Attributing Disorder and Turmoil to Salafiyyah – A Brief Rebuttal to Ephrem Kossaify

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

Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Verily, a slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 6478]

This hadith serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers associated with our speech and the repercussions of talking without knowledge or reverence for Allah. Ephrem Kossaify displayed a troubling and hazardous lack of understanding regarding Salafiyyah while discussing issues of white supremacy, racism, and the murder of George Floyd in the following manner:

“It could be that those Arabs who say white nationalism is America’s greatest peril are in fact exposing their own anxieties about ethnicity, sectarianism and violent extremism. “Islamic extremism, be it in its Salafist or Muslim Brotherhood versions, uses force to change the world view, starting in their own country, and expanding to include infidels of other nations. Look what just happened in France,” El-Hady said, referring to Samuel Paty, a teacher who was beheaded near his school on Oct. 6 for showing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad in class. The perpetrator, an 18-year-old ethnic Chechen named Abdullakh Anzorov, is alleged to have had ties to Islamic extremist groups abroad. “These terrorist organizations that have plagued the Arab world are much more dangerous than white nationalism,” said El-Hady]. [source: Arab News. October 26, 2020, EPHREM KOSSAIFY. Updated 27 October 2020]

We begin by reminding this audacious slanderer of Salafiyyah about the seriousness of making uninformed judgments on religious issues. Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Since the true followers of the Prophets and the adherents of the Prophetic Sunnah are those who possess knowledge and justice, their discourse towards unbelievers and proponents of religious innovations must be based on knowledge and justice rather than conjecture and what the soul desires. And because of this, the Prophet [peace be upon him and blessings of Allah be upon him] said: “The judges are three: one will go to Paradise and two to Hell. A man who knows the truth and judges with it will enter paradise; a man who knows the truth but judges with the opposite of it will enter the fire, and a man who judges for the people based on ignorance will enter the fire”. [Abu Dawud 3573]

And if it is the case that the person who judges between people over matters of wealth, blood (such as murder cases, physical assault, etc.), and honour will burn in hell if he is not a just scholar, then what about the person who renders judgements on creeds, religions, the fundamentals of belief, divine knowledge, and the broad fundamental principles relating to many subject subjects without knowledge or fairness, as is the case with those who advocate for religious innovations and desires – those who adhere to ambiguous, dubious topics, disregard the unambiguous texts that the Prophets [peace and blessings of Allah be upon them] transmitted, cling to issues that are vaguely related through analogy and opinion, and then present issues whose differences cannot be equated or reconciled. [Al-Jawaabus Saheeh 1/26-30]

Furthermore, it is unnecessary to engage in discussions surrounding white supremacy, racism, and terrorism, as any reasonable individual recognizes the profound immorality inherent in these ideologies. Ephrem’s perilous ignorance and misguided assertions led him to draw unfounded parallels between Salafiyyah and the methods employed by terrorists. However, this slander is far from novel; it represents a familiar strategy employed by many secularists, Zionists, demagogues, journalists, rabble-rousers and their cohorts, aimed at undermining the legitimacy of Salafiyyah. Thus, it is imperative that we illuminate the misconceptions held by this charlatan and others who seek to obscure the true essence of Salafiyyah. Saudi Salafi Scholar, Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, stated:

The creed and methodologies of the kharijites somewhat influenced the political groups that emerged during this era. And as a result, they do not place any value on matters other than politics, do not care about improving the Ummah’s situation through (sound) creed and knowledge, and do not consider matters pertaining to the Ummah’s return to the Book, the Sunnah, and the piety and steadfastness that the pious predecessors were upon in all aspects of the Religion. Rather, they make the Ummah more corrupt in creed and conduct. Thus, you see them waging war against the scholars (i.e. the upright scholars) and the people who (truly) follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah while pledging loyalty to those who promote misguidance and innovation in religion. They set up false goals and catchphrases for proponents of misguidance and innovations in religion, and among them are Sayyid Qutb and his followers, who adopted the creed, methodology, and political views of the Khawarij, the Rawafid, the Mu’tazilah, and the Jahmiyyah, particularly when it comes to the topic of Takfir based on oppression and ignorance. He said that all human societies are ignorant pre-Islamic societies, with the Muslim Ummah being the worse in their apostasy and state of pre-Islamic ignorance. Later, the Baatiniyyah path was added to this (methodology of his, such as) assassinations, and blowing up (buildings, people, etc.). Then, on the basis of a daring conspiracy against the leaders (of the Salafi Methodology), his adherents claim to represent the Salafi Methodology. As a result, if you are aware of this, you will be able to identify the treacherous ones and know that the Salafi Methodology is free from this kind of Takfir and devastation. If you are aware of this, it would be equivalent to an act of evident oppression when the Raafidah, the secularists, and the rationalists attribute (false) Takfir, and destruction to the Salafi methodology.  (1)

