In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

All praise is due to Allaah. Indeed the Scholars of Ahlus Sunnah clarify the truth and direct the Ummah towards clear-sightedness where it is needed. The information in this article will be updated based on a precise and beneficial article written by our elder brothers at Maktabah Salafiyyah in 2003.

The book of Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin al-Abbaad (may Allaah preserve him), if we isolate it from the context surrounding it, is a very good book and from which all Salafees who are clear in their manhaj will find great benefit – especially in knowing how to deal with each other. This applies to the true adherents of the Salafi Maanhaj, and does not include the false claimants like the staunch followers of Al-Maghraawee, Al-Ma’ribee, Al-Halabi and other people of bidah, Tamyi and hizbiyyah.

There are a few issues in the book which have been replied to by some of the people of knowledge such as the generalisations about jarh, hajr, issues of cooperation with the opposers and hizbiyyeen that have been made in that book, and also the issues of the major scholars who passed away and whether they would refute the opposer or not. Those issues were left general by the Shaykh because he saw Al-Ma’ribee to be within Ahl us Sunnah and this fitnah to be “between” Ahl us-Sunnah when the reality is otherwise, as at least 30 other Scholars have explained with detailed evidences that Al-Maribi is an Ikhwaanee fitnah imported from outside. And because this is how the Shaykh saw the matter the way he did, he was addressing those whom he considered Salafees in his view, all within Ahl us-Sunnah. But this is a matter proven incorrect by the evidence from other scholars, because the scholars have established manifest evidences to show the deviations of Al-Ma’ribee, Al-Halabi and Al-Maghraaw.

However, some of the people of Tamyee and bidah still desire to spread tribulations by way of the Shaykh’s book, due to the surrounding context in which it was written, and for which Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee stated that he erred in this particular action of his in writing this book. Otherwise, it is known that Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin himself has warned and refuted those whom he considered to be upon corrupt methodologies, such as Safar, Salman and Adnaan Ar’oor and Hasan al-Maalikee.

And therefore in this manner, we have a good suspicion of the Shaykh in what he has done, whilst being wary of the mistake. And by thinking in this way, we have freed ourselves of any deceit and misrepresentation of the true and real situation. This does not apply to the Innovators, Hizbiyyeen and Mu’mayyi-een who are still using this book because their activities and fervour, and zeal at this moment -itself- is based upon deceit and misrepresentation of the true realities, as they are. The fraud in their actions is apparent to every sensible and honest person.

The way Salafees should view this book and those who spread it is as follows:

[1] The book contained excellent admonitions in general about certain affairs and characteristics and lays down excellent guidelines for dealings between the clear Salafees. The Shaykh brought together tremendous statements from the Book of Allaah, the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and the Salaf.

[2] The book discussed certain topics such as hajr, tabdee’, jarh, ta’aawun, akhtaa (errors) all of which were left general and ambiguous, with no tafseel and were tied in reality to the Shaykh’s viewpoint on the fitnah of al-Ma’ribee. These issues were raised by the Shaykh in the context of the fitnah of al-Ma’ribee in which he holds an erroneous viewpoint. The Shaykh is rewarded nevertheless, but we do not take from the errors of the scholars no matter how great their rank. This is from the distinguishing features of the usool of the Salafi manhaj. The truth is with around 30 other Shaykhs from Ahl us-Sunnah. Included within them are three senior Shaykhs who are older than Shaykh Abdul-Mushin, and some of whom are more knowledgeable of the ways of the Hizbees and Innovators than the Shaykh. Every scholar has his own speciality and excellences in certain areas, and we have to be mature in this regard, and not be like the children who just want to strike this scholar against that with slogans such as “he is older”, “he has more knowledge” and so on, which don’t really address the actual underlying reasons that explain why  a different view is held in the first place, and which don’t really get to the crux of the matter which is the overwhelming established evidence against al-Ma’ribee. This immaturity is found amongst the followers of Al-Ma’ribee, Al-Halabi, and recently Saalim At-Taweel, Abdul Maalik Ar-Ramadaani and others have behaved in this manner. So there are those upon this immaturity!

