Thoughtful Reflection, Consultation, and Wisdom from Elders are Essential as the Young Man Starts to Value His Own Perspectives In Dawah
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah, The Exalted, informs us of one of the requests of His noble Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, made after being commanded to call Fir’awn to Tawheed:
وَيَسِّرۡ لِىٓ أَمۡرِى
“And ease my task for me”.
In the explanation of this Ayah, Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: Meaning, “Grant me ease in every affair I pursue and every path I intend to follow, whilst calling to your guidance; and lighten the difficulties in front of me”. The caller is granted ease when he approaches all affairs in the appropriate manner, addresses every person based on what they should be addressed with, and calls them through a path that is easier for them to understand to enable them to accept his speech. [1]
O beloved youth! Exercise caution when considering mere opinions, preferences, and aversions in matters of Dawah that necessitate careful deliberation and comprehensive inquiry. When you engage with others and share your experiences from various countries, noting the distinct demeanour of the people of Sunnah, who exhibit a serene and composed nature, and whose discourse on particular issues may not be as prevalent as in your homeland, be mindful – due to your youthful perspective, limited experience, and minimal engagement- of insisting that such an approach should be universally adopted or asserted in every situation. We offer this gentle reminder for your consideration if you find anything useful in it:
The Dawah of Ahlus Sunnah, flourishing across various regions of the globe, remains unified in its core principles, emphasising Tawheed and Ittibaa as derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah, interpreted and practiced by the pious predecessors. Additionally, all Salafiyyoon ardently advocate for adherence to the noble conduct exemplified by the Messenger and the pious predecessors. This shared commitment is consistently echoed in their Duroos, khutab, and conferences. However, one must not anticipate leniency in all approaches, particularly in the face of the relentless efforts of those who propagate Bidah, who tirelessly disseminate doubts and engage with the masses through their extensive resources and networks. Therefore, we cannot waver in our proactive stance regarding specific Manhaj issues and our resolute declarations! Have you not been informed of the affair of two individuals?!
One individual expressed his discontent when the names of the prominent figures associated with Bidah were brought to light, asserting, “During my time in Riyadh, I attended the lectures of Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, and I never heard him mention any names.” In response, we inquired, “Does this imply that the Shaikh has never identified the proponents of Ahlul Bidah, and should we then accept your assertion as a definitive principle?” To substantiate our point, we presented him with the Shaikh’s book “Bayaan Li-Ba’di Akh’taa Al-Kuttaab,” along with excerpts from “Al-Ajwibah Al-Mufeedah.” [a] Following this, he fell silent, neither conceding nor disputing our claims, thus bringing the discussion to a close.
The second dude grew weary of the ongoing clarifications directed at Greenlane and remarked, “Why do you persist in beating a dead horse?” In an unexpected turn, Greenlane found themselves bolstered by the support of Dr. Wasiyullah Abbas, leading this individual to reconsider his stance, as he recognised that those actively engaged in the Rudood had justifiable motives for their actions. He claimed that his assertion “Why do you persist in beating a dead horse” was echoed by an informed individual regarding Dawah. So, we informed him that even if this is exactly what he heard from that good and reliable individual, there is no doubt that he is unaware of the true ramifications of silence in these circumstances because he lacked comprehensive insight into our daily affairs. Despite his persistent insistence and frequent reiteration of his perspective, we chose to disregard his claims, fully aware that those with far greater knowledge of the circumstances—more informed than both him and the individual from whom he relayed his information—were addressing the issue under the guidance of Al-Allaamah Rabee, may Allah preserve him, and Al-Allaamah Ubaid Bin Abdillah Al-Jabiri, may Allah have mercy upon him.