Saudi Salafi Scholar, Al-Allamah Saaleh Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, stated:

“Salafiyyah is to follow the path of Salafus Saalih (The pious predecessors) – the companions of Muhammad, the followers of Muhammad’s companions and the virtuous generations. Allah [The Most High] said: [وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِـإِحۡسَـٰنٍ۬ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ -And the first to embrace Islaam of the Muhaajiroon (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansaar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhaajiroon) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him]. [9:100]

Allah [The Most High] said about Muhammad’s companions:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَـٰهَدُواْ بِأَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ وَأَنفُسِہِمۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَواْ وَّنَصَرُوٓاْ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ بَعۡضُہُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٍ۬‌ۚ

Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, – these are (all) allies to one another [8:72] until Allah stated: [وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدُ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَـٰهَدُواْ مَعَكُمۡ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مِنكُمۡ‌ۚ – And those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with you, (in the Cause of Allaah) they are of you]. [8:75]

Allah said in Surah Al-Hashar:

لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ ٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُخۡرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمۡ وَأَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٲنً۬ا وَيَنصُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقُونَ
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡہِمۡ

(And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor emigrants, who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking Bounties from Allaah and to please Him. And helping Allaah (i.e. helping His religion) and His Messenger (Muhammad). Such are indeed the truthful (to what they say); And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them.” [59:8-9]- up until His [The Most High] statement:

[وَٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَلِإِخۡوَٲنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلۡإِيمَـٰنِ – And those who came after them say: “Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith]. 59:10

The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “This ummah will split into seventy-three sects; all of them will enter the fire except one. They said, ‘Which is that (saved sects) O Messenger of Allaah?’ He replied, ‘Those who are upon that which I and my companions are upon today’. The Prophet said, ‘Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafaa after me’. (see footnote a)

We are required to adhere to the Salafiyyah Methodology, and we must give up any other approaches that go against it. Salafiyyah is the Methodology that has been obligated on us to follow and we are to abandon all other methodologies that are in opposition to it. The adherents to Salafiyyah are the saved sect, Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah, and they are the aided group till the Day of Judgement. May Allaah include us among them.  However, in order for a Muslim to adhere to this methodology, they must be aware of its basics. And to avoid the various methodologies that are in conflict with Salafiyyah, (one) must be aware of them.

As a result, Salafiyyah on the path of the pious predecessors must be (adopted) on the basis of knowledge and discernment. It is insufficient for a person to identify as Salafi while being either unaware of or opposed to it. Allaah [The Most High] said: [ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِـإِحۡسَـٰنٍ۬ – And also those who followed them exactly (in Faith)].

They follow them (i.e. the pious predecessors) based on knowledge, never engaging in either extreme or negligent behaviour. They don’t overstate the case or fail to give it its due, unlike those who identify with the four imams’ schools of law (Abu Haneefah, Maalik, Shaafi’ee, and Ahmad), although disagreeing with them on matters of creed and worship. And like the one who ascribes to the path of the pious predecessors, however, he either declares Muslims to be unbelievers or rebels against Muslim rulers, or he takes further steps in the direction of extremism.  This person is not a Salafi; instead, he is referred to as a Khaariji or a Mutazili. Or like the person who claims to follow the methodology of the pious predecessors but agrees with the Mur’ji’a’s stance on the subject matter of Eemaan and Kufr. This isn’t Salafiyyah. Therefore, it is imperative to pay attention to this matter and avoid combining the Salafi methodology with other methodologies that are opposed to it and then declaring that all of these methodologies, including the Salafi methodology, are not from Islam. This is careless speech and oppressive judgement, and it amounts to deceiving the people. (2)

The elucidations provided by Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi and Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve them, are undeniably ample to dispel the nefarious allegations put forth by the deceitful and audacious Ephrem Kossaify. May Allah guide him or protect us from his slanders Amin.

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Footnote a: https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2022/06/09/the-jews-divided-into-seventy-one-sects-the-christians-divided-into-seventy-two-sects/

Regarding the Muslim Brotherhood, their situation is well known. Click here to read. By Shaikh Abu Iyad (may Allah preserve him): [The other hidden face of the so-called “Muslim Brotherhood”: http://www.ikhwanis.com/authors/Abu.Iyaad.cfm ]

Visit links for more details on this subject matter

http://www.salafis.com/index.cfm

https://abukhadeejah.com/a-response-to-western-academics-who-categorise-salafis-into-quietists-politicos-and-jihadists-and-why-this-is-a-false-categorisation/

[1] An Excerpt from Shaikh Rabee’s Book Titled: (من هم الإرهابيون) pages 104-105
[2] An Excerpt from Al-Bayaan Li-Akh’taa’I Ba’dil Kuttaab. 2/173-174