An Instructional Word, by the Distinguished, Eminent Scholar Rabee’ bin Haadi al-Madkhali (hafithahullah)
Translator: Abu Abdil-Alim Amin Manning al-Amreeki al-Makki
[Our Shaykh], may Allah preserve him, said:
How much has Allah [expressed] praise upon the righteous, how much has He (Subhaana wa Ta’aala) urged “taqwa” (righteousness) and how much has He clarified their end result with Allah, Glorified is He the Most High, from the likes of tremendous reward. Hence, upon us isFear of Allah, the Blessed and Most High, uprightness upon the true religion of Allah, in our creed, methodology, worship, and the rest of the affairs of our lives; righteousness, uprightness upon the truth and firmness upon it, staying away from everything that would cause the discontentment of Allah, the Blessed and Most High, and [or] oppose the Book of Allah and Sunnah of His Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alayhi was salam) from the aspects of creed, methodology and character.
Upon us is to hold fast to the Rope of Allah and this includes everything Islaam came with,
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا
“And hold fast all of you together to the Rope of Allah.” (Surah Al-Imraan: 103)
And do not leave anything that came in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, except that you hold fast to it and adhere to it, nor let any one from amongst you fall off this holding fast to the rope of Allah, Allah’s book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alayhi was salam). Upon you is “Ikhlaas” (sincerity) for Allah, the Lord of all that exist,
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah and [sincerely] worship none but Him alone.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah: 5)
Meaning, be inclined away from shirk, upon the creed of Ibraaheem, peace and blessings be upon him,
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ
وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah and [sincerely] worship none but Him alone, offer the prayers perfectly, give the obligatory charity and that is the right religion.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah: 5)
Deen-ul-Qayyim (the straight, true religion); [make] the religion sincerely for Allah in every affair from the affairs, with that which pleases Allah, Glorified is He the Most High, bycomplying to the His commands and staying away from His prohibitions, a true believer upon the religion of Muhammad and Ibraaheem, peace and blessing be upon them both, upon tawheed, distant with all farness from shirk with Allah, the Blessed and Most High, and [every superstition**].
And establish the prayer [perfectly] – the prayer is a tremendous affair – the second pillar [of the religion] after the two testifications. And fulfill the obligatory charity – the third pillar. And if one carries out these things, [he establishes the rest of**] Islaam insha Allah, and this is the true religion.
In addition, upon you is to be brotherly in that which is between you, have cohesion, cooperate upon piety and righteousness, [be] distant from division and everything that leads to it. He who comes upon Da’wah as Salafiyyah takes this methodology, staying away from every reason that which will result in differing and division; some people bring about causes of division, influence fitnah and are disruptive to the Salafis, ripping them apart. This is not from the correct methodology, nor from the minhaj of the one who is Salafi, neither is it from the minhaj of the sahaabah and the taabi’een; some of them seek means of division, they are not to be relied upon in the religion of Allah, the Blessed and Most High, andthey are not true in their claim of Salafiyyah, and it is obligatory to shed light upon them, like saying: Why do you engage in causes of division? Why do you split the Salafis? The one who errs, advise him with wisdom, kindness and gentleness,
((و ما كان الرفق في شيء إلا زانه و لا نزع من شيء إلا شانه و ما كان الحياء في شيء إلا زانه))
((Gentleness is not in a thing except that it beautifies it and it is not extracted from a thing except that (it) tarnishes it and shyness is not in a thing except that it garnishes it.))
Upon you is lofty character from the likes of patience, compassion, truthfulness, may Allah bless you, and firmness upon the truth,
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ
“Indeed in the Messenger of the Allah you have a good example.” (Surah al-Ahzaab: 21)
And Allah mentions about him (sallAllahu ‘alayhi was salam):
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
“And verily you are upon an exalted (standard of) character.” (Surah al-Qalam: 4)
Be one perfecting high moral standards. Noble character is a tremendous affair, may Allah bless you, I advise you with noble character, so make these things the focus of your eyes: taqwa of Allah, sincerity, doing good towards the slaves of Allah, being brotherly in that which is between you, distant from every cause of division, patient, compassionate, and advise with wisdom and good exhortation,
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ
“Call to the path of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation.” (Surah an-Nahl: 125)
Not unfriendliness, harshness, abusing, cursing and [bad] depiction, no, these are not from the guidance of the Salaf [as-Saalih].
