A Test for all of Us – [If You Really Love Allaah, Then Follow the Messenger’s Sunnah]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said in Surah Aali Imraan Ayah 31:
[قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ – Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful];
This Ayah is conveyed to everyone who claims to love Allaah, whilst he [or she] is not one who truly follows Allaah’s Prophet Muhammad [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]- neither obeys the Prophet’s command nor keeping away from what the Prophet has forbidden. So unless he or she [i.e. the one who claims to love Allaah] truly follows the Messenger, then indeed he [or she] is not truthful in his [or her] claim. [Ref 1]
Allaah [The Most High] also said in Surah Aali Imraan Ayah 32:
[قُلۡ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ – Say (O Muhammad): “Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers]; Meaning: Say O Messenger [to the people]: Obey Allaah by following His Book [i.e. the Qur’aan], and obey the Messenger by following his Sunnah -whether you were present during his lifetime or present after he has passed away. [Ref 2]
Allaah [The Most High] also said in Surah Al-Hujuraat Aayaat 1 & 2:
[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ – O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward before Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Verily! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ – O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet…]
When it is the case that Allaah forbade [them] from giving precedence to [themselves] over the Messenger, then which type of giving precedence to oneself over the Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] can be more severe than giving precedence to one’s intellect over the revelation he was sent with? Many of the Salaf have stated [that this ayah means]: ‘’Neither say anything [about the religion] until the messenger speaks nor act until he commands you.’’
The most disobedient person amongst the people and the most severe with regards to giving precedence to himself [or herself] over the Messenger is that one who gives precedence to his [or her] intellect or the intellect of another person over the revelation the Messenger was sent with. And when it is the case that Allaah has indeed forbidden them from raising their voices above the voice of the Messenger, then how about raising their intellects above the statements of the Messenger and the revelation he came with? [Ref 3]
[Ref 1: (Tafseer Al-Muyassar). Abridged & slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 2: (Tafseer Al-Muyassar). Abridged & slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 3: (Al-Waabil as-Sayyib’ by Imaam Ibnul Qayyim’ page: 21). Abridged & slightly paraphrased]
Murder, Suicide, Dodgy Contracts, Theft etc – all Impermissible
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا
O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. [4:29]
Few Reminders from the above Aayah
Allaah forbade His believing slaves [from] eating one another’s property in falsehood- through force, theft, gambling and [other] evil earnings; rather consuming your own wealth out of vanity and extravagance is included in this because it is considered a path of falsehood.
After forbidding [the servants] from consuming property through falsehood, Allaah made trade permissible for them and earnings that are free from what is unlawful- including contracts established through mutual consent and other than that.
[وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ – And do not kill yourselves]- Meaning: Neither kill one another [i.e. except what is legislated by Islamic law and executed by the authorities (Ref 1)], nor should a person kill himself [or herself] by bringing about destruction to oneself and engaging in dangerous activities that will lead to ruin and destruction.
[إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا – Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you]- Meaning: And from Allaah’s Mercy is that He safeguards your lives and properties. He forbids you from wasting and ruining your lives and properties and legislated prescribed rulings in relation to that.
[Source: (Tayseer Al-kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and paraphrased]
Ref 1: Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] stated about the statement of Allaah:
وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ
And when you seize, you seize as tyrants. [26:130]
This is a rebuke from Allaah against Aad-the people of Hud (alayhis-salaam). Allaah rebuked them with this and that they are oppressors who strike people without right. They oppress people by way of striking, killing and seizing wealth by force. This is a rebuke against them and a blameworthy trait of theirs. Therefore, this is not permissible; rather it is obligated on a Muslim that he does not take wealth except based on what is right and he does not strike anyone except based on what is right. He neither has a right to transgress against the people nor to strike them; rather he seeks what is right through the path of the Islamic Law. If he has a right to seek after, he should seek it through the courts; through an upright path and through the authorities. He does not strike the people by way of oppression, transgression and injury. He should not oppress them by confiscating their wealth and striking; rather it is obligated on him to take his rights through the path of the Islamic Law and from an Islamic perspective. This (i.e. this statement of Allaah) is a rebuke against Aad and a blameworthy affair for which Allaah sent a devastating barren wind against them. They used to oppress the people and transgressed against them.
[Source: Slightly Paraphrased. see link: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/9111 ]
They say, ‘’Busying Oneself with Refutations Is Not Correct!’’ – Shaikh Rabee Responds To This Claim
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
They say, ‘’Busying Oneself with Refutations Is Not Correct!’’
