The Disease of Partisanship: Between False Takfir, Bid‘ah, Blind Allegiance and Abandoning the Truth

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:

Bigoted partisanship for a particular idea that opposes the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger; and allegiance and enmity based upon it—this is Tahazzub (illegal partisanship). This is Tahazzub even if it is not (under an) organisation.  To formulate deviated ideas and gather the people upon them, this is a hizb, regardless of whether it is (under an) organisation or not.” [1]

This noble, pious and truthful senior scholar, may Allah have mercy upon him, also said:

After speaking about those—amongst the different factions of the Jahmiyyah, the Khawarij, the Rawafid and the Qadariyyah—who make Takfir  based on falsehood, and the reason behind such Takfir, Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:

On the opposite side of these people who make Takfir based on falsehood, there are a people who do not know the creed of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah as it should be, or they know some of it and are ignorant of some. Perhaps, what they know of it, they do not clarify for the people; rather, they conceal it.

They do not forbid Bidah—neither censure the proponents of Bidah nor chastise them. Rather, they may censure speech regarding the Sunnah and the fundamental principles of the religion completely, and not differentiate between what the true adherents to the Prophetic Sunnah say and what the proponents of Bidah and schism say.

Or they would affirm all their differing paths in a manner similar to how the scholars would affirm the different opinions related to issues of Ijtihad in which difference of opinion is justified (or allowed). This path has overwhelmed many of the Murji’ah, some of the jurists, those pursuing the path of asceticism, and the philosophers, just as it has overwhelmed—first and foremost—many amongst the people of desires and theological rhetoric. Both these paths are perverted, outside the Book [i.e. The Qur’aan] and the Prophetic Sunnah. [2]

After quoting the statement of Shaikh Al-Islam, Al-Allamah Rabee stated:

I say, may Allah have mercy on Ibn Taymiyyah. Indeed, he clarified the situation of the people of his era and those before them. Then what if he saw the situation of many amongst Al-Jamaa’aat al-Hizbiyyah Wal-Bid’iyyah who ascribe themselves to the true adherents to the Prophetic Sunnah and take cover behind him—in particular—to promote their falsehoods?

What if he saw them whilst they have definitely gathered between the paths of the two groups—the Khawarij and those who follow their way in pronouncing Takfir in the matter of Al-Hakimiyyah, and the way of the Murji’ah in the manner they approach the affair of people who are upon the major and numerous Bidah?

And equating Bidah to those issues of the religion in which Ijtihad is justified, whose people are rewarded alongside a refutation against their mistakes. In the view of these people, the leaders of misguidance and Bidah are just like the Imams of Guidance and Sunnah.” [3] [end of quotes from Al-Allamah Rabee, rahimahullah]

For additional benefit, the remainder of the statement of Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, which was not quoted by Al-Allamah Rabee, may Allah have mercy upon him, is included below:

Rather, what is obligatory is to clarify that which Allah sent His Messengers with and (revealed) in His Books—to propagate that which the Messengers brought from Allah and fulfill the covenant which Allah took from the scholars.

Therefore, it is obligatory to know that which the Messengers brought, believe in it, propagate it, call to it, striving with it, and weigh up all that which the people embark upon—(statements, actions, religious fundamentals and subsidiary issues pertaining to the apparent actions of the limbs and affairs related to actions of the heart)—under the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.

Neither following desires (through) customs, a school of jurisprudence, a religious order, a leader or a predecessor; neither following conjecture through a weak hadith nor corrupt analogy, regardless of whether it is an analogy that offers some degree of certainty or not; nor blindly following someone whom it is not obligatory to follow in his statement and deed. Because indeed, Allah—in His Book—censured those who follow conjecture and that which their souls desire, whilst they abandon that which came to them from their Lord of Guidance. [4]

Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, also said:

ﻭﻟﻴﺲ ﻟﻠﻤﻌﻠﻤﻴﻦ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺤﺰﺑﻮﺍ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ
ﻭﻳﻔﻌﻠﻮﺍ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻠﻘﻲ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﻌﺪﺍﻭﺓ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻐﻀﺎﺀ،
ﺑﻞ ﻳﻜﻮﻧﻮﻥ ﻣﺜﻞ ﺍﻷﺧﻮﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻌﺎﻭﻧﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ
ﺍﻟﺒﺮ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻘﻮﻱ ﻛﻤﺎ ﻗﺎﻝ ﺗﻌﺈﻟﻰ
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
وليس لأحد منهم أن يأخذ على أحد عهداً بموافقته على كل ما يريده وموالاة من يواليه ومعاداة من يعاديه،بل من فعل هذا كان من جنس جنكز خان وأمثاله الذين يجعلون من وافقهم صديقاً واليا، ومن خالفهم عدوَّا باغيا، بل عليهم وعلى أتباعهم عهد الله ورسوله بأن يطيعوا الله ورسوله ويفعلوا ما أمر الله ورسوله ويحرموا ما حرم الله ورسوله ويرعوا حقوق المعلمين كما أمر الله ورسوله، فإن كان أستاذ أحد مظلوماً نصره، وإن كان ظالماً لم يعاونه على الظلم بل يمنعه منه كما ثبت في الصحيح أنه قال:
(انصر أخاك ظالماً أو مظلوماً. قيل: يا رسول الله: أنصره مظلوماً فكيف أنصره ظالماً؟. قال تمنعه من الظلم فذلك نصرك إياه).
وإذا وقع بين معلم ومعلم أو تلميذ وتلميذ أو معلم وتلميذ خصومة ومشاجرة لم يجز لأحد أن يعين أحدهما حتى يعلم الحق، فلا يعاونه بجهل ولا بهوى، بل ينظر في الأمر، فإذا تبين له الحق أعان المحق منهما على المبطل سواء كان المحق من أصحابه أو أصحاب غيره، وسواء كان المبطل من أصحابه أو أصحاب غيره، فيكون المقصود عبادة الله وحده وطاعة رسوله واتباع الحق والقيام بالقسط
قال تعالى
يا أيها الذين آمنوا كونوا قوامين بالقسط شهداء لله ولو على أنفسكم أو الوالدين والأقربين، إن يكن غنياً أو فقيراً فالله أولى بهما، فلا تتبعوا الهوى أن تعدلوا وإن تلووا أو تعرضوا فإن الله كان بما تعملون خبيراً

It not allowed for the teachers to initiate (illegal) partisanship between the people and do that which would cause enmity and hatred between them; but rather they should be brothers who cooperate upon righteousness and piety, as Allah [The Exalted] said:

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ

Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa [virtue, righteousness and piety]; but do not help one another in sin and transgression]. [Al-Ma’idah. 2]

It is not allowed for anyone of them to receive a pledge from anyone to be in agreement with him in everything he wants – having allegiance to the one he is allied to and enmity against the one he harbours enmity, and whoever does this is similar to Genghis Khan and his ilk (in this affair), who take as their loyal friends the one in agreement with them and the one who oppose them as a rebellious enemy; rather it is obligated on them and their followers (i.e. the teachers) to fulfil the covenant of Allah and His Messenger by obeying Allah and His Messenger, doing that which Allah and His Messenger have commanded, declare unlawful that which Allah and His Messenger have declared unlawful, and preserve the rights of the teachers in the manner commanded by Allah and His Messenger. So, if one’s teacher is oppressed, he should help him; but if the teacher is the oppressor, he should not aid him in his act of oppression; rather he forbids him from it, as it has been established in the authentic books of hadeeth that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?” The Prophet said, “By preventing him from oppressing others.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2444]

If an argument and dispute occurs between a teacher and another teacher, or between a student and another student, it is not permissible for anyone to help one of them until he knows the truth – neither to aid him based on ignorance nor desires; rather he he examines the affair, so if the truth becomes clear to him, he helps the one who deserves to be helped (due to him being upon the truth) against the one upon error – regardless whether the one who deserves to be helped is one of his companions or the companion of someone else, or whether the one upon error is one of his companions or the companion of someone else. Therefore, the aim is only to worship Allah alone, obedience to Allah’s Messenger, adherence to truth and establishment of justice. Allah, The Most High, said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا كونوا قوامين بالقسط شهداء لله ولو على أنفسكم أو الوالدين والأقربين، إن يكن غنياً أو فقيراً فالله أولى بهما، فلا تتبعوا الهوى أن تعدلوا وإن تلووا أو تعرضوا فإن الله كان بما تعملون خبيراً

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] [5]

May Allah keep us safe and protect us from every evil. May Allah bless all the Mashayikh—in the East and the West—who have taught us these principles throughout the years and clearly acted upon them, both in times of strength and during times of Fitan. May Allah grant us Ikhlas, Sidq and Husnul Khatimah. Ameen.

Wallahul-Musta‘aan!

[1]An Excerpt from ‘Kash As-Sitaar page 19-20’. Quoted from question number 8]

[2]Majmu al-Fatawaa 12/467-468]

[3] Al-Mukhtaaraat Al-Bahiyyah Min Kutub Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. Pages 62-63]

[4] Majmu al-Fatawa 12/467-468

[5] Majmu al-Fatawa. 28/15-17. paraphrased