Allah سبحانه و تعالى has in His great wisdom created differing creations; from amongst them the Angels, the Jinn, and of course the Humans. Regarding these various creations, an interesting event was narrated to Shaikh al-Fawzaan, the question from the mother of this particular girl was as follows:
“I have an orphan daughter [i.e. her father has passed away, since it is not a condition for the mother to have passed away also for a child to be considered an orphan] and a man comes to her at night and wakes her up for the Fajr prayer and commands her to wake up her brothers and sisters for the prayer. The question therefore is; can we be certain that this individual who comes is an Angel? Do Angels descend to the Earth?”
The Shaikh replied, “Allahu ‘Alam [Allah knows best], or he could be from our brothers the Jinn, its doesn’t necessarily have to be an Angel, maybe from our brothers the Jinn”.
Shaikh Bin Baz رحمه الله و تعالى was from amongst the great scholars of our time, well known and recognised for his modesty and humbleness. The following is an occurrence narrated from his lifetime.
It was the case that individuals of the rank and responsibilty of the Shaikh were provided private cars on behalf of the Country, such cars would be provided for a certain period until they would be replaced by an updated model. When the allotted time period would expire on the car of the Shaikh it would be said to him that it requires to be replaced, so the Shaikh would say, “What’s wrong with it?”, he would be told that nothing is wrong, but rather it is procedure to provide a new car after certain periods of time. So then the Shaikh would be asked, “What model of car would you like to replace it with?”. So the Shaikh would ask, “What models are there?”. He would be told there is Cadillac, Mercedes, Ford etc etc….and so the Shaikh would say, “What about a Caprice?”, he would be told that a Caprice is not a befittingly high-end model of car for his station and rank, so the Shaikh would reply, “Why?! Isn’t the grave we will all end up in the same?”.
Such is the example of the modesty of the scholars, in the first instance the Shaikh is questioning as to why he even requires to have a new car, and then he requests a model that may be considered lower than the superior models.
We ask Allah for modesty and humbleness, indeed beautiful characteristics.
”I never wrote down a hadeeth except that I acted on it at least once, so that it may not be a proof against me.”
[Quoted by: Shaikh Jamaal al-Fareehaan al-Haarithee in Ad-Durar Al-Manthoor Minal Qawl Al-Ma’thoor: page: 34. The Shaikh referenced the original source of this statement of Imaam Ahmad to Adabul Imlaa Wal-Istimlaa (323), Manaaqib Ahmad (179) and other sources]
The position and status of Shaikh al-Albany رحمه الله is well recognised and known, despite the failed attempts of many to discredit the Shaikh. Regarding this rank and status Allah سبحانه و تعالى bestowed upon Shaikh Al-Albany, Shaikh Rabee’ حفظه الله تعالى stated [paraphrased], “…then when I graduated from the Masters and Phd and went to teach Post-Graduate studies at the Islamic University of Madinah, and I used to return to the books of ad-Daaraqutny and others from the early scholars like Abu Hatim for researching the affairs of hadith, and I would return to books such as “talkhees al-kabeer” and “nasb ar-raaya” from the earlier scholars relative to our current time.
I would however not return to the books of Al-Albany considering that perhaps his level would be lower than them, but I read into the book “silsilatul ahaadith ad-da’eefa” and amazingly it was as if I was reading into ibn Abi Hatim and ad-Daaraqutny and the likes of these mountains….[Al-Albany] is truly a scholar firmly grounded in the affairs of hadith and their wordings…an amazing affair…so by Allah I was shocked at how this man had reached this level of knowledge in our time and so I used to say to the students, “benefit from Shaikh Al-Albany and his authentic books…he has indeed served the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم.”
One from amongst the countless testifications to the status of the noble Shaikh al-Albany رحمه الله تعالى. May Allah guide all those who attempt to discredit the Shaikh.
It is not said that we claim the Shaikh was preserved from ever falling into error, as we do not claim that for any of the scholars, however as Shaikh ‘Abdullah al-Bukhary stated, the individuals who make such claims need to consider carefully their own level of knowledge [i.e. lack of it] before speaking concerning the Shaikh!
From amongst the affairs that are widespread and distributed by those who have limited comprehension of the Methodology of the Salaf, is the claim that refutations and appraisals are a form of backbiting the people, or that names do not need to be mentioned in refutations, or that it is a waste of time, or indeed that it is useless for the common folk….amongst a whole selection of alternative arguments deployed to confuse and bewilder those who unfortunately find themselves lending an ear to such speech – we pray they are enlightened in understanding the reality of affairs.
