shaikh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (hafidhahullaah).

Notes:

* A translation of a chapter from the book al-Lubābu min Majmū’ Nasā’ih wa Tawjihāt ash-Shaikh Rabī’ lish-Shabāb of our teacher and Shaikh, Rabī’ bin Hādī bin ‘Umayr al-Madkhalī, may Allāh protect and preserve him. This large volume which spans 560 pages is filled with pieces of advice and answers to questions put forward to this great scholar of our times. This particular chapter is entitled, A Telephone Link with the Youth of Holland. Within this lecture Shaikh Rabī’ imparts some invaluable and important advice to the young Muslim men and women living in the West regarding their Religion.

** Physically fighting against the Khawaarij is the duty of the rulers – the citizens support the rulers in that by identifying for them the hiding places of the Khawaarij. Ali b. Abee Taalib was the Ruler of his day, and he led an army against the Khawaarij insurgency.

[1] The Stance of the Early Salaf Towards Ahlul-Bid’ah: Imām Abu Uthmān as-Sābūnī (rahimahullaah, died 449AH) penned down the belief of the Imāms of Ahlus-Sunnah and the Salaf in his work entitled, ‘Aqeedatus-Salaf As-hābil-hadīth (p. 315). He made mention of their ‘Aqīdah with regard to the people of misguidance, the people of desires and the people of innovation – that which all of the scholars agreed upon with consensus:

“And these words that I have verified in this chapter was the creed of all of them, not a single one of them differed regarding that – rather every last one of them agreed to all of it – and alongside that they unanimously agreed that ahlul-Bid‘ah are to be subdued, humiliated, disgraced, banished and driven away – that one must keep away from them, and from keeping company with them, and from living alongside them. And that one seeks nearness to Allāh by avoiding them and boycotting them.”

He went on to say (p. 298):

“They (the great Scholars) would hate the People of Bid‘ah, those who innovate into the Religion that which is not from it – they would not show them love and they would not keep companionship or friendship with them, they would not listen to their speech, they would not sit in their gatherings, they would not debate or argue with them regarding the Religion. They would see it as necessary to protect their hearing from their falsehood. This falsehood, that if it passed into the ears and settled in the hearts would cause great harm, and would draw one towards corrupt whisperings and dangers – it was regarding this that Allāh, the Most High, revealed: ‘And when you see those who engage in false conversation regarding Our verses, then stay away from them till they turn to another topic.’ (Soorah al-An‘ām: 68)”

[2] Al-Mawāzanah is translated as counter-balancing between the evil innovations a man calls to and his good deeds. It’s proponents argue, “When you criticise an innovator to warn people from him, then it is also obligatory upon you to mention his good points so that you do not treat him unjustly.” However, Shaikhul-Islām Ibn Bāz (died 1420AH, rahimahullaah) responded to this doubt by saying:

No, it is not necessary – it is not necessary. And this is why when you read the books of Ahlus-Sunnah you will find the purpose behind them is to to warn. Read in the book of al-Bukhārī, Khalq Af‘ālil-‘Ibād and  Kitābul-Adab (the Book of Manners) in his as-Sahīh, and Kitābus-Sunnah of Abdullāh bin Ahmad and Kitābut-Tawhīd of Ibn Khuzaimah and the refutation of Uthmān bin Sa’eed ad-Dārimī against Ahlul-Bid‘ah, and other such books. They mention this for the purpose of warning from their falsehood and the intent is not to enumerate their good points. The intent is to warn from their falsehood. And their good points have no value in relation to one who disbelieves if his innovation makes him a disbeliever, his good deeds are nullified. And when it does not make him a disbeliever then he is in a precarious situation. The intent is to expose the errors and deviations, which it is necessary to warn against.”