Shaikh Rabee [may Allaah preserve him] responded to the above as follows:
The people used to read -a lot- the books of deviated views and the libraries were rotting and filled with the books of misguidance and bidah, but they [i.e. those who object when one looks into the books of refutations] did not speak in this manner. However, when the people began to [truly follow] the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah based upon the methodology of the Pious Predecessors and found those books that warned them against Bidah and misguidance, they [i.e. those who object when one looks into the books of refutation] said, “Do not busy yourselves with these affairs; do not abandon knowledge”.
These refutations are from affairs of knowledge. To be acquainted with guidance and [distinguishing it] from misguidance; to be acquainted with good and [distinguishing it] from evil -by Allaah – is from knowledge that will protect [a person], just as Hudhaifah [radiyallaahu-anhu] said, “The people used to ask the Messenger of Allaah about the good, but I used to ask him about the evil out of fear of falling into it”. The books of the people of bidah and misguidance must be known by way of the books that refute them. So unless this happens, then [one should know that] many of the youth were not ruined except when they were deprived of the likes of these books that protect them. There is a means of protection for the youth in these books [i.e. the books written by the scholars to refute errors, misguidance and ahlul bidah etc].
[Abridged & slightly paraphrased. Source: Juhoodul Allaamah Rabee Al-Madkhali Fee Naqdi Shubuhaatil Hizbiyyeen’ page 80-81]
Remember Allah at All Times
The Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said to his cousin, Abdullaah ibn `Abbaas) whilst he was still a youth, “O young boy, surely I will teach you some words” and then he began to teach Abdullaah ibn `Abbaas. He said to him:
“Be mindful of Allāh and he will protect you, be mindful of Allāh and you will find him in-front of you. If you ask than ask of Allāh, and know that if all the people were to gather together to benefit you with something, they could not benefit you except with that which Allāh has already written for you – and if they were to gather together to harm you with anything they would not be able to harm you except with that which Allāh has already written and decreed for you. Indeed the pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.”
(At-Tirmidhee)
The One Who Praises An Innovator Is One of Two People- By Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] said:
It is not permissible to exalt and praise the innovators even if they have some truth with them. That is because raising and praising them will spread their bidah and place them amongst the sincere ones-those who are taken as examples amongst distinguished men of this Ummah. The Salaf warned against having trust for the innovators, [warned against] praising them and their gatherings. In this regard, Asad Ibn Musa [rahimahullaah] wrote: ‘’Beware of being a brother of the innovator [by association] or a companion of his, or one whom you sit with; for indeed it has been narrated that ‘Whoever sits with a person of innovation has left the protection of Allaah and is entrusted to himself’.
The innovators must be warned against and shunned even if they have some truth with them. Indeed, the most astray are not devoid of some truth, but as long as they have with them innovation, opposition and sinful views, it is not permissible to praise and exalt them. It is impermissible to not have an objection against their innovation because this spreads bidah, belittles the Sunnah and by way of this the innovator will emerge and become a guide for the Ummah.
As for giving consideration [to the fact] that the innovator has some truth, this does not justify praising him. This is -to a far greater extent- against what is of overriding benefit and it is known- in relation to a principle in the religion- that preventing harm takes precedence over seeking that which is of benefit. And with regards to having hatred for the innovator, the harm that is prevented from the Ummah is weightier than the benefit possessed by the innovator. And had we adhered to this concept [i.e. praising an innovator because he has some truth with him], then no one would have been judged to be misguided and declared an innovator. That is because there is not an innovator except that he has some truth and adherence to the Sunnah. The innovator [may] neither be a disbeliever nor be in opposition to all the Islamic legislation; rather he is either an innovator in some or most of the affairs. [Ref 1] However, if the innovation is particularly related to affairs of Creed and Methodology, then the affair is dangerous indeed because it will become an example [to be followed], innovation will spread and the innovators will become active in spreading their innovation.
So, this person who praises innovators and makes their affair obscure to the people -due to some truth they have – is one of two [people]: He is either one ignorant of the methodology of the pious predecessors and their stance against the innovators, and it is neither permissible for this ignorant one to speak nor is it permissible for the Muslims to listen to him; or he is one who has an objection to the truth because he knows the danger of innovation and the innovators, but he wishes to spread innovations. Nevertheless, this is a dangerous affair and it is not permissible to be lackadaisical with regards to innovation and its people, whatever that may be.
