Skip to main content

Author: Amjad Khan

Imaam Al-Barbahaaree said: Whoever Dies Unknown upon the Sunnah is indeed a truthful witness

Imaam Barbahaaree (rahimahullaah) said that Abul Aaliyah (rahimahullaah) said:

Whoever dies unknown upon the Sunnah is indeed a truthful witness.  It is said clinging to the Sunnah is salvation’

Shaikh Saaleh al Fawzaan commented on the above saying: The Siddeeq (the truthful one) is the one given to much truthfulness and his status is at a level after that of the  Prophets. So the station of Truthfulness is a lofty station and what is intended by it is adherence to truthfulness in speech and action.  The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) made known who the Truthful One is by saying: ‘A man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a Truthful Person’

He (i.e. the siddeeq) is truthful himself and is eager for truthfulness regarding what the people relate to him.  He does not go along with everything he hears or whatever is said, rather he verifies and is eager for truthfulness because he is a truthful person.  He neither narrates nor utter except the truth.  This is the Siddeeq (The Truthful One).

And concerning the statement: ‘whoever dies upon the Sunnah.’

Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan comments saying:  That is to cling to Islaam and what is intended by As-Sunnah is ‘Islaam’.   Islaam is the Sunnah and whoever dies upon it Unknown and there appeared nothing from him in opposition to (that), then indeed he dies as a truthful person.

And concerning his statement: ‘Clinging to the Sunnah is Salvation’; that is: clinging to the Sunnah is safety from Fitan and Punishment, and for this reason he (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: ‘whosoever lives amongst you will see lots of differences, so stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Khulafaa.’

Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا

‘And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah, and be not divided among yourselves’[3:103]

And Allaah (The Most High) said:

وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ

‘And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path.’ [6:153]

This is the advice of Allah and that of His Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam), and that is to adhere and cling to Sunnah.

———————————————————————————————

[Source: It’haaful Qaaree Bitta’liqaat Alaa Sharhis Sunnah Lil Imaam Barbahaaree (rahimahullaah), Vol:2 page:313-314]

 

Important words of Shaikh Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him): If you are not going to utter good, then keep silent in order that you may be safe

The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said:

“Whoever believes in Allaah and the last day then let him utter good or keep silent.”

He (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “then let him utter good” and Allaah (The Most High) stated:

[وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا -And speak (always) the truth. (33:70)]

Good speech, such as uttering Subhaanallaah, Laa-ilaaha-ilal-laah, Allaahu-Akbar, recitation of the Qur’aan, remembrance of Allaah, enjoining good and forbidding evil, seeking beneficial knowledge and bringing about reconciliation between the people.  Every speech that is pleasing to Allaah is good. Allaah (The Most High) said:

لَّا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

“There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allaahýs Cause), or Ma’roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allaah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind, and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allaah, We shall give him a great reward.”[4:114]

Speech is not very burdensome; it is not like prayer, fasting and Jihaad. Therefore, you are able to utter good whilst sitting or lying down, or whilst riding or walking.  The body gets tired through performance of acts of obedience, but the tongue does not get tired of speaking, so pre-occupy it with what benefits you.

And He (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: “Or keep silent.”

If you are not going to utter good, then keep silent in order that you may be safe.  You will be safe if you keep silent. If you speak and it is (something) good, you will be profited. And if (the speech) is evil, you will be ruined.

And most of that which is (uttered) by people, especially in a state of heedlessness and weak imaan is either evil speech or excess speech in which there is no benefit, and that why the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said:

“Indeed, Allaah hates three things for you; “Qeel Wal Qaal, wasting wealth and asking too many questions.”

————————————————————————————————

[Source: ‘Al-Minhatul Rabbaaniyyah Fee Sharhi Al-Arba’een An-Nawawiyyah’ by Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) Abridged…page: 157-158]

Caution Regarding Recommendations: Do not say so and so is a person of the Sunnah until….

Imaam Barbahaaree (rahimahullaah) said:

‘It is not permitted for a man to say, ‘So and so is a person of the Sunnah’ until he knows that he combines the characteristics of the Sunnah, so it is not said of him, ‘a person of the Sunnah’ until he combines all the Sunnah.’

Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) commented on the above statement of Imaam Barbahaaree (rahimahullaah), saying:

Do not give Taskiyah to a person and praise of him, except from knowledge; lest the people become deceived by your praise of him, whilst he is not what (you have stated about him).  So when his real affair and path is clear to you, his knowledge and steadfastness, then you can give him Tazkiyah.  As for giving out praise and recommendation whilst not knowing of anything about him, then this is a dangerous Tazkiyah through which the people will be deceived by this person.

