Advice to the One Who Sits With the People of Desires
Author: Shaikh Rabee’ Bin Haadee Al Madkhalee (May Allah Preserve Him)
Source: www.Rabee.net
Translator: Abu ‘Abdis Salaam Siddiq Al Juyaanee
Q: What is your advice O Shaikh to the one who sits with the people of desires, attends their gatherings and gives them salutations in order that they may be certain about what they (the innovators) say, so that they may (use this information) to debate them?
A: Most of the time a person like this will end up becoming a hizbee (partisan), either a tablighee, some type of sufi, or a shi’ite. It is incumbent that the likes of these individuals be punished by Allah The Most Mighty and Exalted because verily they are going against the way and guidance of Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam), and the Salaf (the Righteous Predecessors) while putting their religion at risk; most of the time they become lost, go astray and join the (evil) hizbee groups.
Ibn ‘Aqeel was a mountain from the mountains of the intellectuals, profoundness, and knowledge. He was advised not to go and (sit with) the mu’tazilah, (he however, did not heed the advice); he went to them and became mu’tazilee. Abu Thar was from the students of Ad Daaruqutnee the Imaam of the Sunnah, he (Abu Thar) heard a statement (from the people of innovation) which overwhelmed him and he became a shi’ite. Abdur Razaaq used to sit with Ja’far Bin Sulaimaan Ad Dabi’ee who had with him some shi’ite ways and thus he (Abdur Razaaq) changed. He adopted shi’ism and thus became a poor impoverished one from the shi’ite; although the shi’ism he had with him was not extreme, and he is not to be faulted (to the same extent of the shi’ite that is extreme); never the less he fell into shi’ism and was affected by it.
Therefore, the one who sits with the people of falsehood will most definitely be affected by them despite what they want and will. No matter what they claim, they will definitely be affected because the Messenger (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) is the truthful one who is trusted. He (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) has warned against this and said,
“Verily the example of the righteous sitting and the evil sitting is like that of the merchant of fine perfumes and the ironsmith. As far as the merchant of perfume, he may either give you a sample as a gift, or you may purchase some perfume from him, or (at least) you find from him a good smell. Whereas, the ironsmith will either burn your clothes (due to the flying sparks of iron oar), or you will find from him a bad smell.”
The righteous sitting –masha Allah- has three possible scenarios, all of them being good. Either he will give you a sample as a gift saying “here you may have this”, put some on you, or give you a bottle of perfume (as a gift). Or, you may buy some perfume from him. You will benefit from him and this is good. You’re not buying from him alcohol or something that is prohibited; rather you are buying from him fine oils that Allah loves. Something that you are encouraged to put on before you pray and/or enter into the Masjid. So like this you will benefit from him. Or, (at least) you will find a good smell from him and this too is good.
The evil sitting is like sitting with the ironsmith. Either he will burn your clothes or you will find from him a repugnant smell (whose fumes) may cause cancer or some other type of sickness and we seek refuge in Allah from this. So the evil sitting will most definitely afflict you in a bad way and with evil.
“An individual is on the religion of his companion and close friend, so let each of you look carefully to the one whom they befriend.”
الْأَخِلَّاء يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ
“The friends on that day will become enemies one to another except those who are pious.” (Az Zukhruf: 67)
The people of desires and innovation are not from them (i.e. the pious). You have verses and ahaadeeth [1] that warn you (about sitting with the people of innovation). (Yet despite all of this) you say, “No, get out of here (that’s not going to happen to me).” Who has granted you an impermeable protection? The Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to warn the Sahaabah (from sitting with the people of innovation), the Salaf who where like mountains (of knowledge, faith, adherence to the truth, etc.) used to plug their ears (from listening to the people of innovation) and did not want to hear anything from them. But you, you go to them, visit them and attend their gatherings, (you will be) afflicted by their evil, deceptions, and accusations.
We have tried abundantly; we have tried abundantly, for more than thirty years we have been trying (to get across to the likes of these people). They have been deceived, lost and broken down. Their end result has already been determined; they WILL be lost (and miserable). We ask Allah for safety!
Not matter what level of intelligences you achieve, (if you sit with them), verily Allah will punish you. Your intelligence will not avail you. You must take the necessary steps and means to safeguard and protect this religion that Allah has given to you. Do not play with this bounty!
Presently, you will find that the hizbees of this country (Saudi Arabia), all of them where originally Salafy as the origins of this country is Salafiyyah. All of these (indigenous Saudi citizens) who became hizbee where lost due to them mixing (with the hizbees), living along side of them, reading their books and listening to the (tapes) of the people of desires.
Everyone you see now, who it is said about them that they are hizbee, all of them where lost due to this path; they were all taken and destroyed by the (evil) philosophy, “I am taking the truth and leaving the evil.” (In reality), they are taking the evil and leaving the truth, they become enemies to the truth. They (end up) becoming of those who war against the people of the truth!
[1] Plural of hadeeth
