A Teacher Whose Bossy or Overbearing Behaviour Causes Hardship for Others

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah, The Most High, said:

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ

And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allah’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. [Aal Imran. 159]

“And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you”.

Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “This is because bad behaviour pushes people away and makes them dislike the person behaving with such bad manners. When a religious leader shows good manners, people are drawn to the religion and want to follow it, together with the special praise and reward (he receives from Allah). And when a religious leader shows bad manners, people flee from the religion and hate him, together with the specific blame and punishment (from Allah)”. [1]

Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated in Al-Usul ath-Thalatha: “I’lam, Rahimakallaah – Know, may Allah have mercy upon you”.

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

Rahimakallaah” is a supplication made for the student of knowledge. The Shaikh (Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab) supplicates for Allah’s Mercy upon the students of knowledge, that Allah has mercy upon them. Therefore, in this there is gentleness from the teacher towards the student. Indeed, he begins with a good statement and a righteous supplication so that it has an effect and thereby making the student incline towards his teacher with acceptance. But if he begins with a harsh statement or a statement that is not deemed appropriate, this would make him flee.

Therefore, it is obligated to a teacher and the one who calls to (the path of) Allah, and the one who enjoins good and forbids evil, that he is gentle with the one he addresses – through supplication for him, commendation and soft speech, because this urges towards acceptance. However, as for the stubborn wilful, opposer, this one is to be addressed differently. Allah said:

وَلَا تُجَـٰدِلُوٓاْ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ‌ۖ

And argue not with the people of the Scripture unless it be in a way that is better, except with such of them as do wrong]. [29:46]

Those who do wrong among the people of the scripture- wilfully opposing and are haughty- are not addressed with what is better; rather they are addressed with what would prevent from their (harm and misguidance). Allah said:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ جَـٰهِدِ ٱلۡڪُفَّارَ وَٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱغۡلُظۡ عَلَيۡہِمۡ‌ۚ وَمَأۡوَٮٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ‌ۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ

O Prophet (Muhammad)! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell,-and worst indeed is that destination]. [9:73]

Striving against the hypocrites is not carried out with weapons, rather it is carried out with proofs, statements, refutation against them with harshness that will prevent (them from propagating their misguidance and harm) and to keep the people away from them. Allah said about them: [وَقُل لَّهُمۡ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ قَوۡلاَۢ بَلِيغً۬ا – But admonish them, and speak to them an effective word to reach their innerselves] [4:63]

Therefore, there is a specific type of speech that is prescribed for these people because they are wilful opposers and people afflicted with pride. They do not want the truth, rather they want to misguide the people. So, they are addressed in a way they deserve. As for the seeker of guidance, this one is addressed with gentleness and mercy. This is because he wants the truth, knowledge and something beneficial. [2] [end of quote]

In Islamic history, there were some scholars who had great knowledge, but their behaviour was difficult for others to bear. Here is an example regarding Ibn Kamil, may Allah have mercy upon him. He was described as:

Shaikh Al-Islam, Al-Allamah, Al-Hafidh, Al-Qadee, AbuBakr Ahmad Bin Kamil Bin Khalaf, Bin Shajarah al-Baghdadi, a student of Muhammad Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, may Allah have mercy upon him. He, may Allah have mercy upon him, was born in the year 260 AH. He narrated from: Muḥammad Ibn al-Jahm al-Samaree, Muḥammad ibn Saʿd al-Awfee, Abdul Malik ibn Muḥammad al-Raqaashee, al-Ḥasan ibn Sallaam al-Sawwaaq, Muḥammad ibn Maslamah al-Waasitee, and others of their generation.

Ad-Daraqutnee al-Ḥakim, Ibn Rizqawayh, Abu al-Alaa Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Warraaq, Yaḥyah ibn Ibraaheem al-Muzakkee, Abu al-Ḥasan al-Ḥammaamee, Abu ʿAli ibn Shaadhaan, and others, narrated from him. Abu al-Ḥasan ibn Rizqawayh said: “My eyes have not seen anyone like him, and I heard him mention his date of birth”.

Al-Khaṭeeb said: “He was from the scholars of the Ahkam (of the Shariah), the sciences of the Qur’an, grammar, poetry, and history, and he had authorships in that. He held the position of judge at Kufa”. Ad-Daaraqutnee said: “He was Mutasaahil and may (sometimes) narrate from his memory that which is not in his book, and Ujub (self-amazement) ruined him“.

Ibn Shajarah died in the month of Muḥarram in the year 350 AH, at the age of ninety. Ad-Daaraqutnee said: “He (Ibn kamil) did not give weight to anyone among the Fuqahaa”. Ibn Ad-Dhahabee said: “I came across some of his more elevated-isnad narrations, and he was among the seas of knowledge, but self-amazement made him fade away (drop out of sight)“.

He wrote a book on Qiraa’aat. He has an authorship on Ghareeb Al-Qur’an, a book (titled) “Mujaz al-Taʾweel An Muʿjiz at-Tanzeel, a book on history and a book on contracts (Ash-Shurut).” [3] [end of quote]

Would we blame those who preferred to limit their interaction with Ibn Kamil, may Allah have mercy upon him, due to what they – in their view – considered behaviour that was hard to bear, without warning against his knowledge?!

