Boycotting A Salafi Brother Due to His Mistake
1 rabee’1 1427 5 April 2006-04-05
Sheikh Ahmed Najmi may Allaah protect him was asked today after the Maghrib prayer (Saudi time) may Allaah protect it from the plots and plans of the people of corruption and the Khawaarij,
Question:
Is it from the Salafi methodology that if a Salafi brother makes a mistake then he is to be warned against and is boycotted without advising him? So what is your advice, may Allaah bless you?
The sheikh answered:
It is a must to give advice if one of the Salafees makes a mistake, he is advised and is reminded of this mistake so if he is stubborn upon his mistake after the advice is repeated to him then after that he is warned against.
This is exactly what sheikh Muhammad Abdul Wahhab al-Banna said many years ago when I asked that some brothers are calling for the boycott of another Salafi due to the later having errors: He said Is this how we are Ya fulan? Rather advise the one who has erred and try to help him keep away from his mistakes and do not leave him unless you see that he turns away from the advice showing pride and arrogance.
Sheikh Ubaid ibn Abdillah al-Jaabiree has similar speech in his tape in the differentiation between treating Ahlus sunnah and Ahlul Bid’ah. Once he said and due to the lack of understanding of some who have not understood the affairs in this due to their lack of knowledge and not taking knowledge from the scholars is that if you try and help the one erred with advice you are accused of having compromised the fundamentals of this religion! And he said many times even if a scholar makes a mistake then we refute the mistake and the honour of the scholar is kept, likewise the honour of Ahlus Sunnah is kept and the mistake is refuted. As for Ahlul Bid’ah then there is no honour for them. However, there maybe times when ones has to use wisdom depending upon whether Ahlus Sunnah have strength or are the few etc.
Then he said there is a difference between compromising ones fundamentals and upholding advice seeking guidance for the people which is the way of the ahlul-ilm.
(end of what Sheikh Ubaid continues to express in how to deal with Ahlul Sunnah)
And how many times have we heard Sheikh Rabee’ calling the people to unite upon truth and to not rush to boycott one’s brothers without explaining to them the truth.
I remember when a brother complained to the Sheikh that a brother named Muhammad accuses him of not being Salafi and it just so happened that the accuser was in the dars that week on a Friday so the sheikh called him and said what is your proof that he is not Salafi? The brother said that the accused doesn’t say Sheikh Bakr Abu Zaid is not Salafi!! So sheikh Rabee’ said I don’t say he is not Salafi!! Then sheikh Rabee’ said to him you are sick. أنت مريض
Allaah is Al-Raqeeb, he sees everything and will call us to account for what we say and do, for there is no veil between the du’a of the oppressed and Allaah. And how many have oppressed others and eventually reap the fruits of their actions.
There is a difference also between Hajr Wiqaaee (guarding yourself from someone whom you don’t want to be around fearing you may fall into sin) and between making a campaign telling others to boycott someone based upon your personal differences with them.
Ibn Hajr mentions this in Nukhbatu Fikr and Sheikh ibn ‘Uthaimeen rahimahullaah has a beautiful explanation of it mashaallaah.
Sheikh Muhammad ibn Haadi states that from the reasons of deviation is:
“‘being amazed with oneself and infringing one’s opinions upon others. So you see the students of knowledge falling into this calamity and the devil comes to him beautifying for him the entrance to this (path). That Allaah has blessed him with knowledge and understanding so he is able to look, see, derive and weigh between the statements of the scholars.
In that time, you see him beginning upon this methodology while the scholars are around him, the heads of this blessed call to Salafiyyah are alive and are blessed, but he relies upon himself in certain subjects which he differs with what the pious predecessors were upon. (For this person), you fear a lot since he infringes upon others his opinions and is amazed with himself.
As Aisha May Allaah be pleased with her said to Abi Salamata bin Abdulrahman
A chicken who heard a rooster shout
So he wanted to scream along with it.
He wanted to put himself in the midst of the scholars of guidance, the heads of the scholars of the Sunnah so he fell and tumbled backwards upon his heels. We ask Allaah for His protection and salvation.
This door (by which people deviate) is dangerous and many have fallen into deviation due to it. Those whom we know had entered this door so beware, beware from that and know that the scholars of the Sunnah will not tell you except what they have known from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) andwhat they have experienced in reality from their practical life which they reached in authority and in striving against the people of desires and innovation. They have mentioned to you the outcome, so beware that you oppose them in this, for opposing them will just bring to you evil, and we seek refuge in Allaah from that.
By Allaah, they are considered to be most and they are mostrpious and most obedient to the legislation of the Messenger fearing for the Nation of Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam).”
End of translated text from the tape “Reasons why people deviate”
Wa Alaikumus Salaam Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu
