الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد
Shaikh ‘Abdul-Lateef[1] bin ‘Abdir-Rahmaan bin Hasan bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) wrote a letter written in response to a contemporary who wrote to him, the subject of the letter was regarding the issue of making takfeer of the Muslims and of Shaikh Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab being free of such an ideology, the Shaikh stated:
“In the year 1264H (1848CE) I indeed saw two men from those renegades – similar to yourselves in Al-Ahsaa (eastern region of Arabia). They had isolated themselves from the Friday prayer as well as the congregational prayers; likewise they declared those that were living in that land from the Muslims as disbelievers.
Their proof (of reasoning) was from that which is homogenous to your proof; since they would say:
‘The people of Al-Ahsaa sit with Ibn Fayrowz; and that they mix with him and his like who do not make takfeer upon the basis of taaghoot (everything that is worshipped besides Allaah) and nor does he make clear takfeer of his own grandfather[2] who refuted the da’wah of Shaikh Muhammad (bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab) and did not accept it and instead was at enmity to it.’
They (these two men) said: ‘and thus; whoever does not clearly state his disbelief then he himself is a disbeliever with Allaah since he has not declared unbelief by reason of taaghoot, and whoever sits with him then he is like unto him.’
So upon the basis of these two false, deceptive and misguided premises they set about regulating that which was tantamount to result in clear apostasy from the rulings – such that they abandoned returning the salaam (responding to the salutation).
So their affair was raised to me whereupon I summoned them and I threatened them and was coarse to them in statement.
They claimed at first that they were upon the creed of Shaikh Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah)[3] – and that his treatises were with them – and as such I exposed their doubts, so I refuted their misguidance with that which came to my mind in the sitting.
I informed them of the Shaikh being free of this creed and ideology[4] and that he did not declare disbelief upon anyone except upon whom the Muslims were united upon over the issue of takfeer of the one who does so from major shirk. As well as having disbelief in the signs of Allaah and His Messenger or with anything from that AFTER the establishment of proof and AFTER its having reached that which is deemed credible such as takfeer of the one that worships the righteous and calls upon them along with Allaah, and has made them as rivals unto Him in that which only He is deserving of over His creation from the varying forms of worship and aspects of Lordship.
The people of knowledge and Eemaan are unanimous upon this, and every group from the people of the madhabs which are blindly followed devote an immense chapter to this issue, they mention within it its ruling and that which necessitates apostasy and its exigency of it and they textually stipulate shirk. Indeed; Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar devoted this issue in a book which he entitled: ‘Al-I’laam be-Qawaati’ Al-Islaam.’
The two aforementioned Persians manifested repentance and regret; and they claimed that the truth had become apparent to them both, yet they then reached the coast and resorted back to those very statements. Their takfeer of the Imaams of the Muslims reached us under the premise of the correspondence with the Egyptian rulers, rather they even made takfeer of those that mix with those that correspond with them (in letters) from the scholars of the Muslims.[5]
We seek refuge with Allaah from misguidance after guidance; and from revocation after steadfastness – and deficiency after increment.”[6]
Why do the Radical Takfeeris attempt to mask their extremist ideology by associating themselves with the scholars of the Sunnah?
Shaikh Rabee’ bin Haadi Al-Madkhali (hafidhahullaah) said:
“So Imaam Muhammad (bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab) and his helpers – their primary concern was the rectification of the beliefs of the Islamic societies, as well as to connect them to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah in every circumstance. They do not declare anyone as unbelievers except those that Allaah and His Messenger and the Salaf of the Ummah and the Jurists of Islaam declared as an unbeliever. They do not exit from the fold of this correct Islamic methodology.
Yet Sayyid Qutb and Mawdudi and those that follow their example are traversing upon the paths of the people of falsehood and the paths of the enemies of the companions and the Salaf from the Khawaarij and the Raafidites by way of making Takfeer through ignorance and desires.[7]
Then from the stratagems of the followers of this misguided ideology is that they wipe/cover themselves with the Qur’aan and the Sunnah upon the way of their own predecessors from the Khawaarij and the innovators, yet they then attach themselves to the scholars and their schools of thought. So this one attaches himself to Ash-Shaafi’ee and this one attaches himself to Maalik and this one attaches himself to Ahmad and this one to Abee Haneefah – because their innovations cannot proceed except with this attachment and wiped covering.