See Manhaj Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah Fee Naqdir-Rijāl wal-Kutub wat-Tawā’if of Shaikh Rabī’ bin Hādī. Shaikh Sālih al-Fawzān was asked, “Is it binding upon us to mention the good points of the one that we are warning against?” So the Shaikh responded:

No. Do not mention their good points. Mention only the error that they have fallen into. It has not been entrusted to you to give them tazkiyah (commendation). That which is entrusted to you is to explain the error that they are upon so that they may repent from it, and so that others may take caution against it.”

See Kitābul-Ajwibah al-Mufīdah Fī As’ilatil-Manāhij al-Jadīdah (p.13-14).

[3] Shaikh Rabī’ al-Madkhalī (may Allāh preserve him) counts those who uphold the false principle of al-Muwaazanah to be Murji’ah because the Murji’ah hold that outward wicked acts and evil utterances do do not affect a person’s Imān (Faith) nor diminish his station in the sight of Allāh – so a person of bid‘ah and misguidance is considered by the Murji’ah to be pious and righteous who should not be disparaged! Figureheads of misguidance are promoted by the modern-day Murji’ah as vanguards of the Religion in front of the masses such that the masses are led astray by their false beliefs and methodologies.

[4] A statement uttered by some modern-day callers who intend by it that a person who insists upon his deviation should not be refuted – and likewise that the sects of innovation should not be refuted or exposed.

[5] Meaning that people should be left alone upon their call to misguidance without being challenged, out of fear that one day you also will be challenged if you err! However one should not fear rectifying an error, nor be ashamed of returning to the truth if corrected. The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said in a hadīth collected by Imām Muslim in his Sahīh:

“Whosever amongst you sees an evil, then let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with heart – and that is the weakest of faith.”

[6] Imām al-Albānī (rahimahullaah) was asked concerning the book, Dhāhiratul-Irjā fil-Fikr al-Islāmī of Safar al-Hawālī, and in this book takfeer is performed on account of certain sins. He replied:

“..I should say about this Jamā’ah who have emerged in the present times and who have opposed the Salaf, I say here, in accordance with the statement of al-Hafidh adh-Dhahabī: They have opposed the Salaf in much of the issues of Manhaj, and it is befitting that I label them the Khawārij of the era. And this resembles their emergence at the current time – in which we read their statements  – because they, in reality, their words take the direction and objective of that of the Khawārij in performing takfeer of the one who commits major sins. And perhaps I should say, this is either due to ignorance on their behalf or due to devised plot!!”

Cassette: The Surūriyyah are the Khawārij of the Era, end of the first side. Dated 17th Dhul-Hijjah 1417H. Shaikh al-Albānī also stated regarding this same sect (al-Qutubiyyah), at the head of them Safar al-Hawālee and Salmān al-Awdah:

“I say: This is what I used to write for more than twenty years, affirming the Madh-hab of the Salaf and the ‘Aqīdah of Ahlus-Sunnah – and all praise is due to Allāh – in the issues pertaining to Imān, and then there come in the present times reckless ignoramuses, who are but young newcomers accusing us of Irjā! To Allāh is the complaint of the evil that they are upon, of ignorance, misguidance and scum..”

Adh-Dhabb al-Ahmad ‘an Musnad al-Imām Ahmad, p.33.

[7] In the month of Rajab 1413H, a sitting took place in the house of Shaikh Azīz Ibn Bāz (rahimahullaah) in the presence of a group from the shaikhs and students of knowledge. One of the circuit judges present asked the Shaykh (rahimahullaah),  saying, “Respected Shaikh, are there any errors and observations upon Safar and Salmān?” The Shaykh replied:

“Yes, yes. They have an evil orientation towards the Rulers, and also an opinion concerning this country. They also have incitement of the youth and encouragement of the general people to attack. And this is from the Manhaj of the Khawārij, and their cassettes inspire towards this.”

The Judge said, “O Shaikh does this reach the level of innovation?” The Shaikh (rahimahullaah) replied:

“There is no doubt that this innovation is something that is unique to the Khawārij and the Mu’tazilah. May Allāh guide them, may Allāh guide them.”