The Evidences To Establish [The Permissibility] Of Al-Jarh [Criticism]
By The Imam, Scholar Of Hadeeth
Muqbil Ibn Haadee Al-Waadi’ee (may Allah have mercy upon him)
1.
Allah, The Exalted and Most High said:
O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allah (i.e. Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism). [At-Tawbah: 34]
2. Allah, The Exalted and Most High said:
The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Taurat (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practise its legal laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example (or the likeness) of people who deny the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah. And Allah guides not the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers, etc.). [Al-Jumu’ah: 5]
3. And He, The Most High Said:
And recite (O Muhammad ) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), but he threw them away, so Shaitan (Satan) followed him up, and he became of those who went astray.
And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect. [Al-A’raaf: 175-176]
4. And He, The Exalted and Most High Said concerning the story of Moosa (peace and blessings be upon him):
So he became afraid, looking about in the city (waiting as to what will be the result of his crime of killing), when behold, the man who had sought his help the day before, called for his help (again). Musa (Moses) said to him: "Verily, you are a plain misleader!" [Al-Qasas: 18]
5. And He, The Exalted and Most High informed us of the saying of Yusuf to his brothers:
"You are in a worst position.” [Yusuf: 77]
6. And He, The Exalted and Most High said:
Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet), and perish he! His wealth and his children (etc.) will not benefit him! He will be burnt in a Fire of blazing flames! And his wife too, who carries wood (thorns of Sadan which she used to put on the way of the Prophet ( ) , or use to slander him). In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad (palm fibre). [Al-Masad: 1-5]
7. And He, The Exalted and Most High said:
And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless, A slanderer, going about with calumnies, Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful. [Al-Qalam: 10-12]
8. And He, The Exalted and Most High said:
O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done. [Al-Hujuraat: 6]
O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allah (i.e. Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism). [At-Tawbah: 34]
2. Allah, The Exalted and Most High said:
The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Taurat (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practise its legal laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example (or the likeness) of people who deny the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah. And Allah guides not the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers, etc.). [Al-Jumu’ah: 5]
3. And He, The Most High Said:
And recite (O Muhammad ) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), but he threw them away, so Shaitan (Satan) followed him up, and he became of those who went astray.
And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect. [Al-A’raaf: 175-176]
4. And He, The Exalted and Most High Said concerning the story of Moosa (peace and blessings be upon him):
So he became afraid, looking about in the city (waiting as to what will be the result of his crime of killing), when behold, the man who had sought his help the day before, called for his help (again). Musa (Moses) said to him: "Verily, you are a plain misleader!" [Al-Qasas: 18]
5. And He, The Exalted and Most High informed us of the saying of Yusuf to his brothers:
"You are in a worst position.” [Yusuf: 77]
6. And He, The Exalted and Most High said:
Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet), and perish he! His wealth and his children (etc.) will not benefit him! He will be burnt in a Fire of blazing flames! And his wife too, who carries wood (thorns of Sadan which she used to put on the way of the Prophet ( ) , or use to slander him). In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad (palm fibre). [Al-Masad: 1-5]
7. And He, The Exalted and Most High said:
And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless, A slanderer, going about with calumnies, Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful. [Al-Qalam: 10-12]
8. And He, The Exalted and Most High said:
O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done. [Al-Hujuraat: 6]
Brothers and sisters, these are a few evidences highlighted by the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy upon him) from the Book of Allah.
I sincerely hope that this will help our brother, and others affected by those promoting his erroneous statements, to understand this matter correctly, as these verses establish that the criticism of the people of misguidance is considered to be Al-Jarh even though it is not necessarily related to the transmission of narrations.
If someone were to claim that Al-Jarh is only applicable to the narrators of hadeeth, then they would have to provide proof to restrict the understanding of these verses.
The application of Al-Jarh to the people of innovation was alluded to by the Reviver of the Sunnah in Yemen, Shaykh Muqbil (may Allah have mercy upon him) when he closed this chapter by mentioning two narrations from the Salaf one of them being the statement of Mujaahid:
“I do not know which of the two blessings [bestowed] upon me is greater. That Allah guided me to Islam or that He saved from these desires [i.e. innovations].” (Ad-Daarimee: vol.1, p.103)