[Source: At-Tabdee Wat-Tafseeq Wat Takfeer. Page: 72-76. Abridged and slightly paraphrased]
Ref 1: Bidah Al-Mukaffirah and Bidah Al-Mufassiqah:
Bidah Al-Mukaffirah: It is the Bidah that is tantamount to disbelief. Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi Al-Madkhali (may Allaah preserve him) was asked whether there is a difference between Bidah Al-Mukaffirah and Bidah Al-Mufassiqah; so Shaikh said that there is Bidah Mukaffirah, such as rejecting the Ruyah (i.e. denying that the believers will see Allaah in the afterlife); rejecting Allaah’s Uluww [i.e. denying that Allaah is above his creation –Allaah ascended over the Throne in a way that benefits his majesty)]; invoking other than Allaah; offering slaughtered sacrifice (i.e. animals) to other than Allaah etc. These are affairs of Bidah Al-Mukaffirah (the bidah that is tantamount to disbelief).
But we do not make Takfeer of the people who commit this type of Bidah until we establish the proofs against them. That is because some of them (i.e. the people who fall into these affairs) carry doubts and are far away from the era of Prophethood and its light (i.e. guidance). So they fall into the likes these innovations.
Rejecting the Ruyah is disbelief; rejecting Allaah’s Uluww is disbelief; the saying that the Qur’aan is created is disbelief-major disbelief. But this person, -[who testifies that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allaah, and he prays, observes fasting, wants paradise and believes in that] -received the doubts of the people of falsehood, so he falls into the likes of these affairs (i.e. these innovations that are tantamount to disbelief). So we say to him: You have fallen into disbelief and the evidence is this and this, and we clarify for him. So if Allaah grants him Tawfeeq and he returns to the truth, then all praise is due to Allaah. But if not, we declare him a disbeliever after establishing the proofs against him.
As for Bidah Al-Mufassiqah it is other than this (i.e. it is not at the level of that which is tantamount to disbelief)…. [Abridged and paraphrased, see www.rabee.net/ar/questions.php?cat=26&id=484 ]
Reminder: Are The Salafis From Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’ah? [Important Articles @salafipublications.com]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [rahimahullaah] said: Bidah is associated with splitting just as the Sunnah is associated with the Jamaa’ah.
So it is said: Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaa-ah [i.e. the people of Sunnah and the Jamaa’ah] just as it is said: Ahlul Furqa Wal Bidah [i.e. the people of innovation and splitting].
[Source: al-Istiqaamah 1/41]
The Splitting and Differing in the Ummah is Due to the Innovations and Innovators
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=GSC01&articleID=GSC010003&articlePages=1
Are The Salafis From Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=slf01&articleID=SLF010006&articlePages=1
Answers To Common Misconceptions On Naming with Salafiyyah
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=slf01&articleID=SLF010007&articlePages=6
Are the Salafis A New Sect
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=slf01&articleID=SLF010005&articlePages=1
So Who Are Ahl ul-Hadith?
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=slf01&articleID=SLF010003&articlePages=2
Reminder: The Khutbah at Masjid Al-Furqan Today [Stoke-On-Trent] Was Based On This Article- [Standing Out Firmly For Justice As Witnesses For The Sake of Allaah, Even Against Oneself, Parents, Close Relatives and Friends]
Khutbah 24/02/2017
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah (The Most High) said:
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَۚ إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَاۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah; even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. [Surah An-Nisaa’ Ayah 135]
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said:
Allaah [Glorified be He and Free is He From all Imperfections] command His [servants] to stand out firmly for justice on behalf of everyone – whether an enemy or an ally. And the affair that is most worthy of being established with justice -by a person- are the [sound and upright] statements, views and methodology related to the commands of Allaah and everything else Allaah has informed [His slaves in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah]. Therefore, to establish these affairs based on desires and disobedience is something contrary to the command of Allaah and a negation of what Allaah’s Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] was sent with [i.e. the Qur’aan and the Sunnah].
