1st Question: When is a person expelled from the realm of Ahl us-Sunnah? Is it when he holds a belief which is contrary to their (Ahl us-Sunnah’s) belief and when he falls into something which is contrary to Ahl us-Sunnah? Even if it just in one subsidiary issue, is the person regarded as an innovator? Answer by Shaykh Albani (rahimahullallh): This is an important question! However, the answer can possibly be understood in light of the .answer to the first question. I say: if the person seeks the side of truth and accuracy and then errs it is not permissible to say that he is not from Ahl us-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah merely on account of him falling into an error. Or to say…that he has fallen into innovation. As the students of knowledge know, not to mention the people of knowledge, many scholars fall into the haram (i.e. errors and mistakes) however do they intend the haram? How far are they from intending that. Are they sinful for that therefore? The answer is no. Thus, there is no difference between a scholar who falls into istihlal (making halaal) what Allāh has prohibited based on ijtihad which he is rewarded for, or between a scholar who falls into an error which he does not intend and has rather intended the Sunnah and erred. There is no difference between either this one or that one. For this reason, we complain about this commotion which is taken place today in Saudi between Ahl us-Sunnah themselves. For it has emerged among them that one thinks a person has opposed Ahl us-Sunnah in some issues and then he makes tabdee (i.e. declares the person to be a innovator) of him and expels him from Ahl us-Sunnah. It is enough for them to say that the person has erred firstly, and then it is upon them to establish the proof from the Book, Sunnah and what the Salaf traversed, secondly. As for increasing division and differing then this is not from the custom of Ahl us-Sunnah at all! For this reason, it is not permitted to banish one who errs in an issue based on the prior explanation whether based on a foundational issue or a subsidiary issue, a creedal issue or a fiqh issue. It is not permitted to regard him as misguided rather he is dealt with in a way which is better. 2nd Question: “If Ahl us-Sunnah establish the proofs on the person in those matters in which he opposed the manhaj of Ahl us-Sunnah, yet the person rejects returning back to the truth which they traverse, is the person to be deemed as an innovator or not?” Answer by Shaykh al-Albani (rahimahullallh): Also this answer needs to be understood: if he rejects and continues then he is to be deemed as an innovator. But if he says “the side of accuracy (i.e. the correct view in your eyes) as you say, has not been made apparent to me” and he presents this to them and deems them as being in error in his view – then the issue remains one of disagreement between them and him. It is inappropriate for us to believe that we know he believes something in his heart which opposes what he says on openly and clearly his tongue and is thus a Munafiq (hypocrite). We are not, as the Messenger (sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam) indicated in an authentic hadeeth, “did you split open his heart” when that Mushrik who was under the sword uttered “I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger” and he was killed after uttering this, the story is well-known. It was said to Allāh’s Messenger: “he only said it out of deception or out fear of being killed.” Allah’s Messenger (sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam) said: “Did you split open his heart to see?” The man was a Mushrik and it appeared as if he said it out of fear of being killed. So then what about a Muslim who testifies that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and who speaks with the Book, Sunnah and manhaj of Salaf us-Salih yet errs in an issue and the proofs are established on him? We say this with a degree of tahaffudh because not everyone who argues is upon knowledge however if the proofs have really been established on him by a scholar or some noble Ulama however he is not convinced by that, then the one who will take him to account is Allah. It is not permissible for us to make an error, or errors, take predominance over the overwhelming accurate views (that the person has). The issue in academic issues is exactly like what is connected to self-rectification and destruction. It is not possible for a Muslim to not fall into something which opposes the Divine Legislation. He has to commit a wrong or a mistake. All of us are prone to error as we all know, so if we see that a person has made a certain error, or committed a certain sin, do we call him a fasiq or a fajir? This is exactly the same with knowledge based issues. Ref: From Imam al-Albani (rahimahullāh), Silsilah Hudā wa Nūr, no.734, second question. It can be heard here: download.media.islamway.net/lessons/nasser/143-al-hodaa_wa_al-noor/734.mp3 salafiyyahlondon/when-is-a-person-expelled-from-the-realm-of-ahlus-sunnah-shaykh-albani/
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 15:42:59 +0000
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