Some issues of methodology clarified to us and observed in practice since 1995.
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah [The Most High] said:
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَۚ إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَاۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah; even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. [An-Nisaa. 135]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him] said:
Allah, Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections, commanded His servants to stand out firmly for justice on behalf of everyone – be it an enemy or an ally, and the affair that is most worthy of being established with justice are the statements and methodology related to the commands of Allah as well as everything that Allah has (revealed in the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah). Therefore, to establish these affairs based on desires and disobedience is contrary to Allah’s command and a negation (i.e. either intentionally or unintentionally) of that which Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] was sent with. The establishment of justice is the responsibility of those entrusted with the task of conveying Islam after the death of the Messenger, and this task cannot become a reality unless one establishes it based on pure justice and sincerity to Allah- (sincerity) based on Allah’s Book, to Allah’s Messenger (by adhering to his guidance), and sincere dealings and advice when dealing with Allah’s servants. These people are the true inheritors (i.e. inheritors of the knowledge left behind by the Prophets), but not that one who merely makes his companions, sect, and path the determinant of truth and the distinction between (truth and falsehood) by showing enmity to the one who opposes him and allies with the one who agrees with him, merely based on being opposed or agreed with [i.e. without sound proofs based on the Book and the authentic Sunnah], because where is that command to stand out firmly for justice on behalf of everyone, even though standing out firmly for justice is the greatest command and obligation! [1]
A year and half ago, certain individuals associated with Hizbiyyoon in Stoke on Trent after they faced criticism for masking their questionable methodology and collaborating with other Hizbiyyoon in the name of Salafiyyah, complained that one of the things the senior teachers at Maktabah Salafiyyah and their associates are guilty of is that they drop people of knowledge! Due to a conversation we had with a young brother recently, we bring this matter to light once again to inform those who may not have witnessed specific events that the UK Salafiyyoon of the 90s, as well as their counterparts in other regions of the earth, have not spent nearly 30 years or more promoting themselves or demanding any form of loyalty beyond the established brotherhood in Islam and adherence to the Sunnah. Their stance is firmly rooted in the principles of Walaa Wal Baraa, as conveyed by senior students from the senior scholars since the early 90s up to the present day.
There has never been an unquestionable loyalty to anyone, regardless of their position. Many individuals, such as Falih Al-Harbi, Fawzi Al-Bahrayni, Ali Al-Halabi, Dr. Muhammad Ibn Hadi, Dr. Ibrahim Ar-Ruhayli, and others, have faced rejection when they became obstinate. For the past three decades, the UK Salafiyyoon, under the guidance of senior scholars like Al-Allamah Rabee and others, have not accepted anyone’s stubbornness or statements without clear, knowledge-based evidence, irrespective of their qualifications or their connections to prominent figures. Instead, with Allah’s guidance, they have adhered to the teachings of senior scholars, including Al-Allamah Rabee and Al-Allamah Ubaid, grounded in the Quran and Sunnah, as understood and practiced by the righteous predecessors. This commitment has been sustained solely by Allah’s grace. Whenever bullies overstepped their bounds and dismissed the well-established knowledge based proofs, they often dismissed the seriousness of the situation. Their stubbornness led them to oppose these principles, believing themselves too significant to admit their mistakes. They assumed that the respect shown to them by the UK salafiyyoon meant they could be trusted in their statements against others without proof, a crime committed by the likes of Falih Al-Harbi, Dr Muhammad Bin Hadi, and Al-Hajuri. Furthermore, they misinterpreted the patience and kindness extended to them as a sign of weakness, not realising that eventually, they would face the consequences of their actions.
Thus, they were dropped under the careful guidance of the senior scholars, who emphasized the importance of knowledge-based evidence, justice, fairness, and good conduct. Regarding the discord involving Falih Al-Harbi, al-Hajuri and Dr. Muhammad Ibn Hadi, a troubling pattern emerged where individuals engaged in attacks and disparagement without proof, often feeling a sense of entitlement and adopting a victim mentality. In response, the senior teachers at Maktabah Salafiyyah remained resolute, drawing strength from the wisdom of the senior scholars to counter this discord in the West, with the help of Allah’s guidance. The various Fitan, may Allah protect us from every Fitna, hdden and apparent, has imparted a crucial lesson: impunity must never be tolerated, no matter the status or credentials of the perpetrator, nor the accolades they may receive from others. With that in mind, let’s explore some instances of wrongdoing committed during the past 30 years.
