In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful The Bestower of Mercy
This work was read and revised by the noble Allaamah Shaikh Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhali
(may Allaah The Most High preserve him)
Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullaah
[1] كَشْف السِّتَار عَمَّا تَحْمِلُهُ الدَّعَوَاتِ مِنْ أَخْطَارٍ
Publisher: Daar Adwaa As-Salaf
First Edition: 2012
Author: Al-Allaamah, The Imaam of Jarh Wat-Tadeel of our times, Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee. Pages:158
[2] الأَجْوِبَةُ الأَثَرِيَّةُ عَنِ الْمَسَائِل المَنْهَجِيَّة
Publisher:Daar Adwaa As-Salaf
First Edition: 2012
Author: Al-Allaamah Zaid Bin Muhammad Bin Haadee Al-Madklhalee. Pages:256
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah (The One Free from all imperfections) said:
‘Those who are miserly and enjoin miserliness on other men and hide what Allaah has bestowed upon them of His Bounties. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment.’4:37
Belief that repentance is an obligation is obligatory, repentance from sins is an obligation Allah Lofty and Sublime said:
‘And turn to Allah all of you, Oh believers so that you may be successful.’ (An-Noor Verse 31)
And He said:
‘O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins’ (At-Tahrim Verse 8)
And He said:
‘And whosoever does not repent then they are from the Dhalimoon(wrongdoers etc)’ (Al-Hujraat Verse 11)
Therefore it is obligatory for the Muslim to repent from his sins and from his evil deeds and it is obligatory that he does not continue upon them or commence upon them or that he is negligent with regards to sins, and he says; ‘this is easy’
Do not be negligent with it for it is from the sins, rather hasten with repentance.
The Most High said:
‘And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse etc.) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; – and none can forgive sins but Allah – And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.
For such, the reward is Forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allah’s Orders).’ Aal Imraan (Verses 135-136)
Allah commended them and promised them (those who repent)
He said:
‘’Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they to whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.
And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: “Now I repent;” (An-Nisaa Verse 17-18)
When death arrives the repentance is not accepted and if mankind continues to live then his repentance in the presence of death is (furthermore) not accepted, so upon him is to rush to make repentance and not to delay it. As soon as he commits a sin he repents to Allah immediately.
Man is not infallible and errors occur from him, shortcomings occur from him, sins occur from him; however Allah Lofty and Sublime by way of his mercy has opened the door of repentance. He has opened for you the door of repentance and he calls you to it and he has promised you that He will forgive you if you are truthful in your repentance. So much so that if a disbeliever repents to Allah; Allah forgives him (the sin of) disbelief, Shirk, the killing of people and other than that. If he repents to Allah He will forgive him. He said:
‘Say to those who have disbelieved if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven’ (Al-Anfaal Verse 38)
And in the Hadith:
‘Repentance nullifies that which came before it’ (1)
Therefore the Muslim needs to repent, the Messenger [sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam] use to seek forgiveness and repent to Allah more than a hundred times a day.
He [sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam] said:
‘Oh People! Repent to Allah, verily I repent more than seventy times a day’ (Bukhaari)
His companions (radiallaahu anhum) enumerated that in the gatherings he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) would say more than a hundred times:
‘I seek Allah’s forgiveness,I seek Allah’s forgiveness’ (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
And he was the Messenger of Allah he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)!
So how about other than him?!
Therefore we need to repent to Allah the Lofty and Sublime, Man is not infallible sins occur from him, shortcomings occur from him, and mistakes occur from him, so he needs to repent.
And all the praises belong to Allah that He has opened the door of repentance for us and He has promised that He will accept (our repentance) and wipe away our sins.
(1) This Hadith is reported in silsilah da’eefah of Shaykh Al-Albaani however there are several other Hadith with similar meaning such as :
‘’The one who repents from sins is like the one who has no sin’ Ibn Majah Declared Hasan by Shaykh Al Albaani
Source: Shaykh Fawzaan’s Explanation of Sharhus Sunnah of Imaam Barbahaaree Point 170
Question: Shaikh, I have a question concerning the issue of refuting the one who has erred. Is it incumbent upon the student of knowledge or the well-grounded student of knowledge to refer back to the scholar or senior scholars before warning against a specific individual, hizbee group/organization or innovators (in general)? Does he have to refer back to the scholar before warning?
