An Advice of Al-Allamah Rabee on Unity and Brotherhood, and The Recent Events That Demonstrates This Unity

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, stated:

فعلى الطائفة المنصورة التي بشر رسول الله ﷺله ببقائها وبنصرها، وأنه لا يضرها من خذلها ولا من خالفها حتى يأتي وعد الله – تبارك وتعالى-، على هذه الجماعة المباركة الطيبة أن تتأخى في الله، وأن تتعاون على البر والتقوى، وأن تشمر عن سواعد الجد، لتبقى بهذه الميزة العظيمة أنهم على الحق ظاهرون، لا يضرهم من خذلهم ولا من خالفهم، ولا يعرفون هذا الحق إلا بالعلم الموروث عن أنبياء الله ورسله، وعن خاتم الأنبياء – عليهم
الصلاة والسلام
إذ العلماء هم ورثة الأنبياء في تبليغ دعوة الله في تبليغ رسالات الله في الأمر بالمعروف، في النهي عن المنكر، وكم للأمة من خير في الدعوة إلى الله، وفي الأمر بالمعروف، وفي النهي عن المنكر، والدعوة إلى الله
والأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر يتطلب علمًا واسعا

It is obligated to the victorious group, this blessed and virtuous group – concerning which Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, conveyed the glad tidings that it will remain and be victorious, neither harmed by those who forsake it nor by those who oppose it until the divine promise is fulfilled (i.e. the Day of Judgment)- to foster brotherhood for the sake of Allah, co-operate in righteousness and piety, and to ardently strive to maintain the remarkable distinction of being manifest on the truth; neither harmed by those who forsake them nor by those who oppose them. This truth is not known except through the knowledge inherited from Allah’s Prophets and Messengers, and from the seal of the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them. The Scholars are the heirs of the Prophets in the propagation of Allah’s call and His message, in enjoining good and forbidding evil. Abundant good is (received) by the Ummah from the call to Allah’s path, from enjoining good and forbidding evil. The call to Allah’s path, enjoining good and forbidding evil requires extensive knowledge….[1] Paraphrased

We wholeheartedly endorse all that Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, has articulated above, as well as the subsequent insights found in the book from page 200 onward. Nevertheless, the particular themes we wish to highlight from the aforementioned discourse are brotherhood and the collaborative pursuit of righteousness and piety. In this context, Shaikh Abu Khadeejah, may Allah protect him, recently stated:

The last seven days have been days of knowledge—and all praise is for Allah—days filled with the remembrance of Allah, studying the Sunnah, clarifying the Methodology and ‘Aqeedah of the Salaf, Ahlul-Hadīth and Ahlul-Athar—and these are praiseworthy titles that refer to Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah—they are one body, united upon the truth. Thousands gathered at these venues, brothers and sisters, from across the UK, Europe and elsewhere.

First at the Birmingham Summer Conference 2024 with @SalafiPubs at @MasjidSalafi from Friday to Sunday last weekend, then in Bradford at @albaseerah on Monday, Manchester at @SalafiCentre on Tuesday, Wednesday in Cardiff at @TawheedCardiff and Saturday at a packed conference in West London organised by @DaarusSunnah @_MuSunnah and @MasjidusSunnah.

May Allāh reward the rest of the speakers who participated over the last week, travelling and teaching: @AbuIyaadSP @AbuIdrees @uwaysT @Abdulilah_UK @IbnAkhdar @AbuHafsahKK

During these days, we saw the heads of over 20 Islamic centres in the UK visiting their brothers, and cooperating with them for Allah’s sake—some we’ve known for three decades and others for only a few years: @MasjdIbnSeereen @MrkzIbnMubarak @Athariyyah @MarkazMuaadh @MarkazSalafi @IslamStoke @DawahTH @Oxford_Dawah @SalafiDawahMK to name a few.

Thousands of free leaflets were shared through the @SalafiBookstore and @CCDawah. All of this is by the grace and bounty of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, upon us. The da’wah of Ahlul-Sunnah and Salafiyyah in the UK has reached heights today not seen before. So, let us maintain the momentum and the striving—remain sincere and steadfast, seeking the Face of Allah. Learn this Deen, act upon it, and share its message with your family, friends, and community. Begin with Tawheed (the worship of Allah alone) and the ‘Aqeedah, cling to the Sunnah, purify your hearts, perform righteous deeds, avoid innovations, and hold fast to the Rope of Allāh, altogether united—with that, you will attain Allah’s pleasure. Our elder scholars such as Shaikh Rabee’, Shaikh Muqbil Al-Wādi’ī, Shaikh ‘Ubaid, Shaikh An-Najmi, Shaikh Zayd Al-Madkhali, Shaikh Muhammad Al-Banna and his brother Shaikh Hasan always advised us with brotherhood and avoiding the paths that lead to differing. Likewise, this is what we heard from the great ones of their age such as Shaikh Al-Albānī, Shaikh Ibn Bāz, Shaikh Muhammad Amān Al-Jāmī, and Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (rahimahumullāh). We keep reminding ourselves, our brothers and sisters, the youth and the elders to be grateful to Allah, and ‘proclaim the bounties of your Lord’! Do not allow Shaytan or unguided good intentions to deceive you into thinking that there is any good in dividing or separating the Salafi ranks, and ‘doing your own thing’ independent from the rest of the Salafis, especially those who have preceded you. Take the advice of these scholars, and the elders because ‘the barakah is with your elders’. And the scholars such as our Shaikh, the ‘Allāmah, Rabee’ Al-Madkhalī always advised with cooperation, love, and brotherhood among the Salafis and to avoid all means that lead to division and differing—and I translated some beautiful words from him in a recent post, so may Allah reward the noble scholar. I advise the Muslims who have love for the Sunnah and the Truth to study the belief, methodology, and fiqh of the Sahābah and the early generations—may Allah bless you. In clinging to their path, there is salvation—and by leaving their path, and choosing other paths, there is misery and misguidance. I ask Allāh to maintain our unity here in the UK, the US, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and across the world based on the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with the understanding of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). This is the path of guidance and success, and every other path is astray—and we seek Allah’s aid. [End of quote]