What was the predicament of this individual who succumbed to ennui amidst crucial clarifications? He gradually distanced himself, overwhelmed by tedium. Initially, when Fawzi al-Bahrayni found himself forsaken by the senior teachers in the UK, this individual remarked, “A relative of mine conversed with Fawzi, and he has denied the claims made against him.” Subsequently, Al-Allamah Rabee delivered a vigorous rebuttal to Fawzi, yet this individual remained silent, neither conceding nor expressing dissent. His opinionated demeanour and self-proclaimed understanding of the matters at hand, coupled with his entitlement to personal preferences, prevented him from embracing humility. When the turmoil of the Musafiqah emerged, he aligned himself with the defenders of the Musafiqah. Thus, one must exercise caution against the perils of being opinionated, particularly when lacking a foundation of sound principles and driven solely by personal inclinations.
There existed individuals whose demeanour was marked by a touch of naivety or an eagerness that bordered on the impulsive. Upon stepping beyond their familiar confines and encountering the exhilarating and demanding realms of learning and Dawah, they mistakenly believed that the pearls of wisdom they had received were universally applicable, simply because they originated from a wise man. Thus, they would often proclaim, “I consulted with this wise individual, and he believes the matter should be approached in this manner.” Our response was, “The individual you consulted cannot be held accountable, as his insights were based solely on the limited information you provided regarding the daily circumstances. Should he be available and willing, we would gladly elucidate the nuances you unintentionally overlooked due to your lack of awareness. Otherwise, the counsel you have relayed from him cannot be effectively applied to this particular scenario”. These individuals, in their sincerity, would respond, ‘Indeed, please present the situation with all pertinent details,’ and from this openness, much good has emerged to this day. Therefore, it is essential to recognise that while opinions may hold value, the ultimate resolution rests with those who possess a comprehensive understanding of the matter and its real-world implications.
As for the individual who found himself ensnared by ennui concerning Rudud, only to subsequently embrace the Trojan horse of the Musafiqah, we are reminded of the profound words of Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah’s mercy be upon him: “A person must have (sound) comprehensive fundamental principles to which the branches of a subject matter are referred back so that he speaks based on knowledge and justice; then he knows how those branches of the subject matter are established (or how they are impacted by the sound comprehensive principles), otherwise, he will remain upon lies and ignorance in the branches and ignorance and oppression in the sound comprehensive fundamental principles, thus great corruption occurs”. [2]
So, we ask Allah:
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغيثُ أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِيَ كُلَّهُ وَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
O Ever Living! O The Self Subsisting, Upon Whom Everything Depends! By Your mercy I seek assistance; rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye]. [3]
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[a] Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzaan [may Allah preserve him] said: The principle here is about warning against mistakes and deviance after identifying them as such. If the affair necessitates making known the name of an individual among the obstinate opponents so that beguilement does not occur through them, particularly those individuals with deviated views or deviation in behaviour and methodology, and they are well known among the people and a good opinion is held about them, there is no harm in mentioning them by their names and their methodology warned against. The scholars research the science of Jarh Wat-Tadeel and then mention the narrators and the criticism leveled against them. This is not done for the sake of personal (criticism), but rather to advise the Ummah in case they come across affairs from these individuals that are harmful to the Religion or lies against the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]. Therefore, this principle is first and foremost about warning against mistakes. But the person who made such a mistake should not be named if doing so would either do more harm or if there is no benefit in doing so.
If the matter requires that his name be made known to warn the people about his methodology, this is an act of sincere devotion to Allah in worship, an act of sincere devotion to Allah’s Book, an act of sincere devotion to Allah’s Messenger (by following his Sunnah), and an act of sincere advice to Muslim leaders and their common folk, especially if he (the one warned against) is active among the people and they have a positive view of him and buy his books and audio tapes. Therefore, there has to be clarification and warning because silence will be harmful to people. His affair has to be unveiled, however, it must be done as an act of sincere devotion to Allah in worship, an act of sincere devotion to Allah’s Book, an act of sincere devotion to Allah’s Messenger (by following his Sunnah), and an act of sincere advice to Muslim leaders and their common folk, and not for defamation or to satisfy one’s desires. [4]
[1] An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi
[2] Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 19/203 & Minhaj As-Sunnah 5/83
[3] Silsilah As-Saheehah Number 227
[4] An Excerpt from “Al-Ajwibah Al Mufeedah”. Question number 66. Page 162