This is what the followers of Sayyid Qutb and his ideology have done, they resort to wiping themselves with the Book and the Sunnah as well as to the da’wah of Imaam Muhammad (bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab), because their own da’wah cannot be swindled upon the people, especially in the land of Tawheed (i.e. Saudi Arabia) except by wiping themselves with (the da’wah of) Imaaam Muhammad and the scholars of this da’wah.”[8]
______________________________________
[1] Shaikh ‘Abdul-Lateef bin ‘Abdir-Rahmaan bin Hasan bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab was born in the year 1225H in the city of Ad-Diriyyah at the height of the First Saudi State. He studied under a number of leading scholars of the time, from them was his father the well known eminent scholar: ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Hasan as well as his uncles Shaikh ‘Abdullaah bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab and Shaikh Ibraheem bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab and many others. After the siege of Ad-Dir’iyyah in 1233H (1818CE) he; along with his father and family were exiled to Egypt where he continued to seek knowledge and study under the scholars of Al-Azhar and Cairo in general. From the scholars he took from in Egypt were: Shaikh Muhammad bin Mahmood bin Muhammad Al-Jazaa-iree who was at the head of issuing fataawa in Alexandria at the time, and Shaikh Ibraheem Al-Baajuri who was the Shaikh of Al-Azhar Mosque at that time and Shaikh Mustafa Al-Azhari and Shaikh Ahmad As-Sa’eedi and others. He returned to Najd in the year 1264H (1848CE) where he rejoined his father who had previously returned to Najd many years earlier and so together they continued teaching and educating the people under what had become the Second Saudi State ruled at the time by Imaam Faisal bin Turki (rahimahullaah), and it was upon his return that Imaam Faisal sent him to the Al-Ahsaa region in order to teach the people – and it is during this time that the above correspondence took place. The Shaikh spent many years accompanying Imaam Faisal during his expeditions and would utilize his time in giving da’wah and authoring works and writings which were then distributed throughout the regions. During his father’s old age he helped him in the spread of the correct beliefs and in educating the people of Najd and later on Imaam Faisal appointed him upon the Judiciary of the Al-Ahsaa region. His students included: his sons: Shaikh ‘Abdullaah, Shaikh Ibraheem, Shaikh Muhammad and Shaikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, as well as Shaikh Hasan bin Hussain and Shaikh Sulaimaan bin Sahmaan and Shaikh Hamad bin Faaris and a great many others. Shaikh ‘Abdul-Lateef died in Riyadh in the year 1293H (1876CE) – rahimahullaah. (See: Uyoon ar-Rasaa-il wal Ajwibah ‘alal Masaa-il vol 1 p.67-112)
[2] His grandfather was Muhammad bin ‘Abdillaah Al-Wahaybi who was a great adversary of the da’wah of Shaikh Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab and harboured severe resentment towards it – such that his animosity and resentment towards it was censured at the time. He authored treatises and compiled poetry against it and was from the greatest antagonists of the da’wah to Tawheed at the time, once the First Saudi State gained strength and spread its influence into Al-Ahsaa under Imaam ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Muhammad bin Sa’ood (rahimahumullaah), he became fearful of them and so fled to Al-Basrah where he died in the year 1216H (1816CE). It was due to these reasons that some of those around Ibn Fayrowz (the grandson) requested later on that he make takfeer of his own grandfather. (See: Uyoon ar-Rasaa-il wal Ajwibah ‘alal Masaa-il vol 1 p.164)
[3] The takfeeri methodology and its adherents have no claim to the writings and works of Shaikh ul Islaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab, the writings of this great scholar and his progeny are in direct conflict with the takfeeri ideology of declaring the Muslims to be disbelievers regardless of establishing any proof against them as Shaikh ‘Abdul-Lateef states: “Indeed; Shaikh ul Islaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) never declared disbelief upon anyone before the establishment of proof.” – (i.e. over that person) (See: Taqreeraat A-immah ad-Da’wah fee Mukhaalafah Madhab Al-Khawaarij wa Ibtaalihi p.476, for the original reference see: Kashf ash-Shubhatain p.84)
[4] Shaikh Sulaimaan bin Sahmaan (rahimahullaah) said when responding to the claim that the ‘Wahhaabis’ make takfeer of the Muslims: “As for the takfeer of a Muslim; then we have already stated that the Wahhaabis do not make takfeer of the Muslims, and Shaikh Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) was from the greatest of people in halting from and desistance in unrestrictedly applying unbelief (upon others). Such that he would not even assert takfeer upon the ignorant one who would call upon other than Allaah from the inhabitants of the graves or other than them – if there was no one that could be facilitated to advise him and to convey the proof to him.” (See: Taqreeraat A-immah ad-Da’wah fee Mukhaalafah Madhab Al-Khawaarij wa Ibtaalihi p.477, for the original reference see: Diyaa ash-Shaariq p.371-372)
[5] Declaring the upright scholars of the Muslims to be disbelievers is not from the teachings of Shaikh ul Islaam nor of the scholars of the Salafi methodology, Shaikh ‘Abdul-Lateef states elsewhere regarding this issue:“Every intelligent one who knows the biographic conduct of Shaikh Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah); then he knows that: he was from the greatest of people in veneration of knowledge and the scholars, and was from the staunchest of people in prohibition of making takfeer of them and of demeaning them and of harming them. Rather; he was from those that professed veneration of them and of holding them upon nobility and defending them and commanding with undertaking their paths….. So how is it assumed from a Muslim – let alone from Shaikh ul Islaam that he should make takfeer of the scholars!” (See: Taqreeraat A-immah ad-Da’wah fee Mukhaalafah Madhab Al-Khawaarij wa Ibtaalihi p.512, for the original reference see: Majmu’ah ar-Rasaa-il wal-Masaa-il vol 3 p.449)
[6] Uyoon ar-Rasaa-il wal Ajwibah ‘alal Masaa-il vol 1p.164-166.
[7] Regarding these misguided sects and their takfeer of the Muslims Shaikh Rabee’ states: “As for making takfeer of the Muslims; rather the best of the Muslims – and they are the companions of Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and those that follow them upon excellence; as well as having hatred of them and hostility towards them and of making takfeer of them out of oppression and acting wrongfully; then it is indeed the attribute of the Raafidites…and it is indeed the attribute of the Khawaarij… and indeed the Mu’tazilah and the Zaidi’s declare the Muslims as disbelievers.” (Abridged from: Dahr Iftira’aat Ahl az-Zaigh wal Irtiyaab p.109)
[8] Dahr Iftira’aat Ahl az-Zaigh wal Irtiyaab p.122-123.
Be the first to comment