Is it a Condition to Advise the Opposer before Warning against him?
Shaikh Ahmad Bazmool (hafidhahullaah) answered:
Bismillaah wa sallaatu wa sallaam 'alaa rasulullaah wa 'alaa aalihi wa sahbihi wa man walahu
Amma ba'ad
If an individual makes an error and his error does not spread, then it is best to advice him in secret and to direct him to good, so that he may make Tawbah (repentance) and return on his own. If he is advised in secret and he does not return from his error, then rebuke and criticize him openly and clarify his error in opposition to the truth.
As for if his error has already spread amongst the people, then he is refuted openly and if he is able to advise him secretly, then he can do that as well.
As for the saying that it is "Waajib (obligatory) to advice him secretly before advising him publicly," then this saying is in opposition to the Manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf. So when we look into the Manhaj of the Salaf, (we see) when an error reached them from amongst the errors, is that they immediately rebuked the error and they refuted it. They didn't say, "we will wait until we advise him in secret" or say "did you guys advise him before asking." It has not been narrated from the Salaf the likes of this. It has only been narrated from them - may Allaah reward them with good - their truthful actions, rebuking the error right away, and Allaah knows best.
Translated by: Aboo Zayd Muhammad ibn Abdillah ibn Sheikh-Elmi
Arabic source: http://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=108091
