The Salafi Da’wah with Respect to Other Jamaa’ahs – Imaam Muhammad Naasir ud deen al-Albaanee

The Salafi Da’wah with Respect to Other Jamaa’ahs

 

I will say a true word after which no Muslim can argue after the truth appears to him.Firstly, the Salafee da’wah is an ascription to what? ‘Salafee’ is an ascription to the ‘Salaf’ (pious predecessors), so we have to know who the Salaf are and then what this ascription means and its importance as regards its meaning and implication.

 

 

 

The Salaf are the people of the first three generations whom the Messenger of Allaah (S) declared to be good in the authentic and mutawaatir hadeeth recorded in al- Bukhaaree and Muslim and others from a group of the Companions that he said: “The best of people is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them.”, i.e the first three generations. So the Salafees attach themselves to the Salaf, and if we know the meaning of ‘Salaf’ and ‘Salafee’ then we should bear two things in mind.

 

 

 

That this attachment is not to a single person or persons, as is the case with other Jamaa’ahs present in the Muslim world. This is not an attachment to a person or even tens of people, but to that which will not err, since it is impossible that the Salaf would unite upon error, as opposed to the people of later times, since with regard to the later generations, there is no text speaking in their favour. Rather, in general, they are spoken ill of in the end of the previous hadeeth: “Then there will come a people who give witness and their witness is not asked for…”, and in other ahaadeeth there occurs: “A group of my Ummah will not cease to be upon the truth…”

 

 

 

So this is a praise for them but a censure of the rest since the praise is for a particular small group. Linguistically, ‘Taa’ifah’ is used to refer to a single person or more.

 

 

Thus if we understand this meaning of the ‘Salafees’ and that they attach themselves to the Salaf- and that if the Muslim clings to that which the Salaf were upon – then here we come to the second matter:

 

That after this is understood, it is not possible for any Muslim but to be a Salafee, since we have understood that in attaching oneself to the Salaf one has attached himself to that which cannot err. This is taken from the hadeeth: “My Ummah will not unite upon error,” and it is not correct to refer this to the people of later ages; those present today.

 

 

 

In addition to that is the ahaadeeth referring to what happened to the previous peoples – the Jews and the Christians – and what will befall the Muslims, regarding splitting into sects, saying: “The Jews split into seventy-one sects and the Christians into seventy-two, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects. All of them are in the Fire except one.” The Companions said, “Who are they, O Messenger of (S)?” He (S) replied “They are the Jamaa’ah.” This shows who is meant in the previous hadeeth “My Ummah will not unite upon error” since they are the saved sect, along with those who have their outlook and follow them.

 

 

 

Those Salafus-Saaliheen are those whom Allaah has warned us against opposing them or against following a way other than theirs, saying:

 

If anyone contend with the Messenger even after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that becoming to men of faith, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell – what an evil refuge! [Sooratun-Nisaa aayah 115]

 

 

 

I have many times pointed out to our brothers the wisdom of our Lord’s attaching in this aayah ‘the following of a way other than that of the believers’ to ‘the opposing of the Messenger’, what is the wisdom in that, since even if the aayah did not contain the part about following a way other than that of the believers, then the first part about opposing the Messenger (S) would have been enough to earn the person the evil end mentioned. However, it is not possible that the second part has no relevance, and we seek Allaah’s refuge from such a thing. Its wisdom is shown by Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee’s using it as a proof of Ijmaa’ – meaning: ‘He who takes a way other than that of the Companions’- who are unerring – and they and those who follow them are the Jamaa’ah whom the Messenger of Allaah (S) declared to be the saved sect.

 

 

 

They are those whom it is not permissible to oppose – for one who wishes to be saved from Allaah’s punishment on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore the Muslims have to be aware today, who are the Muslims mentioned in this aayah? And then, what is the wisdom in Allaah’s intending the Salafus-Saalih and those who follow them? The answer has preceeded and is, in brief, that they are the Companions who were present when the revelation came down, and who took it direct from the mouth of the Messenger (S). They saw the Messenger (S) living among them following the revealed rulings of the Qur’aan, many of whom were explained by his (S) sayings.

 

 

 

However, the later peoples do not have this excellence – that they heard the Qur’aan and the Sunnah direct from his mouth – nor did they see how he (S) followed the texts of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah his practice, and from the wisdom is his (S) saying: “Being informed is not like seeing for yourself.”

 

 

 

So those who did not see him are not like his Companions who saw him and heard his words directly and saw how he acted. Today there is a very nice saying which some people are distinguished by – but it would be nicer if put into practice. They say in their speeches and lectures, “that it is upon us to make Islaam take practical shape upon the earth.” However, if we do not understand Islaam, and understand it according to the understanding of the Salafus-Saalih, then we cannot put this saying into practice. But those who were able to do that were the Companions of the Messenger (S) due to the two reasons that we have mentioned:

 

a) That they heard his words directly and therefore their retention of it is better than ours;

 

b) Then there are affairs which need explanation through his (S) action, and they saw that.