And note also the difference between the Salafees who when they say they do not take the erroneous ijtihaads of Scholars, are able to demonstrate that it is erroneous by bringing tangible hard evidence to show that it is to be considered and erroneous ijtihaad. This is a universe apart from the cheap, hollow slogans of the followers of desires who say “you make taqleed of Shaykh Rabee” etc. all of which is totally baseless and is in reality a slogan fabricated to aid falsehood and confuse the people. Shaikh Khaalid Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Misri (may Allaah preserve him) said that Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Madkhali (may Allaah preserve him) said:

لا نقول

أغمضوا أعينكم واركضوا وراءنا بل نقول

ادرسوا بفهمٍ وعقلٍ ووعي

وقارنوا بصدق وإخلاص

We do not say, ”Close your eyes and gallop behind us, rather we say, study with understanding, sound reasoning and attentiveness, and together with truthfulness and sincerity.” http://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=149391

So note the clear difference between when the Salafees do not take the position held by Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin (because of absence of evidence to reject the Jarh Mufassar) and between the Innovators who claim Shaykh Rabee has erred and that taqleed is not to be made of him (which is a trick to reject the actual evidence that is so firmly established).

So these generalisations in the Book Rifqan Ahlus Sunnah Bi-Ahlis Sunnah can be taken in two different ways:

Firstly:

(a) Benefit can be derived for them by the Salafees who should realise the danger of falling into these matters towards their Salafee brothers who make genuine mistakes and do not persist upon them. So the general idea of warning from hasty tabdee’, hajr and so on is appropriate here, as it relates to Salafees who are upon a clear aqeedah, a clear manhaj, a clear dawah and hold clear Salafee positions and build their loyalties around these affairs. So if they err and make genuine mistakes from which they are quick to recant, then the above matters should be avoided. Again this does not include the Innovators, Hizbees and Mu’mayyi’oon, who have been warned against for their corrupt methodologies and this includes Al-Ma’ribee, Al-Halabi, Al-Maghraawi and those who obstinately defend their falsehood and revile those scholars who exposed them. These people of Tamyee, as Shaikh Abdullaah Al-Bukhaari stated, are from the most harmful of people against the Salafi Dawah. [See here, Shaikh Abdullaah’s speech: http://safeshare.tv/w/XIQbYMHYic ]. Pockets of these types of people are found in every land.

(b) Clarification should be made upon these generalisations so that the Innovators and Ahl ul-Ahwaa cannot cause confusion amongst the Salafees, and this is what has been done by Ahmad An-Najmi (rahimahullaah). These generalisations are still been utilised by all the Hizbiyyeen in all their forms, which is why you see that there is a great deal of nashaat (fervor, zeal) on behalf of certain factions to spread and distribute this book.This book is once again being utilized- in a deceitful manner- by those those obstinate followers of Al-Maribi, Al-Halabi, Al-Maghraawi, Ihyaa Turaath etc

Secondly:

If the Salafees want to benefit from the contents of this book to the degree that it can be benefited from, and that if they do read it, they must refer to the replies written upon this book that clarify the generalisations concerning hajr, ta’aawun, jarh, radd ‘alal mukhaalif, and whether Ibn Baz and Ibn Uthaymeen did or did not refute the opposers in their time, such as Abdur-Rahmaan Abdul-Khaaliq, Safar and Salmaan, and Adnaan Ar’oor and so on. And this is a blessing upon every Salafee, who due to his unique and distinct manhaj, benefits from the truth whoever it comes from in all circumstances, from the old or the young, the male or the female, as opposed to the Hizbiyyeen who because of their desires and seeking of crooked ways, are only led further astray when matters like these descend upon them, and thus you see them that when the Salafees are actively involved in clarifying the manhaj these people keep quiet and do not support them (resounding with slogans of harshness, and severity etc.) but as soon as some leeway is given to all the people of Hizbiyyah on account of erroneous ijtihaads made by some from Ahl us-Sunnah, you see these very same people coming out of the woodwork and very eager to spread and propagate doubts.

Inshaa’Allaah, we will follow up this article with some sections of Shaikh Ahmad’s (rahimahullaah) clarifications on the Book Rifqan Ahlus Sunnah Bi-Ahlis Sunnah. We ask Allaah for Ikhlaas, Sidq, Thabaat and Husnul Khaatimah. Aameen.