The establishment of justice [based on what Allaah and His Messenger have commanded] is the responsibility of those entrusted with the task to convey Islaam after the death of the Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam], and this task cannot become a reality unless when one establishes it based on pure justice and sincerity to Allaah; [sincerity] to Allaah’s Book; [sincerity] to Allaah’s Messenger and out of sincere advice to Allaah’s servants. These [people] are the true inheritors [of the knowledge left behind by the Prophets]. [A true inheritor of the Prophet [i.e. a righteous scholar] is not that one who merely makes his companions, sect and school of thought the determinants of truth and the distinction between [truth and falsehood] -by showing enmity towards the one who opposes him and allies with the one who agrees with him, merely based on being opposed or agreed with, [without sound proofs based on the Book and the Sunnah]- for where is that [application of the] command to stand out firmly for justice on behalf of everyone [in the actions of that person who merely opposes or agrees with others based on other than the sound proofs found in the Qu’aan and the authentic Sunnah], even though standing out firmly for justice [based on the sound proofs in the Qur’aan and the authentic Sunnah] is the greatest command and obligation?!
Then Allaah (The Most High) says: [شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ – As witnesses to Allah]: A witness is that one who presents information about something; therefore if he presents credible information, he is [considered to be] a just witness and his [statement] is accepted; but if he gives false information, he is [considered] a false witness. Allaah [The Most High] command [us] to stand out firmly as just witnesses for His sake, therefore it has to be carried out for the Sake of Allaah and not for other than Allaah.
And in [Surah Al-Maa’idah Ayah 8, Allaah (The Most High) said]: [كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُہَدَآءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ – Stand out firmly for Allah and be just witnesses]: This Aayah establishes four affairs: [1] One should stand out firmly for justice and [2] does so for the sake of Allaah; [3]Witness to justice and [4] does so for the Sake of Allaah.
Then Allaah [The Most High) said: [وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَۚ – Even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin];
Allaah [Glorified Be He and Free is He from all imperfections] commands [us] to stand out firmly for justice and testify [for or against] everyone, even if it were [against] someone who is the most beloved to person to [us]. A person should stand out firmly for justice [whether it is for or against] himself, his two parents, his other close relatives and his best friend amongst the people. If the person’s love for himself, his parents and his relatives prevents him from standing out firmly for the truth against them, especially if the truth is with someone he hates and regards as an enemy due to them, then indeed none will stand out firmly for justice in such circumstances except one whose love for Allaah and His Messenger is more than their love for everyone else. This is a test of one’s Eemaan, so that he becomes acquainted with the level of Eemaan [in relation to this affair] and [its importance] in his heart.
On the other hand a person has to establish justice when dealing with his enemies and [even] that one who deprives him of his rights; for indeed it not permissible that hatred for his enemies leads him to be unjust towards them, just as it is not permissible [to allow] love of himself, his parents and relatives to make him abandon standing firmly for justice against them. Therefore, hatred harboured against someone should not lead him to falsehood and love [of himself, parents and relatives] should not make him fall short in establishing truth, just as some of the Salaf said: ‘’The just person is that one who when angry, his anger does not lead him to falsehood, and when he is pleased, it does not remove him from truth.” The two verses of the Qur’aan [i.e. 4:135 & 5:8] convey two rulings and they are: Standing out firmly for justice and making a truthful testimony to it- on behalf of one’s allies and enemies.
Then Allaah [The Most High] said: [إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَاۖ – Be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you)]- Meaning: Allaah is the Lord of both of them and Allaah is their Protector, and they are both His slaves. It may be that you become fearful of standing firmly for justice by testifying against a rich person or a poor person – either fearing that the rich person might lose his wealth or because the poor person has nothing, so your hearts become lackadaisical towards standing out firmly for the truth. Therefore, it should be said to them [i.e. the people]: Allah is a Better Protector to both the rich and poor person [than you]. Allaah knows the affair of the rich person more than you and He is more Merciful to the poor than you, so do not refrain from standing out firmly for the truth and from giving testimony [for or against] the rich or the poor.
Then Allaah said: [فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْۚ – So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice]-Meaning: Allaah forbids [His slaves] from following desires, which will lead them to abandon justice. Then Allaah [The Most High] said:
[وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا – and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do]- Meaning: Allaah [Glorified Be He and Free is He from all imperfections] mentions two reasons that will inevitably lead to concealment of truth, then He warned against them and threatened [the one who perpetrates this sin]. The first of them is distortion and the second is to turn away from giving truthful witness. That is because when a proof that supports the truth is manifested and the one who wants to repel it finds no way of doing so, he refrains from mentioning it and thus becomes a silent devil, and sometimes he distorts it. Distortion is of two types: Distortion in wording and distortion in meanings. Distortion in wording is when one utters a word in a context in which it does not establish the truth – either adding to the word or omitting something from it, or substituting it with something else- to the extent that the listener is made to believe something, whilst something else is intended by it, just as the Yahood [i.e. those Yahood who disbelieved in the Prophet & hated him] used to distort words when giving Salaam to the Prophet [i.e. saying As-Saamu Alayka (death be upon you), instead of saying Assalaamu alaykum). This is one type of distortion.
