In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah, The Exalted, says:
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]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
This verse encompasses all the Masaalih (welfare and wellbeing) for the servants of Allah in their worldly matters and the Hereafter – whether it be in their interactions with one another or in their relationship with their Lord. This is because every servant of Allah is faced with two responsibilities and duties – either fulfilling the rights owed to Allah or fulfilling the rights owed to Allah’s creation. Regarding the responsibilities towards creation, they encompass righteous companionship, mutual assistance in what Allah loves, and obedience to Allah which are the ultimate purpose for seeking happiness and success in the hereafter. To achieve happiness in the afterlife, Bir (righteousness) and Taqwa (piety) are essential, as they form the foundation of all religious matters. A deed can only be considered an act of obedience to Allah and a means of drawing closer to Him if it is rooted in Iman. Thus, any action that leads to the performance of such a deed should be solely motivated by Iman, without being influenced by un-Islamic customs, personal desires, the pursuit of praise or status, or any other worldly factors. The sole intention behind these actions should be to attain Allah’s reward and seek His Pleasure. [1]
We ask Allah to grant us and all Muslims every praiseworthy accomplishment associated with the aforementioned Ayah, Amin.
To begin with, regarding Dawah Salafiyyah in Manchester, I can only share what reliable individuals told me about the time before I was guided to this blessed path in the summer of 1995. I cannot speak on matters I haven’t personally witnessed unless I am recounting from trustworthy witnesses. This article aims not to belittle anyone’s efforts in Dawah, but to present the facts, especially as new teachers and learners have emerged. Sometimes it appears to some people new to Salafiyyah, especially youth, who may think that such and such person – due to his effort for over a decade – was the one who established Dawah, thus he speaks like the one who wants to rewrite history. What we must constantly remind ourselves is that Dawah is not about competing for a greater legacy; it is a blessing from Allah through which teachers, learners, and those who manage centers, mosques, and schools should seek the Pleasure of Allah only. Shaikh Abu Talhah, may Allah have mercy on him and his wife, has passed away, but his legacy endures. He never sought recognition or claimed what was not his, nor was he known for being forceful or stubborn. He did not desire people to focus on him; instead, he taught and guided others to the best of his ability. Thus, the focus should not be on who has more lessons or attendees, but rather on competing in goodness and piety, through which all good deeds, including the pursuit of knowledge, arise, as well as working together in righteousness.
Concerning Dawah Salafiyyah in Manchester, Shaikh Abu Khadeejah, may Allah safeguard him, stated:
“Manchester has a long history of Salafi Da’wah, māshā Allāh Allāhumma bārik. Dr. Faisal Malik and myself were living in Rusholme — and Abu Iyaad (who was in Essex Uni at the time doing his Phd) would visit us. And we would visit him in Essex. Abu A’ishah (my elder brother who was doing his PhD in Manchester Uni) set up the Quran and Sunnah society because the Islamic ISOC was run by Ikhwanis. Murad Al-Jazā’irī was around in those days — and within months, he started fighting us and gathering his “files”. Then he had a change of heart after a few sittings, followed by several bouts of toing and froing between us and Jimas and Brixton causing corruption. Very active period: regular lectures at Ambrose (Manchester Uni prayer hall, a converted church building), also at Salford Uni and UMIST. A lot of battles on campus with Fosis, HT, Ikhwanis, takfīris, etc. It was in this period (late 1995 and early 1996) that we split from Jimas (after the Ali Tamimi visit) and we set up Oasis, which was dissolved in the same year (1996) after the Oasis conference in Birmingham. Then after that, we set up Salafi Publications: Myself, Abu Iyaad, Abu Talhah (rahimahullāh) along with our brother Abu Hakeem who was in Madinah. Dawah spread through the website, yahoo email groups, book publications, translations, audio, the “Blazing Meteor” series, etc. That was the era of Ibn Bāz, Al-Albāni, Ibn Uthaimīn, Muqbil, Rabee, An-Najmi, Ubayd, etc — visits from Abdus-Salām Burjis, etc Foundation years: from 1993 to 2001, I’d say. A lot of the brothers who stood firm are still around, although some have died since, may Allah protect the living and have mercy on the deceased”. [End of quote]
Following the departure of Shaikh Abu Khadeejah and others from Manchester, Murad, may Allah guide him, continued teaching until the Fitna associated with the Mubtadi Yahyah Al-Hajuri, thus he opted for the path of falsehood and lent his support to Al-Hajuri. So, I and some others did not witness events before 1995.
In the summer of 1995, after being introduced to Salafiyyah through a lecture by Salafipublications, we began attending Murad’s study circles. This included several brothers from Manchester, Birmingham, Ashton, and in particular our elder elder brother and predecessor to Salafiyyah from Bolton Ismail (Bashir) As-Seneghali. As the late 90s approached and continued into the early 2000s, additional younger brothers from South Manchester, London and Nelson also participated in Murad’s circles. Unfortunately, some of them have since become entangled in the Fitna surrounding Dr. Muhammad Bin Hadi. At that time, I was not engaged in any Dawah activities; we were simply attendees at the study circles held at the University Masjid (Ambrose). We kept going to the only Salafi study circles available until Al-Markazus Salafi opened in 2003. During that time, there was just one main Salafi teacher in Manchester.