 

 

I will give you a very clear example. There are some aayaahs in the Qur’aan which a Muslim cannot understand unless he knows the Sunnah, which explains the Noble Qur’aan, as Allaah ta’aalaa says:

 

WA ANZALNAA ILAIKADH-DHIKRA LITUBAYYINA LINNAASI MAA NUILA ILAYHIM (We have revealed the Reminder to you in order that you may explain to the people what has been revealed to them).

 

Allaah ta’aala’s saying:

 

AS-SAARIQU WAS SAARIQATU FAAQTA’OO AIDEEHIMAA. (The male and the female thief: Cut off their hands).

 

 

Let us produce the Seebawaih (a great scholar of the ‘Arabic language of early times) of this age and let him explain this aayah. Language wise he will not be able to define the ‘saariq’ (thief) nor the ‘yad’ (hand). Who is the thief whose ‘yad’ is to be cut? What is the ‘yad’ that should be cut? He cannot answer! In the language anyone who steals even an egg is a thief, and the ‘yad’ goes right up to the shoulder. The answer lies in the aayah mentioned previously : WA ANZALNAA ILAIKADH-DHIKRA. The answer is found in the explanation of the Messenger (S) for the Qur’aan. That explanation is found in the practice – for this and for many other aayaahs. He who reads the ‘science of Usool’ finds that there is ‘General and Particular’, ‘Unrestricted and Restricted’ and ‘Abrogating and Abrogated’ texts – comprehensive words under which come tens if not hundreds of texts, general texts restricted by the Sunnah – and I will not prolong this further in order to answer the rest of the questions.

 

 

The Way of As-haab ul-Hadeeth and Their Being Closest to the Truth

 

 

Perhaps some of the people find it unusual that these scholars have explained the “Taa’ifah Al-Mansoorah” (Victorious Party) and the “Firqah An-Naajiyah” (Saved Group) as being the scholars of Hadith. But there is no strangeness in that sharh if we recall the following:

 

One: The scholars of Hadith are without exception the most knowledgeable of the Sunnah of the Prophet, his guidance, manners, battles, etc. (may peace and blessings be upon him.) This is due to their particular study of the Sunnah and whatever is connected to it from knowing the biographies of the narrators and stories behind the Hadith.

 

Two: The nation has divided into groups and schools of thought that are not found in the first Muslim generation. For all of these mathaahib (schools of thought) are separate principles, branches, and certain ahadith that that specific mathab (school of thought) uses as daleel (proof) and depends on. The one who follows one particular school of thought is fanatically engaged in it, and holds tightly to it without taking a look at the other schools of thought. Although he should look because perhaps he will find in them what he does not find in his own. What is confirmed with the scholars is that in every mathab exists information of the Sunnah that is not found in other mathaahib.

 

 

 

Thus, the one who holds on to only one mathab will be ignorant of a magnificent other side of the Sunnah that is preserved in other mathaahib. But the scholars of hadith are not upon this. For they take any hadith that has been authentically confirmed on the Prophet through an authentic chain of narrators regardless of the mathab it was reported by. They accept it from the person regardless of what group he was a part of so long that he is a trustworthy Muslim that can be depended on for narrations of hadith. Additionally, authentic Hadiths cannot be rejected from someone even if he was a communist, Qadari, or Khaariji, so how much more so from someone who considered himself a Hanafi (person who particularly follows the school of thought of Imam Abu Haneefah) or Maaliki (person who particularly follows the school of thought of Imam Maalik) or other than that. Indeed Imam Ash-Shafiee made this clear, may Allah be pleased with him, when he spoke with Imam Ahmad and said: “You are more knowledgeable of the ahadith than me. So if the authentic hadith comes to you, inform me of it so that it would be my position, regardless if the reporter is from al-Hijaz, Koofah, or Misr.”

 

 

 

Thus, Ahlul Hadith (People of Hadith), may Allah gather us with them, do not fanatically blind follow the statement of one person no matter how high this person was. This method is contrary to other than them from those who do not associate themselves or their actions with the Hadith. Indeed those people fanatically blind follow the statement of the scholars when the scholars themselves warn them of that. Those people blind follow these statements to the same degree the people of Hadith are zealous in accepting the statement of their Prophet. So there is no amazement after this clear explanation that the People of Hadith are the Victorious Party and the Saved Sect, rather, they are the middle-grounded nation, and the witnesses over the creation.

Just a Muslim?-I am a Salafi

Allaah Has Named us Muslims, So Why Ascribe Ourselves to the Salaf ?