The objective here is to present a solitary narration from Yahya bin Sa’eed regarding the affair of refutations and appraisals; a narration that will depict the importance of this matter, and the incumbent responsibility.
Abu Bakr ibn Khallad said, “I entered upon Yahya ibn Sa’eed in his final illness and so he said to me, “Oh Aba Bakr! What have you left the people of Basra saying?” [i.e. what was there state of affairs and speech regarding me?].
I replied, “They mention good concerning you…except that they fear upon you due to your speech about people”.
Yahya ibn Sa’eed replied, “Memorise this from me!….That I have one from amongst the general people as my adversary in the Hereafter, is more beloved to me than to have the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم as my adversary on that Day saying to me, “A particular Hadith reached you from me, and in your consideration it was not authentic from me, yet you did not reject and refute that affair?”.
Narrations that emphasise the point of importance of refutations are great in number, yet the people feign blindness Allahul Musta’an.
We pray that Allah makes us from those who accept the truth when it reaches us, and not be from those who are blinded by love for their groups and leaders to the extent that they oppose the Methodology of the Salaf in making excuses and sorrowful cries of oppression. The truth is more beloved to us walhamdulillah.
All praise is due to Allaah and may His salaah and salaam be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions. To proceed:
I [Abu Mu-aawiyyah (Abdullaah al-Gambi) asked Ustaadh Abdul Waahid Abu Khadeejah (may Allaah preserve him) about the state of affairs of Abdur-Raheem McCarthy Al-Amreekee after coming across his mixing haqq with Baatil, his exaggerations and defence of the people of hizbiyyah such as the likes of Abu Muslimah and the people to be treated the same as Ahlul Bidah such as Abu Usaamah; so he (Ustaadh Abu Khadeejah) said to me: ‘’Narrate from me that I heard Shaikh Muhammad Bin Haadee (may Allaah preserve him) saying: ‘’I warn against Abdur-Raheem.’’
Next topic Inshaa-Allaah:
The false claim of Abdur Raheem that the Salafis hide the commendation (Tadeel) given to certain scholars who were imprisoned and promote the Jarh against them. Indeed, we do not know whether to cry or laugh at this nonsense. Abdur-Raheem–the deceiver– neither mentioned the names of those so called scholars nor did he give details of the Tadeel for them and the Jarh against them. Indeed, we do not expect the likes of Abdur-Raheem to be brave enough to argue his position with Ilm, proofs and evidences; rather he utilised the methods of the Hizbiyyoon (i.e. general statements that can be utilised for both haqq and baatil, and then he chose to utilise them for baatil). Inshaa-Allaah, we will discuss this in the next post and also the affair of Saeed Rageah another deceiver who exaggerates and mixes haqq with baatil.
Entering into marriage is a matter not considered to be light or casual, rather the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم guided the believers in understanding the issues of importance when deciding upon marriage, for certainly it is an affair of relevance in the religion. The husband requires a wife that will honour him and their household, and raise the children upon the correct morals and understandings of the religion, and similarly the wife requires a husband who will be upright and honourable in his religion and duties and rights to his family.
Regarding this affair, a practicing sister asked al ‘Allama Shaikh ‘Abdul-Aziz bin Baz رحمه الله تعالى regarding someone who proposed to her and so she said, “He is a relative of mine, however I refused his proposal for the following reasons: He does not perform his prayer in the congregation, he believes in magicians, he is younger than me in age by 2 years, he is illeterate and cannot read or write, and he spends a lot of time in gatherings [with his friends etc, always out]”.
So the Shaikh replied, “Well done for refusing him, the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم stated, “If someone proposes to you who is pleasing in his religion and morals then marry him”, as for this one [you have mentioned] then he is not pleasing in his religion or morals, well done for refusing him, and I ask Allah He gives you a righteous husband better than him”.
Although the age factor may not be a considerable issue, clearly the fact that his ‘aqeedah was so distorted that he believed and accepted magicians was a damaging and destructive affair in his religion, as well as the fact that he was known for plentiful excursions amongst his friends in gatherings and outings, which may detract from his rights and responsibilites to his household.
Perhaps we may take admonish from this event, seek to rectify ourselves in our marital affairs – or future marital affairs – and recognise the rights and responsibilites upon us, be it the husband or the wife, beginning with the rectification ad solidification of ‘aqeedah and in understanding and learning the affairs of our religion, hence understanding the responsibilites in a better fashion.
Indeed the Qur’an was sent by Allah as a guidance to creation, it is as the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم would say in the weekly Friday sermon, “Indeed the best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and the most evil of affairs are the newly invented, and every innovation is misguidance”. Indeed Allah revealed this Book in order that the people may be removed from darkness to light, from shirk to tawheed. The Qur’an that holds no contradictions but rather all of its information is true and correct, the Qur’an along with the Sunnah that is a clarification and guidance in all affairs.
