Warning against the fitna of Takfeer- Shaykh Mohammad Naasir ad-Deen Al Albani

[أبو عبد الرحمن الرباطي الأثري]

Warning Against the Fitnah of Takfeer

By the

Muhadith, Allama, Ash-Shaykh

Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaani

Glossary

Fitan Plural of Fitnah

Fitnah Trials and tribulations

'Jama’at Al-Takfeer' A group which pronounces Takfeer

Jamaa’aah The main body of muslims

Takfeer Pronouncing that an individual has left the religion of Islaam Takfeeri The individual who pronounces takfeer

kafir Disbeliever

khawaarij The first people to rebel against the muslim leader

Khulafaa plural of Khalifah, the muslim leader

khutbah Sermon

kuffar Disbelievers

kufr Disbelief

Mushrikeen Those who associate partners in their worship of Allaah

Salaf-As-Saalih or Salaf The first three generations of Muslims

PART I

Indeed all Praise belongs to Allah, we praise Him, we seek His aid, and we seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Him from the evil of our selves, and the evil of our actions. Whomever Allah guides, there is none to misguide him, and who ever Allah leaves astray then there is none that can guide him

I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah Azza wa Jal, Alone without any partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger

Indeed the issue of Takfeer generally, is not only pronounced against the rulers, but also against the ruled. It is an old and extensive fitnah that was germinated by a sect from the Islamic sects of old who were known as the khawaarij

It is with great sadness that – some of the callers to the Deen or those who are too enthusiastic - have fallen outside the realm of the Book and the Sunnah! But in the name of the Book and the Sunnah.The reason for this goes back to two points:The first reason is them being shallow in knowledge

The second reason is - and this point is very important - that they never understood the regulations of the Sharia'. The Sharia' is the foundation of the Authentic Islamic Dawah. All those who are outside the Authentic Islamic Dawah are regarded as being from the deviated sects away from the Jama’ah which the Messenger of Allah - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam - praised in more thanone hadith. Regarding this Jama’ah which even our Lord Azza wa Jal mentioned, and explained that whosoever went outside this Jama’ah has indeed broken away from Allah and His Messenger. That is the saying of Allah: "And whosoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been clearly shown to him and follows other than the path of the believers. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination." Soorat Nisaa' : 115

So indeed Allah Ta’ala, in a matter, that has a very clear command according to the people of knowledge – did not summarize His statement by saying

And whosoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been clearly shown to him . . . We shall keep him in the path

The clearest evidence here is that Allah associated contradicting and opposing the Messenger with following a way other than the believers' path

So, He said

And whosoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger after the right path has been clearly shown to him and follows other than the path of the believers. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell , what an evil destination

The Principle of Understanding the Book & the Sunnah

Therefore, following or not following the path of the Believers is a very important matter in relation to complying or denying that path. So whosoever follows the path of the Believers, then he is successful with the Lord of the worlds and whosoever differs from the path of the Believers, then Hell is sufficient for him – and what an evil destination

From this point, numerous groups, old and new deviated because they never sufficed themselves to adhering to the path of the Believers. Instead, they rode on their own intelligence. Instead, they followed their own desires in trying to understand the Book and the Sunnah. Then they built upon their desires, their very dangerous results, and with that they left what the Salaf-As-Saalih – mayAllah be pleased with all of them- were upon

The Messenger – Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam - emphasized this section of the noble Ayah

"……follows other than the path of the believers …"

He - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - emphasized it by using an eloquent emphasis, in more than just one authentic prophetic hadith. These hadiths, which I will indicate to and mention some of them, are known amongst the main muslims, let alone the muslim scholars. But what is unknown about these hadiths, is that they direct one towards the obligation and necessity of adhering to the path of the Believers in their understanding of the Book and Sunnah.

This point has been neglected – and its importance and its necessity has been forgotten by many of the specific people, not to speak about those who have become known – in these modern times - as 'Jama’at Al- Takfeer '! Or by some of those kinds of groups who ascribe themselves to Jihad, whereas in reality they are the scattered, defeated remnants of Takfeer

From amongst these types of people, there may be some who may very well in the depths of their hearts be righteous and sincere people. However, this alone is not sufficient to be successful in Allah’s path and to prosper with Allah Azza wa Jal. Due to this it is necessary for the muslim to combine two points: Having truthful sincerity in ones intention, with Allaah Azza wa Jal and following correctly what the Prophet - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – was upon

It is not sufficient for a muslim to be sincere and serious in respect to acting upon the Book and the Sunnah and calling towards it. But, in addition to this, his methodology should be correct, good and upright; and his methodology cannot be complete in itself except by following what the righteous Salaf of this Ummah were upon – may Allaah be pleased with them all

From these well known and established hadiths - that build a foundation for what I have said – as I indicated previously it is the hadith of the 73 sects, and it is none other than the saying of the Messenger - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam

The Jews had split up into 71 sects and the Christians had split up into 72 sects, and my nation will split up into 73 sects all of whom will be in the Fire except one

The Companions asked, ‘Which one O Messenger of Allaah?’ He replied: The Jama’ah.” In another narration: "What I and my Companions are upon"

To be continued

[أبو عبد الرحمن الرباطي الأثري]