First, indeed, all praise and thanks are due to Allah, and may He bless our Scholars and their students in the East and the West. The centers of Salafiyyah and the Salafiyyoon stand united in their commitment to the authentic Aqeedah and Manhaj, striving to counsel one another, promote virtue, and discourage wrongdoing. Umar Ibn Abdul Azeez, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Whoever advises his brother to rectify matters related to his religion and gives him insight into a worldly affair of his, indeed he has perfected their relationship and fulfilled his obligation towards him”. [2]

Second, the Salafiyyoon are still returning to their scholars, transmitting their books and Fatawa in their Masajid and Marakiz. They completely emphasise a return to the senior scholars in times of adversity and when critical decisions are needed. We recall a recent incident where certain people in the biased mainstream media highlighted that in the UK, it is against the law to separate boys and girls in secondary education unless they are taught in separate buildings, otherwise, they cannot be segregated. Because of this difficult situation and a lack of resources to provide enough space, some of our elder teachers sought advice from Al Allamah Ubaid Bin Abdillah Al-Jaabiri, may Allah have mercy upon him. However, he declined to answer the question and directed them to Al Allamah Salih Al Fawzaan, may Allah preserve him, who also refused to respond and suggested that they reach out to the Lajnah Daa’imah (Saudi). Thankfully, Allah, in His great mercy, made it easier when the females were facilitated with the means to carry on being segregated from the males. This incident happened not too long ago. The senior Salafi teachers involved in this matter didn’t rush to mix those teenagers in with the rest of the students and claimed, “We understand our situation better than the Scholars.” They also didn’t resort to the principle of “the lesser of two evils.” Instead, they sought guidance from the senior Scholars of the Ummah and patiently waited for Allah to make things easier. Furthermore, our Salafi teachers, both senior and junior, at the Maraakiz, do not hinder anyone from seeking guidance from scholars or insist on being consulted before reaching out to them. Rather, what they advise and remind us constantly is that we are honest in every affair we pursue from the Scholars. Therefore, the phrase “return to the scholars” should not be employed as a means to cherry-pick fatwas or to solidify one’s positions solely based on the alleged existence of differing opinions, while disregarding clear proofs.

The Salafiyyoon consistently steer clear of insignificant arguments that lack importance and issues that provide no real benefit. They actively motivate each other to delve into the pursuit of knowledge. This commitment, however, does not lead them away from being truthful or the necessity of encouraging good conduct while discouraging negative actions. Each of them strives to avoid poor behavior and to offer sincere advice. They approach this with understanding, aiming to inspire positive change while practicing patience. It’s common for anyone to occasionally struggle to recognise their own shortcomings or to realise how they could have acted differently or given more attention to certain matters. This is where the Salafiyyoon step in with their genuine counsel, rooted in brotherhood and a desire for mutual goodness. Even those who are unaware of their faults are treated with patience, but none of us expect to escape accountability for recognised misdeeds. Additionally, they remain alert, ensuring that Ahlul Bidah do not disrupt their collective efforts. May Allah grant us lasting unity in the UK and every place.

The Salafiyyoon hold tightly to the teachings of senior scholars like Al-Allamah Rabee, Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, and Al-Allamah Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbad. They show great respect for the students of these scholars, including Shaikh Abdullah Al-Bukhari, Shaikh Khalid Adh-Dhufiri, and Shaikh Abdullah Adh-Dhufiri, among others. The writings of the senior scholars and their students are in high demand at centers with bookstores, available in both Arabic and English translations. Most importantly, during challenging times or crises, they turn to the senior scholars for guidance, as previously mentioned regarding the issue of mixing between teenage boys and girls.

In summary, the unity of the Salafis has been evident to all, as highlighted by Shaikh Abu Khadeejah. Consequently, every Salafi is open to reminders from scholars in Muslim countries about the importance of unity, as well as from their reliable and well-known students in the East and the West. Lastly, we ask Allah to protect us from anything that may lead to division and to grant us the ability, knowledge, and resolve to avoid such pitfalls. We conclude with a piece of advice from Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, concerning the dangers of seeking leadership, which can sometimes lead to problems. Listen here: “Many of those who love leadership, split the Salafis”: https://youtu.be/8VxgOXt72iw?si=ZdLsiG-KLRkUqUFr

Shaikh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: There are many cases where the souls are mixed with Ash-Shahawaat Al-Khafiyyah [i.e. desires that are concealed, subtle, etc] that corrupts its fulfillment of (perfect) love of Allah, servitude to Him and establishment of the religion sincerely for the sake of Allah, just as Shaddaad Ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “O Arabs! Indeed, the affair I fear for you the most is Riyaa and Shahwa Al-Khafiyyah”. It was said to Abu Dawud As-Sijistaani, may Allah have mercy upon him, “What is Ash-Shahwa Al-Khafiyyah?” He said, “Love of leadership”. [4]

We ask Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return, and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [4]

[1] An Excerpt from “Marhaban Yaa Talibal Ilm. page 200

[2] Tarikh At-Tabari 6/572]

[3] Majmoo Al-Fataawaa 10 /214-215

[4] Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720