Upon this point regarding the Qur’an being a guidance for all affairs al-‘Allama ibn ul-Uthaymeen رحمه الله mentioned a story regarding a christian scholar who questioned a muslim scholar whilst in a restaurant upon the specifics pertaining to the cooking of a particular meal! The shaikh mentioned in one of his khutab that a muslim person of knowledge was sat in a restaurant and a christian approached him and stated as a challenge to him, “You say that the Qur’an is a guidance in all affairs, so where in the Qur’an does it tell you how to cook this meal?” Allah سبحانه و تعالى inspired the person of knowledge to have insight in answering the question, and so he called over the chef, once the chef arrived he asked him how to cook the particular meal he was eating, and so the chef explained the process. Thereafter the person of knowledge said to him, “This is what the Qur’an has taught us “فاسأوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمون“….ask the people of knowledge if you do not know. In this way he explained that the manner of discovering the process of cooking the food was indeed taught in the Qur’an!
Shaikh ibn ul-Uthaymeen رحمه الله stated, “In this noble ayat is instruction on the manner of seeking knowledge of an affair that is unkown to you, and that is that you ask the one upon knowledge in that affair”.
This was an example the Shaikh presented to illustrate the point of returning to the people of knowledge in our religious affairs, since without doubt returning to the scholars is a matter of importance, and certainly we speak of the well grounded firm scholars in knowledge the likes of Shaikh al-Fawzan, Shaikh al-Luhaidan, Shaikh Zaid bin Haady, Shaikh Rabee’, Shaikh ‘Ubayd حفظهم الله and many others in our time now and all praise is due to Allah.
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam al-Asbahaanee (d.535H) – rahimahullaah – said: “The sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the Salafus-Saalih and abandon all that is innovated and newly introduced into the Deen.” [Al-Hujjah fee Bayaanil Mahajjah 1/364]
Abu Haneefah (d. 150H) (rahimahullaah) said: “Adhere to the athar (narration) and the tareeqah (way) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) and beware of newly invented matters for all of it is innovation” [Reported by As-Suyootee in Sawn al Mantaq wal-Kalaam p.32]
lbn Taymiyyah (d.728H) – rahimahullaah – said: “There is no criticism for the one who proclaims the way (madhdhab) of the Salaf, who attaches himself to it and refers to it. Rather, it is obligatory to accept that from him by unanimous agreement (Ittifaaq) because the way (madhdhab) of the Salaf is nothing but the Truth (Haqq).” [Majmoo al-Fataawaa 4:149]
Imaam adh-Dhahabee (d.748H) – rahimahullaah – said: “It is authentically related from ad-Daaraqutnee that he said: There is nothing more despised by me than ‘ilmul-kalaam (innovated speech and rhetorics). I say: He never entered into ‘ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, was a Salafee (a follower of the Salaf).”[Siyar 16/457]
As-Sam’aanee (d.562H) said in al-lnsaab (3/273): “As-Salafi: this is an ascription to the Salaf and following their ways, in that which is related from them.” lbn al-Atheer (d.630H) said in al-Lubaab fee Tahdheebul-lnsaab (2/162), commenting upon the previous saying of as-Sam’aanee: “And a group were known by this ascription.” So the meaning is: that the term Salafi, and its ascription to them, was a matter known in the time of Imaam as-Sam’aanee, or before him.
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Sometimes a narration may come from someone from whom it is obligatory to accept, or from whom it is obligatory to reject, or from whom it is necessary to withhold from (until further clarification). And how foolish it would be, that that which is from the truth which the Seal of the Prophets conveyed from His Lord, the Mighty and Majestic and that which is from the falsehood that Allaah and His Messenger are free of, should be known by other than knowing the conditions of the narrators.
It is likewise for the various historical occurrences. In fact the need for knowing the condition of those who narrate them is even more severe, due to the prevalent neglect in the narration of such events and occurrences.
(And this is) in addition to the fact that being acquainted with condition of men is itself one of most important branches of history. So when it is necessary to be acquainted with the condition and state of the narrators, it is also necessary to make this known, so that everyone who knows the condition of a narrator should inform (others) about his condition, so that the people may know of it.
And this Ummah has (indeed) acted upon this obligation in the desired manner.
[Source: Ahimmiyatu Ilm ur-Rijal (translated Abu Iyaad Amjad Rafiq: for further details see: www.salafipublications.com article id: SLF020003]