Had only those who give commendations to the people stopped at that (i.e. put it in its proper place), then they would not give recommendation, except for one who fulfils the conditions of giving Tazkiyah; because Tazkiyah is a ‘Witness’, so, if the Tazkiyah is not correct it will be a false witness.

And concerning the statement of Imaam Barbahaaree: ‘until he knows that he combines the characteristics of the Sunnah’

Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan commented on the above statement saying: The characteristics of the Sunnah are to be in Aqeedah, Knowledge and adherence to the Salafus Saaleh.  But if there is not in him except a single characteristic of the (Sunnah), then he is not judged to be from Ahlus Sunnah on the basis of a single characteristic or one thing, so what about the one who does not have anything from that?

——————————————————————————————————

It’haaful Qaaree Bitta’liqaat Alaa Sharhis Sunnah Lil Imaam Barbahaaree; Vol: 2; Pages: 275-276

 

 

A Warning against Supporting the Evil Actions of the People

Imaam Barbahaaree (rahimahullaah) said:

”He who loves the deeds of a people, good or bad, is just like the one who commits them.”

Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) commented saying:

He who loves the deeds of a people is just like one who commits them; so if those (deeds) are good he gets a reward similar to theirs. And if those (deeds) are bad he bears the burden and sin similar to theirs. And Allaah’s Aid is sought!

And due to this it has been reported regarding the one who wishes to be like the scholar who teaches the people good will receive a reward similar to that of (that Scholar).  And the one who wishes to be like the rich person who spends his wealth in the path of Allah will receive a reward similar to that of (that rich person) in accordance with his intention.

Likewise, the opposite of this is the one who wishes to be like the criminal and the people of sin, (and) wishes to be their partners in sin or give support to their views and hold it to be true; he is like them even if he did not commit an act similar to theirs, (but) solely (due to the fact that) he held their views to be correct and took their side.

———————————————————————————————————-

[Source: It’haaful Qaaree Bitta’liqaat Alaa Sharhis Sunnah Lil Imaam Barbahaaree; Vol: 2, page: 113-114)]

The Mubtadi (Innovator in religious affairs) is the cause of Splitting in the Ummah

Shaikh Zaid Bin Haadi Al-Madkhali (rahimahullaah) said:

It is not permissible for the one who knows something about the innovation of the partisan group Ikhwaan Al-Muslimeen (i.e. The Muslim Brother’-a deviated sect founded by the Soofee Hasan Al-Bannah of Eyypt) or other than them amongst the people of innovation and error that he remains silent about clarifying their affair, even though he has the ability to clarify. That is because refuting the people of innovation and error is obligatory upon those who have the ability to do so amongst the People of Knowledge.   And when (refutation) is established by some of them the obligation is lifted from the rest.

And as for fearing splitting as a result of refutation against the sects, there is no legislated excuse for refraining (i.e. refraining from carrying out such refutation). That is because having love for Ijtimaa (unity upon the sound creed and methodology of the Salaf) is the correct stance and is more deserving to be desired and followed.  The Mubtadi (the innovator) is the cause of splitting in the Ummah because splitting is connected to innovation and unity is connected to the Sunnah.

And the obligation of refutation against the Mukhaalif (i.e. the one in opposition to the truth) is not lifted from the scholar due to anticipation of harm, unless it is harm that he is not able to bear (or repel); then (in this case), Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.  The earth is not devoid of people of knowledge who will carry out refutation against the innovator and the Mukhaalif.

—————————————————————————————-

[Source: Al Ajwibah Al Mukhtasar Alaa  As’ila Al’Ashrati’ Pages 43-44]

 

Question to Shaikh Fawzaan: What is the ruling on the one who defends a person of innovation and says…..

Question to Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)

What is the ruling on the one who defends a person of innovation and says: ‘(This person) has good deeds and has given service to Islaam in such’, since this has become widespread amongst some of the callers.  What is the ruling on this?

Answer:

We clarify errors in order that the people may keep away from them.  As for good deeds, then the knowledge of this is with Allaah and we do not have knowledge of it.  Whatever his good deeds are they will not be lost and we are not a scale by which good and evil deeds are weighed.  Good and evil deeds have their scale on the Day of Judgement with Allaah (The Most High).