Upon you is mutual love for Allah, be on good terms and visit one another for Allah’s sake,
((وجبت محبتي للمتحابين فيَّ والمتجالسين فيَّ والمتزاورين فيَّ))
((My love is mandatory for those who love each other for my sake, and those who assemble together for my sake and those who visit one another for My sake.))
May Allah bless you,
((والمتباذلين فيَّ))
((and those who give generously for my sake.))
These are tremendous affairs that are a most, and it is imperative that this be carried out between the Salafis. Many of the people are negligent of these affairs and they are essential and a necessity,
((والذي نفسي بيدي لا تدخلوا الجنة حتى تؤمنوا و لا تؤمنوا حتى تحابوا...))
((By the one who my soul is in his hand, you will not enter the paradise until you believe and you will not [truly] believe until you love each other [for Allah]…))
You do not (truly) believe until you love each other [for Allah], understand this,
((...أوَلا أدلكم على شيء إذا فعلتموه تحاببتم أفشوا السلام بينكم)).
((...Shall I not direct you to something that if you do it you will love one another, spread the salaam (greetings) between each other.))
Spread the greetings, with the intention of actualizing this faith that leads to entering the paradise. Don’t just give the greetings only, like customarily; greet your brother seeking closeness to Allah, [as] worship of Allah and your purpose in this is cohesion, brotherhood and love,
((والذي نفسي بيدي لا تدخلوا الجنة حتى تؤمنوا و لا تؤمنوا حتى تحابوا...))
((By the one who my soul is in his hand, you will not enter the paradise until you believe and you will not [truly] believe until you love each other [for Allah],…))
Understand this, mutual love is imperative, [one] does not actualize faith and complete [it]except by loving those whom Allah loves and loving that which Allah loves,
((...أوَلا أدلكم على شيء إذا فعلتموه تحاببتم أفشوا السلام بينكم))
((Shall I not direct you to something that if you do it you will love one another, spread the salaam (greetings) between each other.))
Spread the greetings sincerely for Allah’s, the Mighty and Majestic, face, may Allah bless you, actualize the required faith [that] which results in entrance in to the paradise and beware of causes which distance you from the paradise, and from those things is mutual hatred. The person who is upright upon the religion of Allah, his affair is very serious; hate that which Allah hates, love that which Allah loves, hate the disbelievers, innovation, and misguidance [in its various forms] seeking closeness to Allah the Glorified and Most High. As for the one who is upon the true religion of Allah, antipathy [towards] him and hatred of him, then this I swear by Allah is a very, very dangerous affair; [resulting] in the shaking or jolting of a person’s faith, causing you to be far from entering the paradise.
May Allah bless you, so be brotherly, have harmony, love one another mutually, exchange visits and be like a solid structure – the same as one body,
((مثل المؤمنين في توادهم...))
((The similitude of the believers in regards to their mutual love…))
If any part of the body feels pain, the rest of the body aches with fever and sleeplessness. Similar to one body,
((...و تراحمهم و تعاطفهم مثل الجسد إذا اشتكى منه عضو تداعى له سائر الجسد بالسهر والحمى))
)(…, mercy toward one another and feelings for each other is like a body, when [any] part of the body feels pain, the rest of the body aches with fever and sleeplessness.))
((مثل المؤمنين في توادهم و تراحمهم و تعاطفهم مثل...))
((The similitude of the believers in regards to their mutual love, mercy toward one another and feelings for each other is like…))
The believers in regards to their mutual love and mercy toward one another, ponder over these two points; I swear by Allah, the sincere believer, the true Salafi,
((...الجسد إذا اشتكى منه عضو تداعى له سائر الجسد بالسهر والحمى))
((…a body, when [any] part of the body feels pain, the rest of the body aches with fever and sleeplessness.))
Agonize for the Salafi, even if they are in the most remote part of Japan, or farthest reaches of America, be happy with that which pleases him and be sad as a result of that which harms him, actualize this aqeedah, this methodology and this character; may Allah guide your steps, join your hearts upon the truth and make us and you firm upon guidance. Indeed our Lord is the one who hears the supplication; may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
This speech took place in the home of the Shaykh (may Allah preserve him) in Makkah al-Mukarramah, on Wednesday the 22nd of Jumaada al Awwal, 1434 (h), coinciding with the 3rd of April, 2013 (m).
[We ask Allah to grant us, all those who follow the Salaf-us-Saalih and the muslims in general: sincerity, righteousness, uprightness and firmness upon the truth, true brotherhood for Allah’s sake alone, joining of the hearts upon the truth, lofty character, truthfulness and actualization of the creed and methodology of the Salaf-us-Saalih…, as our Shaykh mentioned.]