Answer: Shaikh Rabee’ (may Allah Preserve him) was asked about this and his answer can be found on Sahab (i.e. www.Sahab.net) and perhaps you know of it. So he was asked about this issue, and he answered it and his answer was correct. This issue is not one (meaning it’s not the same across the board and in every situation). There are issues that are obvious, clear, and apparent of which the student of knowledge could clarify if he has the ability to do so; so one aspect would be linked to one who’s disapproving and clarifying level of knowledge, another to his ability and another to his resolve to be patient upon enduring harms. Another consideration would be his contemplation on the specific positive and negative ramifications which would necessitate decisive and specific actions, statements and judgments. So contemplation on the benefits and harms which (would translate into) direct and decisive action (is required); this would be established by the refutation or the one making the refutation. Especially, if the issue is a knowledge-based issue that the people of knowledge have already spoken about. In this case, there would be nothing preventing (the student of knowledge from boycotting and warning). Boycotting and warning are taken from the Islaamic legislation (i.e. from the Sharee’ah). [end of quote]
The following is a question raised to our noble shaikh Ahmad an-Najmy رحمه الله concerning the role students of knowledge play in clarifying the truth:
إذا فيجب على طلاب العلم أصحاب المعرفة ، الذين عرفوا المنهج السلفي ، وعرفوا المناهج الأخرى ، يجب عليهم أن يبينوا لغيرهم ، وأن يقولوا ،وأن يتكلموا ، وأن يلقوا الخطب ، وأن يوضّحوا في كل مقام ،وفي كل مناسبة الحق ،الذي يجب أن يتّبع والباطل الذي يجب أن يترك ، ويجتنب ، أما الذين سكتوا عن بيان الحق للناس ، فإنهم لا يعذرون بسكوتهم ، ولو قالوا : نحن لسنا معهم ، فإنهم لا يعذرون ، حتى ولو قالوا : نحن لسنا مع أهل هذه الأحزاب الضّالة عن طريق الحق ، إلا أن ينكروا ماهم عليه من الضلال .
“Therefore, it is binding upon the students of knowledge – the people of understanding – the ones who know the salafi methodology, and they know concerning the other methodologies, it is binding upon them to clarify to others, and that they state and speak and deliver sermons (khutba) and that they clarify in every situation and at every suitable opportunity the truth, the truth which is binding to be followed and the falsehood that is binding to be abandoned and avoided. As for those who are silent upon clarifying the truth to the people then they are not excused due to their silence and even if they say “we are not with them” (i.e the hizbiyyoon, as is apparent upon reading the text of the full question which relates to the groups). So they are not excused even if they say “we are not with the people of these misguided groups from the truth, except that they reject and rebut that which they (the misguided groups) are upon in terms of misguidance)”.
Author: Shaikh Ahmad As-Subay’ee (hafithahullah)
Ibn Abee Haatim(.328H) Rahimahullaah said:
”I entered Damascus and came upon the students of hadeeth, and I passed by the circle of Qaasim al Joo’ee(d.248 AH). I found a group sitting around him and he was speaking. Their appearance amazed me; and I heard him saying:
When you are present, you are not known;
When you are absent you are not missed;
When you are seen, your advice is not sought;
When you say something, your saying is not accepted;
And when you have some knowledge, you are not given anything for it.
When you are treated unjustly, do not behave unjustly;
When you are praised, do not become happy;
When you are criticised, do not become upset;
When you are not believed, do not become angry;
And if people act deceitfully towards you, do not act deceitfully towards them.”
Ibn Abee Haatim said:”So I took that as my benefit from Damascus.”
Related by Ibn al Jawzee in Sifatus-safwah(2/200).
Source: Salafi Talk
There is no inkaar (renouncement/disapproval of one another) in those affairs of the Religion in which the (scholars) hold differences of opinion
Some people are under the illusion that what is intended by this statement, is that it is not permissible to disapprove of (one another) with regards to any affair in which difference of opinion is held. So based upon this (illusion of theirs), it becomes impermissible to disapprove of a Munkar (an evil) unless there is complete agreement in doing so. This is a wrong understanding necessitating the closure of the door of enjoining good and forbidding evil.
The scholars hold differences of opinion in most of the masaa-il; and that which is correct with regards to this statement (Laa Inkaar Fee Masaa-il Al-Khilaaf) is that there should neither be harshness in disapproval nor reprimand with regards to those issues about which there is no manifest proof to be taken as the final (affair). And the basis upon which this is founded is that the issues of khilaaf are of two categories;
They are those issues of khilaaf in which there is proof necessitating that it be taken as the final (affair). So here, the proof must be taken and the other statement/opinion in opposition is discarded.
And whoever follows the statement/opinion that is established to be in opposition to the proofs, then he is to be renounced/disapproved of.
It is those issues of khilaaf in which the proof has not been manifested for it to be taken as the final (affair). It is an affair in which the evidences are either at contention or the views are at variance. This is an issue of ijtihaad, and there is neither disapproval nor reprimand against the one in opposition; rather advice is given for acquaintance with the statement/opinion that carries more weight.
This second category of (khilaaf) is what is intended by the statement (Laa Inkaar Fee Masaa-il Al-Khilaaf), which some people have understood in an unrestrictive manner. [1]