Falih Al-Harbi
Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah protect him, stated:
When affairs escalated, and during this escalation that led to the splitting, I received some papers from a book that had been transcribed from his tapes titled Al-Musaara’ah [The Wrestle]. I read those papers and came across – in them – terrible insults, ignorance, destructive judgments and a corrupt premise. I discussed some of what is in those papers with the utmost kindness and care, asked him to return to the truth in the hope that Allaah might benefit him through it, so that the Salafi youth would be relieved of the causes of disunity and splitting. I sent the first advice to him in private, but he did not respond to this gentle request aimed at stopping the trial and uniting the Salafi youth. Then, after about a month and a half, I sent him and some of his friends the second advice- in private and not openly, despite the fact that he and those who supported him rebuked those who exercised patience and gave advice, and considered that to be tantamount to negligence and an act of weakening the (sound principles, stances). He and his clandestine group entered the dark tunnels, `presented their arguments in a particular way, weakening the (sound principles), defending (themselves) with lies, obscuring (affairs) and insulting – through gestures and open declaration – at everyone who spoke the truth; rather the insult (uttered) by some of them extended to belittling Imaams of Jarh Wat-Tadeel and their fundamental principles. Therefore, now it is necessary to clarify some of what I discussed in the two advices, which I had previously overlooked.
Falih had been rushing into (unjustified) elimination and declaring people innovators in religious affairs, thus, some youth asked him for proofs, but the proofs sought from him were not found with him. Then he resorted to the invention of a principle by removing Tabdee (the ruling related to declaring a person an innovator in religious affairs) from the principles of the Imams of Al-Jarh Wat- Tadeel (the carriers of the science of criticism and commendation), and differentiated (in the science of criticism) between the narrators of hadeeth and (when) declaring a person an innovator in religious affairs. So, he held that it is right to ask about the reasons for criticising (or disparaging) the narrators, (but) as for those about whom he holds that that they are innovators in religious affairs, it is not right to ask about the reasons behind disparaging them and declaring them innovators in religious affairs, even if they are from the best of the Salafis; rather the one who asks regarding the reasons why they are declared innovators is declared an innovator (as well). This premise led him to say that the scholars must be blindly followed and not asked for proof. Who did he ask to blindly follow the scholars? Indeed, they are the intelligent students of knowledge, but rather the teachers (in Islamic University) and amongst them are some who have reached the level of doctorate, and not common people; and that the one who does not blindly follow the scholars has indeed undermined the message of the Messengers and the books, or has belied the Qur’an, the Sunnah and Islam.
He and his followers thought that he was the only Imam, the protector and protector of the religion. He pushed (incited) them and they pushed (incited) him, and thus he inflicted the heads of Ahlus Sunnah – the strong and the weak amongst them – with false Tabdee and unjust rulings. Whoever does not blindly follow him, even if he holds a doctorate degree in Islamic Sharaa’ah, is considered a denier of the Qur’an, the Sunnah and Islam. The one who does not blindly follow him in his false opinion, even if he was a teacher (at university level), is judged to be one of the callers at the gates of Hell, and that he has destroyed the messages of the Messengers and the books that were revealed to them. This – in addition to insulting, (unjustified) attacks and warning – are matters that are neither approved by Sharee’ah nor (sound) reasoning. These – despite the fact that my advice to him was accompanied with kindness and contained only some of his mistakes – are affairs that should motivate a sane and just person to return to the truth. We did not see anything from Faalih except false denunciations, false interpretations, war, mobilization, and seeking help through supporters amongst those whose identities were unknown – those hiding behind the curtains. At first, he found nothing from the scholars except advice, then denunciation of these matters. [2]
Fawzi Al-Bahrayni
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, said:
“Indeed, the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah – such as Abdullah Ibn Ahmad, Al-Khallaal, Al-Aajuree, Al-Laalikaa’ee, Ibn Battah and other than them – have clarified the methodology of Ahlus Sunnah regarding Imaan with a profound clarification. And that according to Ahlus Sunnah, it (i.e. Imaan) is “Speech, action and belief- increases with obedience to Allaah and decreases with disobedience”. We worship Allaah with what they say (i.e. this definition), we say it, believed in it from our early age (in pursuit) of knowledge, affirmed in our authorships, lessons and gatherings, and establish loyalty and disavowal based on that.
Then the sinful liars, the spiteful ones and plotters against Ahlus Sunnah came to fight on behalf of the people of desires, and they attacked us with various immoral attacks. One of those attacks is that they (falsely) accuse us of being Murji’ah, and they laid down false and unjust principles for that, with which they fight us. Whenever we destroy them, they repeated them without shame or shyness. Their statement: “Imaan is speech and action, increases and decreases, and it decreases until nothing remains of it”, in their view is that whoever does not mention the addition “until nothing remains of it” is a Murji. They made it obligatory on the people, wage war against Ahlus Sunnah and declare them innovators in the religion due to it, whilst these Aghmaar (inexperienced ones, ignoramuses, devoid of sound judgement etc) do not know that this Tabdee would apply to the righteous predecessors who did not constantly mention this addition, even if some of them did so. They declared me (i.e. Rabee Bin Haadi) an innovator in religious affairs, pass the judgement of Irjaa against me and threw it on me a lot in a number of their statements, especially in the statements of Fawzi Al-Bahraini, even though I have mentioned this (additional) statement (related to the definition of Imaan) and repeated it before the birth of the old and new Haddaadi (sect) (see footnote d); but I do not always adhere to its mention, because the Sahaabah and the Taabi’een did not say it, and because there is no evidence to obligate that it should be said. The majority of the (pious) predecessors did not say it, neither did those who said it always said it nor made it obligatory on others, despite the fact that I do say it sometimes. The following are my statements regarding that….Then the Shaikh [may Allaah protect him from every evil] gave references in pages 61-63 regarding where he has stated this addition in his authorships and lessons.
