Question to Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)
(Do you have) an advice for the one who speaks ill of the people of knowledge–those who establish refutation against the one who opposes the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam)?
Answer:
It is (obligatory) upon him to repent to Allaah (The Might and Majestic) because he dislikes the truth.. Refutation against the people of falsehood is the truth. Clarifying the mistake of those who commit mistakes in knowledge is the truth. Clarification is obligatory. This (person) wants to conceal. This (person) wants to conceal knowledge, so it is (obligatory) upon him to repent and seek Allaah’s Forgiveness.
Concerning the statement of Allaah (The Most High): [وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَان] – ”And has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger) hateful to you.” [Al-Hujuraat. Ayah 7] Al-Fusooq and Al-Faasiqoon have been mentioned several times in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, so what is Fusooq and how can a Muslim be careful of becoming from a people who are Faasiqeen?
Answer:
Concerning Allaah’s (The Most High) statement: [وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَان]- ”And has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger) hateful to you”; He (Glorified Be He) mentioned the three types of acts of disobedience in this noble Ayah:
(A) The type of disobedience that removes a person from the fold of Islaam, such as Kufr (Akbar) and Shirk (Akbar). [Ref 1]
(B) The major type of disobedience which is lesser than Kufr (Akbar) and Shirk (Akbar) and it does not remove a person from the Religion but it decreases one’s Imaan—a manifest decrease–; such as fornication, theft, drinking alcohol and other than that of the major sins. They are referred to as Fusooq (wicked deeds) and the person who commits them is referred to as a Faasiq (wicked sinner) because Fisq means removing oneself from obedience to Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic].
(C) Then He (The Most High) mentioned the type of disobedience that is lesser than the major sins and are not tantamount to Fisq, and they are the minor sins.
So Allaah (Glorified Be He) informed (us) that He has made all these three types of disobedience hateful to the people of Imaan and make them have a love for the various types of acts of obedience and righteous actions that draws them close to their Lord.
[Source: Al-Muntaqaa Min Fataawaa Fadeelatish Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan Vol 1 page 244. Fatwa Number 142]
[Ref 1] NB: To declare that a Muslim has left the fold of Islaam is the responsibility of the rightly guided scholars and not other than them. Regarding the principles of Takfeer, visit link: http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=MNJ&subsecID=MNJ09&loadpage=displaysubsection.cfm
Question:
If a person has with him hardness in his heart, then what are affairs that will soften the heart?
Answer:
There is nothing better or more necessary (for softening the heart) than the Noble Qur’aan. It is what will soften the hearts. Allah -the Exalted and Sublime – said:
‘’Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.’’ [Surah al-Rad Verse 28]
So the Qur’aan is what will soften the hearts, which if Allah were to reveal it on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah;
‘’Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah.’’ [Suratul Hashr Verse 21]
Likewise sitting with the righteous and listening to The Qur’aan, (listening) to admonitions and reminders–this is what will soften the hearts.
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
The enemies of the Salafis and Salafiyyah persist in their disgraceful lies and devil insinuations in the media. They seek to tarnish the true image of salafiyyah by attributing it to the methodologies of the khawaarij, such as Abu Qataadah and his ilk. Indeed, Salafiyyah is absolutely free from the methodology of the innovators. See the following link in order to find out Abu Qataadah’s evil and innovated methodology.
Is it permissible to seek knowledge from the people of innovation and to read their books due to the absence of the books of Ahlus-Sunnah in my country?
Answer:
All praise is due to Allaah; Ahlus-Sunnah are present and their books are present, however it is required of you to seek (knowledge) and to be eager, and do not depend on the people of innovation and the books of the innovators; do not depend on them because they are like the poisoned food that kills.
Is it from the sunnah for the one who enters the masjid to give the salaams whether there is anyone in it or not, because we heard that whoever enters the masjid it is a must that he gives salaams upon the angels?
Answer:
Give the salaams if someone is in it, (if) he sees someone in it then give the salaams. As for if the masjid is empty then there is no reason to give the salaams.