The second type of distortion is related to meanings – distorting the wording; giving it an interpretation that is not intended by the one who uttered it and pretending not to know what is not its intended meaning, or dropping other meanings intended by it etc. Allaah [The Most High] said:
[وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا – and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do].
And when it is the case that a witness is required to bear witness based on what the affair should be [i.e. the complete truth], therefore neither should he hide nor change it. Turning away from the testimony is tantamount to concealment and distortion is tantamount to alteration and substitution. Therefore, contemplate on this ayah and the treasures of knowledge it contains. The Eemaan of a person cannot be complete, except by way of accepting the texts of the sharee’ah and calling the people to them – neither turning away from them at times nor distorting them at other times.
[Source: Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah). Vol 1. Page 300-303. Abridged & slightly paraphrased]
Salafiyyah is founded upon Three Fundamental Principles
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Shaikh Muhammad Baazmool (may Allaah preserve him) stated:
Salafiyyah is founded upon three fundamental principles; The First Fundamental Principle: (To carry out) acts of worship sincerely for the sake of Allaah (Glorified Be He). The Second Fundamental Principle: Adhering to the Jamaa’ah; listening to the (Muslim Rulers) and obeying (them in that which is good). The Third Fundamental Principle: Caution against Bidah and the Innovators. These three fundamental principles are established by way of evidence in the narration of Irbaad Ibn Saariyah (radiyallaahu-anhu) who said:
”The Messenger of Allaah (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wsallam) gave us an admonition that made our hearts fearful and our eyes tearful. We said, “O Messenger of Allaah, it is as if this were a farewell sermon, so advise us.”He said, “I enjoin you to have Taqwa of Allaah and that you listen and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave is place in charge over your affairs; for indeed he who lives long among you will see many differences. Beware of newly invented matters (in the religion), for indeed it is misguidance. So whoever among you reaches that then upon him is (to follow) my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khulafaa and bite on to it with your molar teeth.” [1]
Suhail Ibn Abee Saalih narrated from his father, who narrated from Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam said: Verily Allaah loves three things for you and he hates three things for you. He loves that you worship Him alone and that you do not join anyone else in your worship of him and that you do not worship other than him; He loves that you hold tight altogether to the rope of Allaah and that you do not be divided; and that you advice the one placed in charge over your affairs. And Allaah hates for you Qeel Wa Qaal (he said and she said spreading rumours); He hates for you the wasting of wealth and He hates for you excessive questioning (i.e. questioning devoid of benefit). [2]
These three affairs (i.e. Tawheed; obedience to the rulers and caution against bidah and the innovators) combine that which establishes the religious and worldly affairs of the people. Shaikhul Islaam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhaab (rahimahullaah said: Defects have not occurred in the religion of the people and their worldly affairs, except as a result of defects in these three affairs or in some of them. [3]
[1] [Hasan hadeeth. Reported by Imaam Ahmad 4/126, 127 and declared authentic by Imaam Albaani in Irwaa Al-Ghaleel 8/107. Number 2455]
[2] [Recorded by Imaam Maalik in Muwatta 1863. Muslim 1715]
[3] [Al-Manhajus Salafi pages 8-10…abridged and slightly paraphrased]
Is Lying Permissible In The Affairs of Dawah – By Shaikh Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)
Question to Sheikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him):
Is lying permissible in calling to Allaah? And is ‘the goal justifies the means’ a maslahah (benefit) from the masaalih (beneficial affairs) of the Sharee’ah?
Answer:
Lying is not permissible. It is a major sin from the major sins. It (lying) is not permissible except in three affairs which the prophet made an exception; lying during war, because war is deceit; lying in order to bring about peace between the people; and lying between married couples in order to bring about rectification to the family with regards to the relationship between (husband and the wife). These three affairs are that of maslahah, and in them is a greater good than evil; so (lying) is permissible (in this case).
As for calling to Allaah, it has no need for lies. It is not permissible to utilize lies in calling to Allaah. Calling to Allaah is to (be carried out) by way of truth, the Book, the sunnah, fine admonition and arguing in a way that is better and not by way of lies.
[Source: al-ijaabatul muhimmah fee mashaakil al-mulimmah, page:271-272]