Secondly, this cannot be made to look the same as the corrections that scholars make to one another on issues of knowledge or with refutations intended to correct mistakes. The students of knowledge know better than us that scholars do refute one another purely on masaa’il of ‘ilm (issues of knowledge), because an error cannot be supported, and a recantation is expected when the error is very clear. In addition, there is sometimes a degree of coarseness in the refutations, both from the one refuting and from the one being refuted, regardless of their different stations in knowledge. However, the truth must be established, as ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The truth is ancient”.

As-Sar’khasee, may Allah have mercy on him, commented on this statement of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: “This does not only apply to the judge, rather, it applies to anyone who explains any matter of religion to others, whether one who gives admonitions, a mufti, or a judge; they are all the same in this regard. When it becomes clear to such a person that he has made a mistake, he should openly declare that he has retracted his position, for a scholar’s mistake is a cause of tribulation among the people. As for his statement, “The truth is ancient”, this means that the truth is the original principle that must be sought. The mistake of one who errs cannot remain concealed; it will inevitably become apparent. Therefore, if the person himself brings his mistake to light, that is the best state regarding his state”. [4] [end of quote]

Furthermore, it is well known among the students of knowledge that they do not except every carrier of knowledge – scholar or student – to engage in refuting that mistake of a scholar openly, rather, when the mistake is apparent, some may fulfil the communal obligation to correct the mistake and others may employ silence due to other reasons, as Shaikh Fawwaz, may Allah preserve him, stated:

فالتاريخ القريب يشهد أن العلماء لم يكونوا على درجة واحدة من الصبر في جميع القضايا، ولم يتركوا الانحرافات الكبرى دون بيان، بل كانوا يبادرون إلى الإنكار عند الحاجة، كل بحسب اجتهاده وتقديره للمصلحة والمفسدة، والأمثلة على ذلك كثيرة، وسنكتفي بعرض بعض الأمثلة فقط:
معلوم أن العلماء لم يصبروا على المصعفقة كثيراً؛ بل حذروا منهم لما عاثوا في الدعوة فساداً، كما أنهم لم يصبروا على هاني بن بريك لما أظهر نواياه الخارجية ضد ولاة الأمر في اليمن، وحتى في فتن سابقة كان بعض العلماء يحذرون من بعض المنحرفين، ويصبر عليهم آخرون.
فمسألة الصبر على المخالف مسألة اجتهادية تقديرية تختلف باختلاف الأحوال والأشخاص والآثار المترتبة، وليست قاعدة جامدة تُطبق في كل زمان ومكان دون نظر……..

Recent history testifies to the fact that scholars have not been upon the same level with regards to patience in all issues, nor have they overlooked great deviations without providing clarification. Instead, they took the initiative to denounce such deviations when necessary—each of them based on their Ijtihad and evaluation of the benefits and harms. The examples of this are many and we will suffice with some (as follows).

It is well known that the scholars did not patiently wait for an extended period with regards to the Mas‘afiqah; rather, they warned against them when they caused corruption in the Dawah. Similarly, they did not patiently wait regarding Hani Bin Burayk when he manifested his Kharijite-like motives (intentions) against the rulers in Yemen. Even during earlier Fitan, some scholars warned against the deviants, while others were patient with them. Thus, the subject with regards to exercising patience with the Mukhalif is a subject of Scholarly Ijtihad and evaluation that varies based on different circumstances, the individuals involved, and the potential effects, and it is not a fixed principle that is applied in every time period and place without examination….. [5] [end of quote]

Therefore, we should not seek to confuse between the case of a person whose difficult behaviour causes people to either limit interaction with him and that of a scholar whose mistake in an issue of knowledge is corrected. A mistake is explained and corrected, and the person may remain qualified to teach, provided there is no other reason to prevent him from doing so. Whereas a person’s overbearing or bossy behaviour may become a problem that affects the tranquillity of a community. In this case, every Masjid has the right, whether one agrees or disagrees with its decision- to decide who they allow to teach there. A person who is not invited to teach there is not necessarily barred from teaching altogether, nor does this automatically mean that his gatherings are warned against. Salaficentre did stop a teacher in 2005 from teaching in the Masjid due to his overbearing and bossy behaviour after he refused to agree to conditions that he cannot personally attack people during his lessons. And we recently did the same again due to a teacher’s bossy, overbearing and scornful behaviour.

Also, not very long ago, we were contacted and asked whether we would be willing to invite a teacher from abroad whose behaviour was a cause for great concern for us, but we did not reveal anything to the contact. So, we excused ourselves from inviting him. Qadarallah, just recently, we were grateful to Allah once again- even though we are unable to show full gratitude to Him – for not having made any effort at the time to accept the proposals of the people who contacted us about bringing him over. His behaviour has worsened to the point that it has led him to false Tabdee’, praising Ahlul Bid‘ah, bullying someone who had a testimony against him, and other problems. Wallahul Musta‘aan! We ask Allah for success. Aameen.

[1] An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi
[2] An Excerpt from ‘Sharh Usul Ath-Thalaatha. page13-15
[3] An Excerpt from Siyar A’lam An-Nubulaa 15/544]
[4] Al-Mabsūṭ, 16/62]
[4] Al-Mabsūṭ, 16/62]
[5] A Paraphrased Excerpt. Source: Shaikh Fawwaz al-Madkhali’s Telegram Channel