The Shaikh quoted a hadeeth explained in 1406AH under the titled “Striving Against Those Who Deviate From The Right Path”: Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud [may Allah be pleased with him] said that the Prophet said, “Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah to his nation, except that he had – among his people – disciples and companions who followed his ways and obeyed his command. Then there came after them their successors who said whatever they did not practice, and practiced whatever they were not commanded to do. He who strove against them with his hand was a believer, he who strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and he who strove against them with his heart was a believer and beyond that there is no faith even to the extent of a mustard seed”. [Saheeh Muslim Hadeeth 50]
Then Shaikh Rabee said, “I explained this hadeeth and stated in page 44 [i.e. in Mudhakkirah Al-Hadeeth An-Nabawiyyah]: ‘And there remained – in every nation – sincere scholars who fulfilled the requirements of their religion- striving and defending the teachings of their Prophets, everyone according to his strength and level of Imaan; the one who strove by way of the tongue (i.e. speech), the one who strove by way of his hand, and the one who strove by way of his heart and that is the weakest of Imaan. And there is nothing of Imaan besides that”. [3]
Yahyah Al-Hajuri – By Shaikh Abu Iyaad
http://www.alhajuri.com/authors/Abu.Iyaad.cfm
Dr. Muhammad Ibn Hadi – By Shaikh Abu Khadeejah
https://abukhadeejah.com/muhammad-hadi-allegations-and-response-of-the-major-scholars/
https://www.manhaj.com/manhaj/articles/uyryh-documents-and-resources-for-countering-and-exposing-the-musafiqah.cfm
Ali Hasan Al-Halabī and Salafi Publications – By Shaikh Abu Khadeejah
https://abukhadeejah.com/history-ali-hasan-al-halabi-and-salafi-publications-the-cause-behind-the-break-15-years-ago-the-evidence-based-refutations-of-the-scholars/
The False Principles of Ali Hasan al-Halabi- By Shaikh Abu Iyaad
https://www.manhaj.com/manhaj/categories/kp-the-false-principles-of-ali-hasan-al-halabi.cfm
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi, Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, stated:
The seeker of truth is not swayed by admiration or reverence for prominent figures when it comes to following truth, fairness and justice; for indeed, the truth is most deserving to be followed, and it is not permissible to drop the proofs for this or that great man. The principle of a just person, the seeker of truth, is always: [قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ – Say, “Bring forth your proof, if you are indeed truthful.” [Al-Baqarah 111] Majmu 8/81
We ask Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْراً لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْراً لِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالْفَقْرِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيماً لَا يَنْفَذُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضِا بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ، اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ
وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ
O Allah! By Your Knowledge of the unseen and by Your Power over creation, let me live if life is good for me, and let me die if death is good for me; O Allah! I ask You to grant me (the blessing of having) fear of You in private and public, and I ask You (to make me utter) a statement of truth in times of contentment and anger, and I ask You for moderation when in a state of wealth and poverty, and I ask you for blessings that never ceases, and I ask You for the coolness of my eye that never ends, and I ask You (to make me pleased) after (Your) decree; and I ask You for a life of (ease, comfort, tranquillity, etc) after death; I ask You for the delight of looking at Your Face (i.e. in the Hereafter) and yearning to meet You without any harm and misleading trials (coming upon me). O Allah! Adorn us with the adornment of Iman, and make us (from those who are) guided and guiding (others). [4]
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. [Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720] [5]
اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ، وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ، وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ، وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا
O Allah! I seek refuge in Your from knowledge that does not benefit, from the heart that is not fearful, from the soul that is not contented and the supplication that is not answered. [6]
[1]An Excerpt from ‘Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim. Vol 1. Page 300-303
[2]An Excerpt from Al-Majmu Al-Wadih Fee Radd Manhaj Wa Usul Falih. page 123-125
[3]An Excerpt from Kashf Akaadheeb Wa Tahreefaat Wa Khayaanaat Fawzi Al-Bahrayni. pages 59-60
[4]https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2021/01/01/o-allaah-let-me-live-if-life-is-good-for-me-and-let-me-die-if-death-is-good-for-me/
[5]https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2020/12/29/o-allaah-rectify-my-religion-for-me-which-the-safeguard-of-my-affairs-a-tremendous-supplication/
[6] Sahih Abi Dawud 1548