This questions was very beatifully answered by Imaam al-Albaani in his discussion with someone on this subject, recorded on the cassette entitled, “I am Salafi”

 Allaah Has Named us Muslims, So Why Ascribe Ourselves to the Salaf ?

 

This questions was very beatifully answered by Imaam al-Albaani in his discussion with someone on this subject, recorded on the cassette entitled, “I am Salafi”, and here is a presentation of the vital parts of it:

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “When it is said to you, ‘What is your madhhab’, what is your reply?”

 

Questioner: “A Muslim”.

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “This is not sufficient!”.

 

Questioner: “Allaah has named us Muslims” and he recited the saying of Allaah Most High, “He is the one who has called you Muslims beforehand.” (al-Hajj 22:78)

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “This would be a correct answer if we were in the very first times (of Islaam) before the sects had appeared and spread. But if we were to ask, now, any Muslim from any of these sects with which we differ on account of Aqeedah, his answer would not be any different to this word. All of them – the Shi’ite Rafidi, the Khaariji, the Nusayri Alawi – would say, “I am a Muslim”. Hence, this is not sufficient in these days.”

 

Questioner: “In that case I say, I am a Muslim upon the Book and the Sunnah.”

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “This is not sufficient either”.

 

Questioner:

“Why?”

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “Do you find any of those whom we have just mentioned by way of example saying, ‘I am a Muslim who is not upon the Book and the Sunnah’?” Who is the one who says, ‘I am not upon the Book and the Sunnah’?”

 

At this point the Shaykh then began to explain in detail the importance of being upon the Book and the Sunnah in light of the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih…

 

Questioner: “In that case I am a Muslim upon the Book and the Sunnah with the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih”.

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “When a person asks you about your madhhab, is this what you will say to him?”

 

Questioner: “Yes”.

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “What is your view that we shorten this phrase in the language, since the best words are those that are few but indicated the desired intent, so we say, ‘Salafee’?”

Questioner: “Alright, I will submit to you and I say to you: Yes (I agree about summarising with saying ‘I am Salafee’), yet my belief is what has preceded, since the first thing that a person thinks of when he hears that you are a Salafee is that he recalls much of the experience he has had and which has involved severity which leads to harshness, all of which sometimes occurs from the Salafiee’s.”

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “Lets accept that your words are correct. If you said ‘I am a Muslim’, will not a person’s think of a Shi’ite Rafidee, or a Druze or an Ismaa’eeli (and incline to him).”

 

Questioner: “It is possible, however, I will have followed the noble verse, “He has named you Muslims”.

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “No my brother! You have not followed the verse, since the verse means the correct form of Islaam. It is necessary that you address the people according to their level of understanding… so will anyone understand from you (when you say ‘I am a Muslim’) that you are indeed a Muslim with the desired meaning in the verse (of correct Islaam)? As for the various cautionary matters you have mentioned, then these are sometimes correct and sometimes they are not correct.

Since your saying about harshness, then this can sometimes occur from individuals, yet this is not representative of a methodology  that is tied to knowledge and belief.

Leave aside individuals for now, we are actually talking about Manhaj (methodology). This is because when we say Shi’ite, or a Druze, or a Khaarijee, or a Soofee, or a Mutazilee, the various cautionary matters you raised come into play (and can apply to them aswell).

Hence, this is not the subject of our discussion. We are investigating a name which gives evidence to the madhhab of an individual and by which he worships Allaah… Are not all the Companions Muslims?”

 

Questioner: “Naturally.”

 

Shaykh al-Albaani: “However, there was amongst them, one who stole, or fornicated, but this does not allow any of them to say, ‘I am not a Muslim’, rather he is a Muslim and a Believer in Allaah, as a chosen way, however he sometimes opposes his chosen way, because he is not infallible. And it is for this reason that we – may Allaah bless you – are speaking about a word which indicates our Aqeedah and our thought and our starting point in our lives and which relates to the affairs of our religion by which we worship Allaah.

As for the issue of so and so who is harsh and so and so who is lax and too soft, then that is an entirely different issue…. I wish that you would reflect upon this concise word (i.e. Salafee) so that you do not persist upon the word ‘Muslim’. And you know that there is no one who will understand what you really intend (by using the word ‘Muslim’ alone) ever…” End Quote (Cassette “I am a Salafee”).

Hence, the point is that naming with “Muslim” or “Sunni” is not enough, since everyone will claim that. And Imaam al-Albaani emphasised the importance of the truth being distinguished from the falsehood – from the point of view of the basis of Manhaj and Aqidah, and that is taking from the Salaf us-Saalih, as opposed to the various sects and groups whose understandings are based upon those of their mentors and leaders and not that of the Salaf, fundamentally.