Then, in late 2004, after the Masjid was officially opened in 2003, some disagreements arose among the brothers, and Murad chose to stop teaching. So, we reached out to Salafipublications for help to restart the study circles. They began visiting us every two weeks, and our beloved first Arabic teacher, Ustaadh Abu Harun, joined them. Furthermore, Shaikh Abu Iyadh used to provide us with a telelink every weekend, and the books transmitted included Al-Arba’een An-Nawawiyyah and Sitta Mawaadi Minas Seerah. These lessons, particularly those from Shaikh Abu Iyadh, continued for an extended period until 2010 when Abu Mu’adh returned from Jami’ah Islamiyyah and was welcomed into the role of a teacher.
So, the affair here is that from 1995 to 2003, I was not involved in any Dawah matters nor given any responsibilities until the Masjid opened in 2003. During this period, the brothers were very busy, and it was suggested that I lead the prayers and deliver the khutab, even though there were those more worthy and capable had not been that they were very busy. As for the younger brothers from London and Nelson, including Abu Mu’adh, they too were not engaged in any Dawah activities in Manchester from 1995 to 2010, and before 1995, neither I nor others partook in such initiative, nor was Amjad Khan and Faizal Kara involved in any Dawah activities between 1995 and 2006. We bring this up to emphasise that none of us should testify to things we haven’t personally witnessed and we should be cautious of claiming anything for ourselves, even if we’re just discussing the history of Dawah and the Masjid in Manchester. It’s important to note that no one can rightfully say they “established the Dawah in Manchester,” particularly those who were not involved from 1995 to 2010, or even from 1995 to 2003, like myself; rather, those who started the Dawah in Manchester are those highlighted by Shaikh Abu Khadeejah, with Murad continuing teaching after they left, leading up to the establishment of the Masjid.
Since late 2004, after Murad stopped teaching, to this day, Salafi teachers have engaged in Dawah activities at the Masjid. May Allah bless them for their contributions, including our current teacher, Ustadh Abdul Hakim Mitchel, as well as bless the Imam of the Masjid Ustadh Kamal Al-Libi, our elder Abu Khalid, the Qur’an teachers and weekend school Head teacher (Asim) and his staff – male and female, the maintenance team, the cleaners, the volunteers at the Dawah Stall and the bookstore, and all those who contribute in different ways, Amin. NB: There exist Salafi brothers who adhered to the Salafi methodology before our time and continue to do so; however, they would prefer that their names not be disclosed. Consequently, I have refrained from including their names, while those referenced are crucial to the timeline and context of this brief testimony. However, the only one – among those who preceded us in Salafiyyah, crucial to the timeline and does not have a choice whether to be mentioned or not – is our old friend and companion, Abu Halimah, Naeem Bashir- (Stoke On Trent) – may Allah bless him and his family Amin.
In conclusion, my brothers and sisters, the matter at hand transcends the duration of a person’s presence, the greatness of their efforts, or the speed at which they excel others in learning. What truly matters is the continuous supplication to Allah for Tawfeeq to perform one’s acts of worship, striving to acquire knowledge to the best of one’s ability, and maintaining a vigilant awareness of misguidance and trials until we return to Allah.
Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah preserve him, stated:
When you embark upon the path of knowledge- seeking understanding of it and acting upon it, this is one of the signs that Allah wishes good for you. Therefore, receive glad tidings, have good thoughts about Allah, and be sincere to Allah in your statements, deeds, and knowledge. Neither be deceived – we seek Allah’s Refuge from self-deception – nor feel safe from Allah’s plan. [فَلَا يَأۡمَنُ مَڪۡرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرُونَ – None feels secure from the Plan of Allah except the people who are the losers]. [Al-A’raaf. 99]
A believer always fears that his situation will change. It has been reported from Aa’isha and Anas, may Allah pleased with them, that the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, often (supplicated):[يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِى عَلَى دِينِكَ – O turner of the hearts (Allaah)! Keep my heart firm upon your religion]. I [i.e. Aa’isha or Anas] asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! We believe in you and what has been revealed to you, so do you fear for us?” He said, “Yes, indeed the hearts are between two fingers among the fingers of Allah and He turns them how He pleases”. By Allaah! This is understanding – that a person does not feel safe about himself, for indeed Satan flows through the human being like blood. Therefore, a person should guard his heart, intellect, and deeds ardently more than he guards his wealth and honour. Whoever is given authority to look after his own affairs, is obligated to guard his heart before everything else.
[رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ – Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower]. [ Surah Aal Imraan’ Aayah 8] [2]
[1] An Excerpt from ‘Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah’ Vol 1 pages 307-311. Publisher: Daar Ibn Al-Jawziyyah 2nd Ed, 1431AH]
[2] An Excerpt from “Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm”. 75-76