Our intention is not to diminish the individual, rather our intention is to clarify the truth and unveil errors so that people may not fall into them.  As for the personal affairs of the person, we do not enter into that.  If he has good deeds, then his good deeds will not be lost with Allaah.  We neither talk about his good deeds nor do we say that he has no good deeds.  Allaah is more knowledgeable about his good deeds and our intention is to clarify errors in order that people do not incline towards them.

—————————————————————–

[Source: Al-Ijaabaatul Muhimmah (Vol 1, page 145)]

A trait Adopted by Some of The People in Our Era from the Pre-Islamic People of Ignorance

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhaab stated in Masaa’ilil Jaahiliyyah: They (People of the Era of Pre-Islamic Ignorance) accused the People of the Religion of having little understanding and Poor Memory.  They utilized the argument to determine the falsity of a religion-that the people who followed it had little understanding and poor memory, as Allaah stated that the said:  And they (too) followed you (i.e. Nooh) without thinking.’[11:27]

Sheikh Saaleh Al Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) commented on the above saying:

Regarding what Allaah has stated about the people of Nooh and their saying: ‘And they (too) followed you without thinking.’[11:27] that is: The weak ones- ‘those who followed without thinking’, who possess no understanding.

So they (people of the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance) reviled the followers of the Messengers that they possess neither understanding nor are they well versed in the affairs, and they do not possess far-sightedness.  This is what many amongst those who have strayed from the right course and the enemies of Allaah brag about today.  They make fun of the Muslims and their scholars, that they neither possess understanding nor far-sightedness.  They seek to diminish the scholars with this calumny despite the fact that the scholars of the Muslims are people of clear sightedness and cognizance because they examine (affairs) with the guidance of Allaah. They command what Allaah has commanded and forbid what Allaah has forbidden.

And there is no doubt that the steadfast and righteous scholars are the best people after the Messengers (alayhimus-salaatu-was-salaam).  The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the moon over all the stars.  Therefore, none diminishes the scholars and charges them with short-sightedness and lack of understanding, except one who has similarities with the people of Jaahiliyyah and the people of Nooh, who described the followers of the Messengers with this description, in order to drive the people away from them.

This (i.e. accusing the scholars of short sightedness and lack of understanding) is uttered from the tongues of some of the people today.  They say: ‘’these scholars are ‘ulamaa’u hayd wan- nifaas’ (i.e. scholars whose knowledge is limited to the rulings pertaining to menstruation and postnatal bleeding); and that they are ‘ulamaa’u ahkaamul Istijmaar’ [scholars whose knowledge is limited to the rulings pertaining to istijmaar (i.e. the use of dry objects such as stones, tissue etc, to clean oneself after using the toilet], and that they are ‘ulamaa’u juz-iyyaat’ (i.e. scholars who only possess knowledge of some affairs or whose knowledge is restricted to some affairs), and that they do not possess knowledge of current affairs.  And the knowledge of current affairs (according to these ones that accuse and revile the scholars) is the affairs of politics and revolt against the Muslim rulers.

[Source: Sharh Masaa’ilil Jaahiliyya, pages 78-79; by Sheikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him]

Imaam Ahmad (rahimahimahullaah): Nothing is equal to knowledge, for the one who corrects his intention

Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) stated:

(There) is nothing equal to knowledge, for the one who makes his intention correct (i.e. sincere). So they (i.e. the people) said: And how do (we) make the intention correct (i.e. sincere) O father of Abdullaah?! He said: You make an intention to remove ignorance from yourself and others.

——————————————————————–

[Aadaab Ash-Sharee’ah’ 2/45, by Ibn Muflih (rahimahullaah)]

[2] Verdicts of the Scholars against At-Tahazzub (Illegal Partisanship)- Shaikh Uthaymeen

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said:

There is nothing in the Book or the Sunnah that allows different groups and parties; rather that has been censured in the Book and the Sunnah. Allaah (The Most High) said:

فَتَقَطَّعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُم بَيۡنَہُمۡ زُبُرً۬ا‌ۖ كُلُّ حِزۡبِۭ بِمَا لَدَيۡہِمۡ فَرِحُونَ

”But they (men) have broken their religion among them into sects, each group rejoicing in its belief.” [23:53]

And there is no doubt that these parties oppose that which Allaah has commanded. Allaah (The Most High) said:

إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ أُمَّتُكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ وَأَنَا۟ رَبُّڪُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ

”Truly! This, your Ummah [Sharia or religion (Islamic Monotheism)] is one religion, and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me (Alone).” [21:92]

———————————————————————-

[Source: Fataawaa Al-Muhimmah Fee Tabseeril Ummah. Page:120]