Propagandists in the Guise of Advice and Dawah on Twitter Find These Reiterated Clarifications Bitter to Swallow

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

The Plans and Plots to Harass Others Through General or Ambiguous Statements

Whenever they desperately seek to intimidate others with vague, general or ambiguous statements of this or that important personality under the guise of knowledge or advice, we say to them: Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:

  وعـلـيك بالتفصيل والتبيين فالإجمال والإطلاق دون بيان
قد أفسدا هذا الوجود وخبـطا الأذهان والآراء كل زمـان

“It is obligated to you to provide detailed explanations and clarifications, as generalisations and unrestricted (speech) without elaboration (clarification) have corrupted the existence and confused minds and opinions throughout all times”.

Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, stated:

There has to be a detailed explanation. The one who is not proficient in giving details should keep quiet because benefit is not acquired from his speech. And every time an error occurs, its cause is due to an absence of detailed explanation regarding truth and falsehood. There has to be detailed explanation and distinction and not mix-up. Indeed, it may be that there is something of truth and falsehood in an opponent’s statement, so all of it is neither deemed to be false nor true; rather there has to be a distinction between its truth and falsehood. All of it is neither rejected nor accepted; rather a distinction is made regarding the truth and what is correct and the falsehood and error in it. And if you are not proficient in giving details, then you should not enter into this field. [1]

 

The Plan and Plot to Use The Status of The People of Knowledge to Force Others to Accept Their Views Without Proof

When they desperately seek to force others by utilising the status of the people of knowledge, whether through propaganda or by pursuing specific agendas, and insist in repeating the same claims without any clear proof, we say to them: Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Pay attention to this principle; it is a very beneficial principle: “The statements of scholars are not (merely) utilised as proof, but proof is (provided) for them (to substantiate them)”. Due to this if one says, “So-and-so said such-and-such”, we respond: “Where is his proof, so that we establish our acts of worship based upon the guidance of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him”. O noble brother, who intends to come to Allah’s House (the Kabah) and the Masjid of His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, take note of this. There is no one among the creation besides Allah’s Messenger whose speech is never proof against Allah’s servants regardless of his status. Regardless of his status in the sight of his people, he is not a proof with regards to Allah’s Speech and the speech of His Messenger. Lend an ear to the verse:

فإن تنازعتم في شيء فردوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر

And if you disagree among yourselves over anything then refer it back to Allāh and the Messenger if you truly believe in Allāh and the Last Day. [An-Nisaa 59] https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/search/4_59

Therefore, anyone who wants that one to be referred back to be someone other than the Messenger; anyone who wants the thing to refer back to be other than the Book and the Sunnah, then indeed he has not believed in Allah and the Last Day. This is because Allah said:

إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر ذلك خير وأحسن تأويلا

if you truly believe in Allāh and the Last Day. That is better (conduct) and (leads to) the most excellent outcome. [An-Nisaa 59] https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/search/4_59

That is better at present and “That is better (conduct) and (leads to) the most excellent outcome”- meaning, its final result is the best in the Afterlife. And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah (He is the ruling Judge). Allah made it known (clarified for us) saying:

ردوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر

Refer it back to Allāh and the Messenger if you truly believe in Allāh and the Last Day.

And on the day of resurrection, Allah will not ask you: “What did you respond to so and so”, rather He will say: “What response did you give to the Messengers?” [2]

The Plot and Plan to Overcome Others With Numerous Statements, Either Through Evasion, Exaggeration or In a Haphazard Manner, Showing That Their Goal Is Not to Reach The Truth.

When they desperately seek to overcome others with numerous claims, exaggerations about this or that individual or matter, engaging in psychological projection, desperately transmitting any new statement they think might be useful to them in their useless pursuit to overcome others, or providing them with a deceptive sense of victory by initiating doubt or ambiguities among people, or at the very gives them time to evade responsibility, conceal their objectives and blame others, we say to them:

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “The loftiest ambition in pursuit of knowledge is to acquire knowledge from the Qur’an and the Sunnah- to be granted understanding by Allah [i.e. blessed to acquire sound knowledge and act upon it] and through the Sunnah of the Messenger, and acquaint oneself with the boundaries of the revelation [i.e. neither going into excess nor being lackadaisical]. And the most baseless ambition of the students of knowledge is to confine their ambitions in following the bizarre affairs and that which has neither occurred nor has it been revealed, or acquainting (oneself) with the differences of opinion and pursuing the statements of the scholars, whilst having no ambition to acquaint oneself with what is correct among those statements. Little is there to benefit from the knowledge of these people”. [3]

The Pursuit of Concessions Without Justification and Seeking to Force Others to Accept Their Views

When they seek after concessions to evade responsibility, we say to them:

Imam Ash-Shaatibe, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated regarding the attitude of the unjustified pursuit of concessions: “This arises from following one’s desires. Desire leads to a too easygoing attitude and the pursuit of concessions for oneself and others. So, you see him adopting that for himself or passing that judgment for his relative or friend, which he would not do for another person due to the desire of that relative and friend”. [4]

Imam Ash-Shaatibee, may Allah have mercy upon him] also said, “If a Mukallaf [i.e. the sane one who has reached the age when the obligations of the Shariah are obligated on him or her] seeks after concessions in the Madhabs in every affair that is difficult for him and every statement that agrees with his desires, then he will remove himself from the firm handhold of piety and persist upon the pursuit of desires”. [5]

 

Pursuit of Odd Matters and Refuse to Adhere to Clarity

When they seek after the odd matters and refuse to adhere to clarity, we say to them:

Ibrahim Ibn Abee Ablah (died 152AH – may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “He who carries the odd affairs of knowledge carries a lot of evil”. [6]

Abdur Rahman Bin Mahdi (died 198AH – may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “The one who pursues the odd affairs of knowledge cannot be an Imam in knowledge”. [7]

Imam Ash-Shaatibee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “If desires enter (a person), it leads to following the ambiguous matters out of being eager to prevail and become victorious through establishing excuses in issues related to difference of opinion (or differing); but rather it leads to splitting, disharmony, enmity, and hatred due to the different desires and lack of (sound) agreement; however, the Shariah came to curtail (vain) desires completely. If some of the premises of the evidence were not established except through desires, it would not result except in following desires and that is contrary to the Shariah, and opposing the Shariah is not from the Shariah at all. Therefore, following desires concerning what one may regard to be adherence to the Shariah is tantamount to misguidance.”. [8]

[1] An Excerpt from “at-Ta-leeqaat Al-Mukhtasar Alaa Al-Qaseedah an-Nooniyyah” 1/216

[2] https://www.alathar.net/home/esound/index.php?op=codevi&coid=116826 [A paraphrased excerpt]

[3] An Excerpt from Al-Fawaa’id. Page 99

[4] Al-Muwaafaqaat. 5/84

[5] Al-Muwaafaqaat. 3/123

[6] Siyar A’laam An-Nubula 6/324

[7] At-Tamheed 1/64 by Ibn Abdil Barr

[8] Al-Muwaafaqaat 5/221