PART II

So we find the Prophet's answer, agreeing perfectly with the

previous Ayah

<<……follows other than the path of the Believers……>>

Therefore, those who primarily enter into the generality of this Ayah are: the

Companions of the Messenger - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, since the Messenger - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam - was not content in this hadeeth with just saying: "What Iam upon ...". Perhaps this would actually be sufficient for the Muslim who truly understandsthe Book and the Sunnah. But he - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – adapted practicallyAllaah’s saying, when Allah characterized His Prophet :"…. for the Believers he is full of pity, kindness, and mercy" Soorah at-Tauba : 128

It is from his perfect kindness - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – and his complete mercyfor his Companions and his followers, that he - sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam – clearlyillustrated for them the distinction of the saved sect. Which implies that the people of the saved sect are upon what the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – was upon, and what his Companions were also upon after him. Therefore, it is not allowed – for Muslims generally and the callers to Islam specifically - to be content with just understanding the Book and Sunnah using the means of understanding which are well known. Such as knowledge of the Arabic language, knowledge of abrogated and abrogative texts and other such rules. But it is necessary, primarily to return in all of this back to what the Companions of the Prophet - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam -were upon, because they were – which is clear from their traditions and their biographies – the most sincere to Allah Azza wa Jal in worship. They had more understanding of the Book and the Sunnah than us, and many other praise worthy characteristics with which they were shaped, and cultivated with its exquisite manners

What resembles this hadith perfectly – in respect to its fruits and benefits – is the hadith of the Rightly Guided caliphs, which is narrated in the books of as-Sunnan from the narration of al-Irbaad bin Sareeyah - may Allah be pleased with him. He said that the Messenger of Allah - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam -gave us anadmonition which caused hearts to tremble, and eyes to shed tears. So we said, “It is as if this is a farewell speech, so advise us O Messenger of Allah

He said: I advise you to hear and obey, even if an African slave rules over you, and indeed whomsoever from you lives will see many differences, so hold on to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided caliphs after me, hold on to it with your molar teeth

The proof from this hadith is also the same evidence from the answer of the Messenger - SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam -about the previous question (about the 73 sects). In as much as he compelled his nation to follow the characteristics of his Companions due to their adherence to his Sunnah, and he did not limit it to just that, but rather he said: “……And the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided caliphs after me.” Therefore, it is necessary for us – and this being our situation - to constantly repeat always and forever this fundamental principle. If we intend to understand our Aqeedah – creed -, understand our worship, and understand our manners and behavior. It is necessary for us to return to our Salaf-us-Saalih to understand all these matters, which are necessary for a Muslim, so that he can actualize in himself - with sincerity – his being from the Saved Sect

From this point many of the sects of old and new have deviated, when they did not pay heed to the evidence in the previous Ayah, and to the significance of the hadith of the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided caliphs, and likewise the hadith of the splitting of the Ummah. Therefore, it was completely natural that they deviated like those who deviated previously from the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah - SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam - and the manhaj –methodology - of the Salaf-us-Saalih

[معز النيجيري]

MaashaAllaah! very good. JazaakhaAlaahu khair

[أبو عبد الرحمن الرباطي الأثري]

May Allah reward you too, brother Muizz

[أبو عبد الرحمن الرباطي الأثري]

PART III

And amongst those who deviated were the Khawaarij of old and recent times

Indeed the foundation of the fitnah of Takfeer -which we mentioned -in this era is about the Ayah , which they always keep relating, which is Allah's Ta'alaa saying:"And whosoever does not judge according what Allah has revealed are the Kafiroon

So they mention this Ayah without a deep understanding, and they present it without any detailed knowledge. We know that this noble Ayah was repeated three times in The Quran and ends with three different wordings

“. . . so they are kafiroon”

“.. . so they are oppressors”

“. . .so they are transgressors/sinners”

It is with complete ignorance that those who reason with just this Ayah according its first wording which is : “. . . so they are kafiroon” which they have not become acquainted with – at the very least - with some of the other texts of the Sharia', whether from the Qur'aan or the Sunnah, in which the word kufr is mentioned. Instead they have taken it - without any understanding - to mean apostasy, and that there is no difference between the one who fell into kufr, and between those mushrikeenamongst Jews and Christians and followers of the other faiths outside the faith of Islaam

Whereas the word kufr, according to the Book and the Sunnah does not always carry this meaning, which they constantly repeat, and attempt to impose their wrong and erroneous understanding to many innocent people

The word kufr, as for the other two words “oppressors” and “transgressors/sinners”, does not have one meaning. Just like the fact that one who is characterized as an oppressor or sinner does not necessarily mean that he has apostated, the same goes for the one characterized as kafir, i.e. it does not necessarily mean that he is has apostated

This diversity in the meaning of a single word, according to arabic language, the language of The Noble Quran, is what is pointed by the rules of Islam

Due to this, it is obligatory on those who want to issue judgment on Muslims - regardless whether they are rulers or among the ruled - that they be upon knowledge of the Book and Sunnah and in the light of the methodology of the Salaf Saalih

It is not possible to understand the Book and the Sunnah – and also what is contained within them- except according to Arabic language and its literature, knowing it specifically and precisely. If the student of knowledge has a deficiency in the understanding of the language, what will help him in rectifying this deficiency is returning to the understanding of the scholars before him. Especially if they are the people from the first three generations which have been certified by the Prophet Peace and Blessings be upon Him