The Albaani Site

Translation from the Works of the Reviver of this Century

Category: Innovations

February 3, 2025

Is the Innovation or the Innovator in the Fire


Questioner: Shaikh, since we’re on the topic of innovations, may Allah reward you with good, what is the meaning of the saying of the Prophet ﷺ in more than one ḥadīth, ‘… every newly invented thing is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and all misguidance is in the fire,’ what does ‘… in the fire …’ refer to? Does it mean the innovation along with the person who does it? And is the time he will spend in the fire in correlation to the action that he did? Or does it mean that the innovation itself will be in the fire but not the person who does it?

Al-Albaani: The person is meant, because firstly the innovation itself is not a body but rather a meaning embodied in some people. Secondly, the innovation is not something that has been given the responsibility of following Islam [taklīf] such that it should be burnt in the fire.

This ḥadīth is exactly like the other saying of the Prophet ﷺ, ‘The lower garment of the believer should reach the middle of his calves. There is no harm in what is between that and the ankles, what is lower than that is in the Fire,’ i.e., the person wearing it like that is in the fire not the lower garment itself … an innovation is something that is personified in a person by him innovating it in the religion.

So when he invents something new, then due to him having done so, his innovation leads him to the fire.

Clear?

Questioner: In correlation to the action that he did.

Al-Albaani: Yes.
Al-Hudaa wan-Nūr, 527.

Leave a comment
September 24, 2022

On Military Coups and Revolts Against the Rulers


Al-Albaani: “And this shows how to attain salvation from the oppression of the rulers, those who are, ‘… from our own people, and speak our language,’—and it is by the Muslims repenting to their Lord and correcting their ʿaqīdah, and raising themselves and their families on the correct Islaam, implementing the Most High’s statement, ‘Indeed, Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves,’ [13:11] and one of the present day callers alluded to that, saying, ‘Establish the state of Islaam in your hearts, it will be established for you in your lands.’

And the way to achieve this salvation [from them] is not through what some people imagine [to be the solution]—i.e., through uprisings against the rulers with weapons, using military coups to do so, for along with the fact that they are a present day innovation, they also go against the narrations in the Legislation which order one to change oneself. Thus the foundation must be corrected in order for it to be built upon, ‘Allaah will certainly help those who stand up for Him. Allaah is truly All-Powerful, Almighty.’ [22:40]
Qāmūs al-Bidʿah, p. 767.

Leave a comment
September 23, 2022

Women Fighting Alongside Men


“As for training them [i.e., women] in combat and sending them to the battlefield to fight alongside men like some Islamic countries do these days, then it is a present day innovation, a false, communist innovated misinterpretation, and clear opposition to what our Salaf aṣ-Ṣāliḥ were upon, and is to ask women to do something they were not created for, and to expose them to things that do not befit them if they were to fall captive to the enemy, and we ask Allaah for His Help.”

Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah, 2740.

Leave a comment
April 22, 2020

On an Innovation People Fall into when Giving Salām to a Large Gathering


The Imām said, “I want to remind some of our brothers present here that when they came in they would give salām to every person sitting down individually or to a lot of them, so when they would shake hands they would say, ‘As-salāmu alaikum, as-salāmu alaikum …’ and so on. What I wanted to remind you of, and reminders benefit the believers, is that when someone comes to a gathering the sunnah is for him to give salām in general to all present, saying, ‘As-salāmu alaikum wa raḥmatullāh,’ and if he is able to shake everyone’s hand individually, then without doubt that is more perfect a thing for him to do and more complete, and if he can’t, because there are too many people, then in such a case it’s enough for him to give salām [in general to all].

If he were to follow up on his salām by shaking everyone’s hands then it is not part of the sunnah whatsoever for him to [then go and say] say, ‘As-salāmu alaikum, as-salāmu alaikum, as-salāmu alaikum …’—this is an innovation [bidʿah] of this era which the past generations never knew, and I’m not saying just the Salafī generations but rather the Salafī and the Khalafī [the generations who came after the first three] ones. This kind of handshaking was not known except in this present generation.

And this is a reminder and reminders benefit the believers, this was something [I wanted to say] before any questions you might have …”

Silsilatul-Hudā wan-Nūr, no. 0836.

Leave a comment
April 28, 2018

Al-Isti’aadhah When Quoting an Aayah


The Imaam said, “You should be aware that seeking refuge with Allaah [al-isti’aadhah] for reciting the Quraan is to be done before [actual] recitation, as for seeking refuge with Him [تعالى] when [just] quoting an aayah then it is an innovation which is in opposition to the Sunnah. Note when you read the hadiths in which the Prophet ﷺ quoted an aayah as proof you won’t find him ﷺ saying, ‘A’uthu billaahi minash-Shaitaanir-Rajeem.’”

Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor, no. 26.

1 Comment
April 1, 2015

The Sufis and Made Up Narrations


Questioner: I heard a Sufi shaikh mention a hadith, or what he thinks is a hadith, that the Prophet ﷺ came back from an expedition with some of his Companions, and some of them got together and stood in a circle, each one holding the others hands, remembering Allaah. And then Mu’aawiyah ibn Abu Sufyaan passed by them and said, ‘What is this play?’ To which the Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘On the contrary, this is the remembrance of Allaah.’ The shaikh never mentioned any of the well known sources [as to where this hadith came from], so is this [in fact] a hadith or …?

Al-Albaani: And it is right that he never mentioned a source for it—because a person can’t give what he doesn’t have [in the first place], this hadith has no basis. And it behooves the student of knowledge who is discerning regarding his religion that whenever he hears a hadith from someone, he says, ‘Bring your proof if you are truthful … where did you get this hadith from? Is it in the two Saheehs? Is it in the four Sunans? Is it in the ten musnads? Is …? Is …?’ and so on.

And he [i.e., the Sufi shaikh] will, without doubt, be unable to produce it because no such narration exists—and it is known that in order to support their deviation from the religion these Sufis hang on to flights of fancy, i.e., they attach themselves to delusions which have no reality.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 83.

3 Comments
August 26, 2014

The Sunnah Prayers Which People Perform On Jumu’ah Before the Khutbah


 

Questioner: The Sunnah prayer before Jumu’ah?

Al-Albaani: There’s no basis for it.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 253.

Please read this post for a detailed explanation.

4 Comments
February 25, 2014

Al-Albaani Lined up to Pray but the Imaam said, “Get out! Get out! Get out of the Mosque!” So Al-Albaani said …


 

“My son, Shaikh Muhammad Zahraan ibn ’Abdullaah ’Aloosh told me that one of his friends, a youth, told him that Shaikh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani wanted to cause fitnah in the Al-Daqqaaq Jaami’ Mosque and that Shaikh ’Abdul-’Aziz al-Rifaa’i was able to stop him in his tracks, according to what this youth’s grandfather said. My son asked me about this incident, so I told him that:

‘I was there when it happened in 1956. We were in a lesson of our Shaikh and Muhaddith, al-Albaani, in Shaikh ’Abdur-Rahmaan al-Baani’s house [not al-Albaani, i.e., Shaikh Al-Albaani was giving a lecture in the house of another Shaikh called ’Abdur-Rahmaan al-Baani] in al-Midan. When he finished from his first dars, we left with the Shaikh to perform ’ishaa prayer in Jaami’ al-Daqqaaq, so the ’iqaamah for the prayer was given.

The Imaam was [a person called] Shaikh ’Abdul-’Aziz al-Rifaa’i, when he turned around to the worshippers to ask them to straighten their rows he caught a glimpse of our Shaikh al-Albaani standing in the first row to the right, about ten metres from him.

So Shaitaan overtook Shaikh al-Rifa’i and made him forget the remembrance of Allah, and he forgot the du’aa that was usually said before the prayer … and he shook as though the Devil had thrown a bucket of hot water on him, or like a thousand watt electrical current had struck him, so he started shouting angrily, ‘Get out! Get out! Get out!’ addressing these hard words at our Shaikh al-Albaani, expelling him from the mosque!

But our Shaikh replied to him with complete calm, saying, ‘I am in the House of Allaah, the Most High—I’m not in your house, and when I enter your house, throw me out [then]!’

So Shaikh al-Rifa’i’s rage and anger increased even more, and he shouted out [quoting the hadith], ‘My ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire—’ and he pointed with his hand at al-Albaani!

Some of the worshippers tried to calm the Shaikh [i.e., the Imaam] and others said, ‘Yaa Jamaa’ah, pray now and delay your fighting for after the prayer!’ So the Imaam prayed and we prayed behind him and it was a prayer like that of the one who performed his prayer badly!

After he gave salaam, the Imaam immediately turned and began shouting and screaming again and saying things. So we calmly left the mosque and left Shaikh Rifa’i to quench his desire.

A number of young guys met us, or Shaikh Rifa’i sent them to us, who wanted to fight us. We were about twenty youth in number and had circled our Shaikh al-Albaani, but then some of the noble people from that area who had intellect got involved and prevented the youth from al-Rifa’i’s group with wisdom and calming words, and it was over.

So who created that fitnah and stoked the fire? It was Shaikh ’Abdul-’Aziz al-Rifaa’i, may Allaah forgive us and him.’”

Source.

Leave a comment
July 10, 2013

Al-Albaani on Lengthening the Supplication in Taraaweeh and Especially on the Night when The Quraan’s Recitation is Completed


 

Shaikh Esaam Moosaa Haadi said, “I heard him repeatedly criticise the Imaams of the Haram and others for making the supplication [in Taraaweeh] long and especially on the night when the recitation of the Quraan is completed, saying, ‘That is not from the Sunnah.”

Muhaddithul-Asr, Imaam Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani Kamaa ’Araftuhu, p. 109.

Also see here.

1 Comment
May 2, 2012

Innovations | 4 | The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Censured Innovation Universally, All Innovation in the Religion


Continuing from the the last post.

“The point from this hadith is that it gives us a new benefit which was not mentioned in the previous one, and this is how it is obligatory on every researching faqeeh of the Sunnah to collect and gather all of the hadiths reported concerning an issue so that by doing so he has a complete case without any deficiency.

[So] here the Prophet عليه السلام tells us by saying, “For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing,” … it’s as though someone asked [him a question] but the reality is that no-one did … because Allaah عز وجل inspires His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to answer before someone asks … it’s as though a questioner said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! When we see this differing which you are informing us about by your saying that, “For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing,” what should we do, O Messenger of Allaah, when we see this much differing, what should we do?’

So he عليه الصلاة والسلام answered them without being asked as we just said, [saying], “It is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs,” to the end of the hadith.

Thus, salvation from any division and from any difference which occurs between the Muslims is to turn back to the path of the first believers, since he عليه السلام said in a clear, Arabic tongue, that when you see the differing, “It is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.”

So do the Muslims who fall into a disputed issue today go back and comply with this order of his عليه السلام and other [such orders] that have been mentioned in the Quraan and the Sunnah? [That] when you see some differing, “It is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs,” [do the Muslims comply with this today?]

Unfortunately, the answer is that few are the ones who [actually] do that amongst the Muslims, and they are the ones who greatly aspire after two things which cannot be split or separated, and they are, firstly, knowing the Sunnah which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was upon and then, secondly, to crave after implementing it themselves and then amongst those who[se company] they enjoy and then those who live around them and so on.

[So] now we are discussing one issue which is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم censured innovation universally, all innovation in the religion–so have the Muslims stood by this universal censure of every innovation connected to worship in Islaam or have they differed concerning it?

The reality is that they have differed, because I believe that the students of knowledge amongst you, in fact, even those of you who listen to knowledge [being imparted even though you may not be dedicated students of knowledge and who do so] in compliance with the narration reported from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with him, who said, ‘Be a scholar, or a student, or someone who listens to knowledge, but don’t be the fourth and end up being destroyed.’

So you are either students of knowledge or at the very least you are from those people who sit in the gatherings of knowledge so you must have someday heard that statement that is made on such occasions, ‘Whatever the Muslims hold to be good is good,’ and in addition to that some of them say, ‘No, my brother, in Islaam there are good innovations, so how can you say that, ‘Every innovation is misguidance?’

It is obligatory that the Muslim who really wants to comply with the verse we are in the middle of explaining [understands] this point, [the verse being], “So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work …” [Kahf 18:110]–so the innovations which are foreign/have been added to Islaam have nothing whatsoever to do with Islaam, and [thus] naturally, have nothing whatsoever to do with righteous work [as mentioned in the verse].

So a Muslim who tries to get closer to Allaah عز وجل with something Allaah has not legislated on the tongue of His Messenger [should know that] that action is not righteous and as a result it is an action which you cannot hope to be saved by on the Day of Resurrection.”

1 Comment
April 30, 2012

Innovations | 3 | Every Innovation is Misguidance Even if the People Hold it to Be Something Good


The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to deliver this sermon amongst his Companions, and it is called the Sermon of Need [Khutbatul-Haajah]. Some of them [i.e., people] use it during the marriage contract … and its place is in every sermon and every dars in which the teacher hopes to reach his desired goal in his lecture which is that the people present benefit from what they hear.

So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to begin all of his khutbahs and lectures with this sermon which is known amongst the scholars as the Sermon of Need and he used to repeat these statements found in this khutbah so that it would take root in the minds of the Companions, and they, following on from that, transmitted it to those who came after them.

“As for what follows … the best guidance is that of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم,” and in another narration, “… the best guidance is that of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم the worst of affairs are the newly-invented matters, and every newly-invented matter is an innovation. And every innovation is misguidance. And all misguidance is in the Fire.” The scholars who were researchers say that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to repeat this khutbah on every [relevant] occasion so that the great principle that, “… every innovation is misguidance. And all misguidance is in the Fire,” would become firmly established in the minds of those listening to it.

From the many proofs which support the fact that righteous actions must be according to what Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم was upon is the hadith agreed upon by the two Shaikhs, Bukhaari and Muslim, the first is the one about the Khutbatul-Haajah in Sahih Muslim. The other one has been reported by both Bukhaari and Muslim from Sayyidah Aaishah, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with her, she said that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said,  “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours something which is not from it, then it is rejected,” this hadith contains an explanation needed by many people who are unclear about innovations in worldly matters and those in the religion.

And we must be clear about this point so that the truth does not become mixed up with falsehood, and this is because Islaam came to complete acts of worship … [it came] to pave a way for the Muslims to be happy in this life and the next by legislating these righteous acts which will bring them closer to Allaah in rank/proximity. It did not come to reform worldly things, which [is something] the people can reach through their own discretion, invention, creation, as you can now see the unbelievers have greatly surpassed the Muslims in inventing and innovating things connected to facilitating worldly affairs. These things are connected to the world and have no connection at all to legislatively censured innovation.

The second hadith clarifies the first for us where he عليه الصلاة والسلام said, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours …” i.e., whoever introduces into this religion of ours, “…something which is not from it, then it is rejected,” thus it is not fitting that anyone finds it problematic as we have heard many, many times when encouraging all the Muslims to go back to the Sunnah of their Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in their worship and when we, following his example, عليه الصلاة والسلام, warn them from every newly-invented thing in the religion, as you heard, “… beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation. And every innovation is misguidance. And all misguidance is in the Fire …” this second hadith clarifies that innovations which are misguidance are those which are connected to worship and the religion, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours …” i.e., into this religion of ours, “…something which is not from it, then it is rejected.”

… maybe in the last sitting I touched on this aspect, that the Salaf as-Saalih are the ones who received the Quraan and hadith of the Prophet عليه السلام from his mouth, fresh and new, and then they received its practical implementation from him عليه السلام, so they are the ones who understood it correctly and thus following on from that it is obligatory on us to understand the issues related to our religion from the Book of our Lord, the Sunnah of His Prophet and its implementation by the scholars of the Salaf.

Here, regarding his saying عليه السلام, “And every innovation is misguidance,” we will mention the statement of Abdullaah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattaab, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with them both, which is regarded as an explanation of this general [statement], “And every innovation is misguidance,” [so] Ibn Umar, clarifying and explaining it said, ‘Even if the people hold it to be something good.’

Every innovation is misguidance even if the people regard it as being something good.

And this draws our attention to an issue which we have constantly heard, and those who advocate it have deviated from the Sunnah of our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم …  maybe I will deal with it later, soon inshaa Allaah, because [now] I want to remind you of the end of some of these texts which confirm this very, very, great principle, “… every innovation is misguidance. And all misguidance is in the Fire,” and especially after Ibn Umar’s explanation of it with his saying, ‘Even if the people hold it to be something good.’

I think many of you will have read or heard the hadith of Irbaad ibn Saariyah, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with him, who said, “The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم gave us a sermon which frightened the hearts and caused the eyes to shed tears. So we said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! [it is as if it is a farewell sermon] so advise us.’ He said, ‘I advise you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave were to rule over you. For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing, so it is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Bite on to it with your back molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’” The addition, “And every misguidance is in the Fire,” is not found here, but however is found in the first hadith, the hadith about the Khutbatul-Haajah.

The point from this hadith is that it gives us a new benefit which was not mentioned in the previous one …

Leave a comment
April 29, 2012

Studying with the People of Innovation


Questioner: Okay, O Shaikh, there are some students who study with Ash’ari Shaikhs who misguide [people], but they don’t study aqidah … only other sciences like grammar, syntax, the Quraan, is this allowed? Or do you advise …

Al-Albaani: This doesn’t help at all, “… and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames,” [Hujuraat 49:11] that which benefits is, firstly, correct knowledge and secondly that it is coupled with advice, and the religion is sincere advice as you all know, thereafter this is an Ash’ari and this is a Maaturidi and this one is so and so … this divides the Jamaa’ah of the Muslims and kindles rancour …

Questioner: Ya’ni, what I mean O Shaikh, is that he studies sciences other than aqidah or theological rhetoric with him and so on … is it correct? Or do you advise …. he studies for example …

[Someone comes in and gives salaam]

Al-Albaani: Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu. Welcome, may Allaah bless you. Welcome, welcome, how are you? Welcome.

[Someone else comes in and gives salaam]

Al-Albaani: Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu. How are you? Okay, how’s your father?

Person who Entered: We praise Allaah …

Al-Albaani: Okay?

Person who Entered: We praise Allaah …

Al-Albaani: Alhamdulillaah. [Addressing the original questioner] I don’t understand what you mean?

Questioner: Ya’ni, a student of knowledge meets an Ash’ari Shaikh … and he is a beginner and wants to try for some grammar or syntax, so is this permissible for him … is it correct for him to do that or should he leave it?

Al-Albaani: Ya’ni, he wants to study grammar or syntax with this other Shaikh?

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albaani: And he [i.e.,] the Shaikh is an Ash’ari, for example?

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albaani: If he [i.e., the student] is well-versed in aqidah then it is permissible, and if not, then no.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 79.

2 Comments
April 29, 2012

Innovations | 2 | … and a Mention of Something the Companions would do Upon Departing which is Hardly Done Now


Indeed all Praise is due to Allaah, we praise Him, and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah, the Most High, from the evils of our own selves and from our wicked deeds. Whomsoever has been guided by Allaah, none can misguide him, and whomsoever has been misguided by Allaah, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no true god worthy of being worshipped except Allaah, Alone, without partner or associate. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His true slave and Messenger.

O you who have believed, fear Allaah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]. [Aali-Imraan 3:102]

O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allaah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allaah is ever, over you, an Observer. [Nisaa 4:1]

O you who have believed, fear Allaah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. [Ahzaab 33:70-71]

Indeed the best speech is the Speech of Allaah and the best guidance is that of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, the worst of affairs are the newly-invented matters, and every newly-invented matter is an innovation. And every innovation is misguidance. And all misguidance is in the Fire.

As for what follows: every Muslim, no matter what level of knowledge or education he has, knows that righteous deeds do not help a person at all if they are not coupled with faith in Allaah and His Messenger.

This is the first fundamental in Islaam: the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is His Messenger, and that this faith will not help the person who has it at all if he breaches an aspect of eemaan, the greatest of which is associating partners with Allaah the Blessed and Most High, [doing so] in one of the forms of major shirk which the Noble Quran has spoken to us about in the person of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, “And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allaah, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers.” [Zumar 39:65]

The Muslim does not doubt that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was infallible from ever falling into any shirk and for this reason we said that Allaah the Mighty and Majestic addressed his ummah صلى الله عليه وسلم when He spoke to him and directed His Address to him with what you heard, “… if you should associate [anything] with Allaah, your work would surely become worthless.”

And if righteous deeds are coupled with beneficial eemaan they [still] do not benefit the person doing them unless two things are linked to them, and during this pleasant evening I’d like to focus on this point, inshaa Allaah …

Based upon the Saying of the Lord of the Words, “So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work …” [Kahf 18:110] the scholars of the Muslims …

“So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work …” so this is the first condition for someone who wants to be saved on the Day of Judgement, “The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?” [Mutaffifeen 83:6] that he perform righteous work.

And the noble verses have come one after the other [where] every time faith is mentioned righteous work is coupled with it, from the most famous of them is the chapter which has gathered and collected [great meaning], i.e., Surah al-Asr, “By time! Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” [Asr 103:1-3]

And from the guidance of the Prophet’s Companions صلى الله عليه وسلم was a piece of guidance which the Muslims who came later have continually turned away from, a good habit which the Companions used to practise, [which was that] when they would depart they would do so after they had reminded each other of this blessed chapter, “By time! Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.”

So after having come to know with certain knowledge what the eemaan which will save one is, and after truly believing in it, the Muslim must know what righteous deeds are so that he can get closer in rank/position to Allaah the Blessed and Most High.

The scholars of tafsir have laid down two conditions concerning the previous verse, “So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone,” [Kahf 18:110] and this is what the talk will centre on now.

The first condition is that the action which the Muslim wants to get closer to Allaah تبارك وتعالى through conforms to the Sunnah, [that it] is in accordance with the righteous works that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم was upon, and this means that he be a follower of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and that he not innovate anything into his Sunnah however good his intention might be in seeking Allaah’s Face through that deed, for that action will not benefit him even if it were coupled with a pure intention as long as he is opposing his Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم Sunnah in that action of his.

And the proofs the scholars depended and relied upon in establishing this condition, the first condition, to make an action righteous, are extremely numerous, from the most well-known of them is what you just heard now in my opening words [khutbah] to this gathering, and these opening words are also something which … I don’t say all of the Muslims and their common folk but I mean [these opening words are also something which] the elite of the Muslims [i.e., scholars etc.] have failed to perform.

Because you will hardly ever hear a dars or a lecture or a word of advice whether live like this or on the radio or any other means … you will hardly hear anyone open his sermon or dars or research with what you just heard, “Indeed all Praise is due to Allaah, we praise Him, and seek His help and forgiveness,” to the end.

And in this sermon the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام said, “The worst of affairs are the newly-invented matters, and every newly-invented matter is an innovation. And every innovation is misguidance. And all misguidance is in the Fire.” We have to pay attention to this khutbah, we who think that we want to be guides for the people calling them to the Book and the Sunnah and righteous works, and then we go and oppose this Sunnah at the beginning of our lectures.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to …

Leave a comment
April 28, 2012

Innovations | 1 | Whoever Approves Something in the Religion has Legislated it and a Mention of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Principle


Indeed all Praise is due to Allaah, we praise Him, and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah, the Most High, from the evils of our own selves and from our wicked deeds. Whomsoever has been guided by Allaah, none can misguide him, and whomsoever has been misguided by Allaah, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no true god worthy of being worshipped except Allaah, Alone, without partner or associate. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His true slave and Messenger.

Indeed the best speech is the Speech of Allaah and the best guidance is that of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, the worst of affairs are the newly-invented matters, and every newly-invented matter is an innovation. And every innovation is misguidance.  And all misguidance is in the Fire.

Maybe all of the brothers present will know the meaning of this hadith and those like it which are established in the books of the Sunnah and have authentic chains of narration to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the hadith of Aaishah, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours something which is not from it, then it is rejected,” and like the hadith of al-Irbaad ibn Saariyah, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with him, who said, “The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم gave us a sermon which frightened the hearts and caused the eyes to shed tears. So we said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! [it is as if it is a farewell sermon] so advise us.’ He said, ‘I advise you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave were to rule over you. For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing, so it is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Bite on to it with your back molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”

These hadiths confirm what I think you understand and believe that innovating in the religion–all of it is misguidance. And I mean, ‘in the religion,’ because the disparaged innovating is that particular to the religion.

As for [innovating] in worldly matters then some of it is praiseworthy and some blameworthy, [and that is judged] according to this newly-invented thing [itself]–if it goes against the Legislation then it is blameworthy and if it doesn’t then at the very least it is permissible.

From the best of what has been reported in this regard is the statement of the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, in which he laid down a very important principle which he extracted from those hadiths in addition to other texts which show that the foundation regarding things is that they are permissible, and this is an Usool principle.

So he, may Allaah have mercy on him, said that the foundational principle in the religion is abstention except for those things that have a text [establishing them], and [conversely] the foundational principle regarding worldly affairs is that they are permissible except those that have a text [forbidding them]. And he means that every newly-invented thing in the religion is forbidden [and that] as for a newly-invented worldly matter then it is permissible except if it contradicts a text, as we mentioned.

Thereafter, that which should be given attention is that his statement عليه السلام, ‘Beware of newly-invented matters,’ means every act of worship that was introduced after the Prophet عليه السلام is misguidance even if in the eyes of many people it is seen as something good.

And Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with them both, rightfully said, ‘All innovation is misguidance even if the people see it to be something good,’ and that is because approving something in the religion means that this person who approved that thing has paired himself up with the Lord of the Worlds, besides whom no one has the right to legislate [anything] except what Allaah the Mighty and Majestic wills.

For this reason Imaam ash-Shaafi’i, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, ‘Whoever approves something has legislated [into the Religion],’ because this person who approved something does not know if that which he approved using just his intellect and reasoning without obtaining it from the Book of his Lord or the Sunnah of His Prophet … how can he know whether it is something good?

For this reason it is obligatory that the stance of all of us regarding every newly-invented matter in the religion be to refrain from it due to the authentic hadiths whose mention has preceded.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 1.

Leave a comment
April 22, 2012

Reciting the Quraan at the Graves


It has been reported from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم [that he said], “Whoever visits his parent’s graves every Friday and recites [surah] Yaa Seen by them or by one of them, he will be forgiven for each aayah or each letter.”

Fabricated.

Shaikh al-Albaani said, ‘And the hadith shows the recommendation to recite the Quraan at the graves, but there is nothing in the Sunnah which attests to that. Rather, the Sunnah proves that the legislated thing to do when visiting the graves is only to give salaam to them [i.e., the occupants] and for it to be a reminder of the Hereafter. And the practice of the Salaf as-Saalih may Allaah be pleased with them continued upon this.

For reciting the Quraan at the graves is a hated innovation as a group of the past scholars openly stated, from them Abu Hanifah, Maalik, and Ahmad in a narration as occurs in Sharhul-Ihyaa of az-Zubaidi [2/285], he said, ‘Because no Sunnah has been reported concerning it.’

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, and Ahmad in another narration, said, ‘It is not hated, because of what is reported from Ibn Umar: that he directed in his will that at the time of his burial the opening and closing aayahs of Surah Baqarah should be recited.’

I [i.e., al-Albaani] say: The chain of narration of this report is not authentic up to Ibn Umar, and even if it were, it would only prove the [validity of the] recitation of the Quraan at the time of burial and not unrestricted [recitation], as is clear.

So it is upon you, O Muslim, to follow the Sunnah, and beware of innovations, even if the people see it as something good, for indeed, ‘… every innovation is misguidance …’ as he said صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Ad-Da’eefah, 1/126-128.

2 Comments
April 8, 2012

Is it Allowed to Praise the People of Innovation?


In this post, the Shaikh refers to a, ‘… long answer,’ he gave just before this one was asked, that answer can be found here.

 

Questioner: Is it allowed to praise the people of innovation even if they claim to be serving Islaam and [say] that they are striving for that, like at-Turaabi and those like him?

Al-Albaani: The answer differs according to the circumstance.

If what is meant by praising a Muslim who we assume is an innovator, and we do not say that he is an innovator [and you will have understood this] by that long answer [I just gave, where I said that] we differentiate between the two things inshaa Allaah–so if what is intended by praising him is to defend him in the face of the disbelievers then this is obligatory.

But if what is meant by praising him is to beautify his methodology and to call the people to it, then this is not permissible.

Questioner: May Allaah reward you with good.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 666.

Leave a comment
April 8, 2012

Differentiating Between Innovations


Questioner: Some people say that someone who innovates a type of innovation which can lead to disbelief [bid’ah ‘mukaffirah’] has left the Ahlus-Sunnah, [but that] someone who innovates a type which can lead to defiant disobedience [bid’ah ‘mufassiqah’] does not leave the Ahlus-Sunnah.  If the proof was established against him and he persisted in it would he [still] be regarded as being from the Ahlus-Sunnah then?

Al-Albaani: Repeat [your question].

Questioner: Some people say that someone who innovates a type of innovation which can lead to disbelief has left the Ahlus-Sunnah …

Al-Albaani: Firstly, what is an innovation which can lead to disbelief and one which can lead to defiant disobedience?

Questioner: An innovation which can lead to disbelief and one which can lead to defiant disobedience.

Al-Albaani: What are they?

Questioner: An innovation which can lead to disbelief would be like if he were to innovate an innovation comprising disbelief like when some of them do not hold that Allaah the Most High rose above His Throne and so on. And an innovation which can lead to defiant disobedience would be like if he were to fall into an innovation connected to worship, like celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, for example.

Al-Albaani: This speech is incorrect, it emanates from [scholastic] theology [ilmul-kalaam].

Differentiating between innovations connected to fundamentals [usool], innovations in the subsidiary issues [furoo], innovations connected to rulings [ahkaam], innovations connected to worship–this differentiation is [in itself] an innovation.

Do you see if there were a man who approached a certain Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, like the Sunnah for the morning prayer, for example, and read four [instead of two] and insisted on that, which type of innovation would this be?  One which can lead to disbelief or defiant disobedience?

Questioner: According to the categorisation [I asked about] it would be an innovation which can lead to defiant disobedience.

Al-Albaani: This is false and futile speech.

From the things which later generations [khalaf] inherited from the Salaf–and by the term ‘Salaf’ here I don’t mean that technical meaning which we use it with [i.e., the Shaikh is saying that people have taken the incorrect understanding which he is going to mention in the next few sentences, from their fathers, forefathers, ancestors etc., and not from ‘the’ Salaf, i.e., the first three generations of Muslims and those upon their way, i.e., he’s using the term Salaf here with the linguistic meaning]–is to distinguish between mistakes in subsidiary issues [furoo’] and those in the fundamentals [usool], [saying that] mistakes in the subsidiary issues are forgiven while those committed concerning the fundamentals are not … and the authentic hadith, “If a judge passes judgment and makes Ijtihad and he is right then he will have two rewards. And if he makes a mistake he will have one,” [Bukhari: 7352, Muslim: 1716] this is concerning the subsidiary issues [they say], but as for the fundamentals, mistakes made concerning them are not forgiven–this [saying of theirs] has no origin, not the Book nor the Sunnah, and nor from the statements of the Salaf as-Saalih. That which is found in the statements of the Salaf is a severe threat from all innovation, whether in aqidah or [matters of] worship.

In reality, just now I remembered, ‘Whoever declares a Muslim to be a disbeliever has disbelieved,’ and I add to it that whoever declares a Muslim to be an innovator … to the end.

Because the reality is that in my opinion there is no difference between disbelief and innovations. If a Muslim innovated something and his innovation was made clear to him but he still persisted in it, like the example I gave just now, like denying Allaah’s Ascendancy above His creation, or denying that the Quraan is His Speech or, or … etc., [then] there is no difference between these things at all, not in affirming or negating: i.e., affirming by saying, ‘This is disbelief,’ [is done] with the aforementioned condition, i.e., that the proof has been established … and negating, i.e., [saying] that he is not to be declared a disbeliever, is [also] not done except with the aforementioned condition [i.e., establishing the proof].

I say again that the Mu’tazilah and the Khawaarij are the same in some of their misguidance and different in other things. For example, the Khawaarij are the same as the Mu’tazilah in saying that the Quraan is created, and I just mentioned to you that the scholars of hadith do not declare the Khawaarij to be disbelievers, thus, in our minds how do we reconcile between [those who say that] someone who denies aqidah is a kaafir but someone who innovates something concerning worship is a faasiq [and not a kaafir, even though both have innovated]?

[How can we say this when ] we see that the Imaams of Hadith narrate from the Khawaarij and from the Mu’tazilah even though they oppose the correct aqidah in more than one issue?

So for example, these people who said that Allaah’s Speech is created also deny that Allaah will be seen in the Hereafter, this denial and the one before it cause our previous definition to apply to them, that it is disbelief but that not everyone who falls in to disbelief has the ruling of disbelief applied to them.

How do we reconcile between the fact that we find the Imaams of Hadith and the Imaams of the Salaf like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim ruling that the Khawaarij and the Mu’tazilah are misguided no doubt, [and between the fact that] they do not declare them to be disbelievers who have apostatised from their religion? [This is so] because they hold that there is a possibility that, firstly, the issues was unclear to them and secondly that the proof was not established against them.

Let’s go back to the root of our first topic, that these people are innovators, but that we do not know whether they wilfully intended that innovation, [nor do we know if] the proof has been established against them … etc., this is the manhaj of the scholars–they declare the Mu’tazilah to be misguided, and the Khawaarij, and the Ash’aris, in more than one issue, but they do not declare them to be disbelievers, and nor do they declare them to be outside the fold of Islaam due to the possibility of what we just mentioned, which goes back to two things which I will remind you of: the first, that they did not intend to innovate or [fall into such] violations, and secondly, that we do not know if the proof was established against them or not.

Thus, their reckoning is with Allaah and we go by what is apparent from them–which is Islaam, and they died upon Islaam and were buried in the Muslim graveyards, and thus, they are Muslims.

So differentiating between innovations which can lead to disbelief [bid’ah ‘mukaffirah’] and innovations which can lead to defiant disobedience [bid’ah ‘mufassiqah’] is terminology which emanates from the scholars of theological rhetoric, and secondly, there is no proof for it whatsoever.

And I will finish this topic by reminding you [of the point I’m making] with a hadith which proves what I just mentioned: that not everyone who falls into disbelief becomes a disbeliever.

I’m referring to the hadith of Bukhaari reported by the two venerable Companions, Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri and Hudhaifah ibn al-Yamaan, who said that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said, “A man used to do sinful deeds, and when death came to him, he said to his sons, ‘After my death, burn me and then crush me, and scatter the powder in the air, for by Allaah, if Allaah has control over me, He will give me such a punishment as He has never given to anyone else.’ When he died, his sons did accordingly. Allaah ordered the earth saying, ‘Collect what you hold of his particles.’ It did so, and behold! There he was (the man) standing. Allah asked (him), ‘What made you do what you did?’ He replied, ‘O my Lord! I was afraid of You.’ So Allah forgave him.”

So now let us ask, did this man disbelieve or not?

Questioner: He disbelieved.

Al-Albaani: He disbelieved? But Allaah forgave him?

Questioner: He didn’t disbelieve [then].

Al-Albaani: Didn’t you see what he said, ‘… if Allah has control over me …’ he didn’t disbelieve?

Questioner: According to this statement, [then] yes [he disbelieved].

Al-Albaani: I didn’t restrict it [to being based upon that statement alone], I said did he disbelieve or not?

We know from the Noble Quraan that Allaah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whoever He wills. How do we reconcile [between these two things]?

We do so based upon what we just said before: [that] Allaah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whoever He wills–He does not forgive someone who associates partners with Him intentionally and deliberately.

What do you think about this condition/stipulation?

Questioner: Good.

Al-Albaani: Good. But is it present in the aayah?

Questioner: It’s not.

Al-Albaani: Did we conjure it up based upon our desires?

Questioner: No.

Al-Albaani: This is how the Sharee’ah is, it is not taken from one aayah or one hadith, but rather from a group of what has been reported in the issue [at hand].

For this reason, it is not only in issues of fiqh that we must gather all the texts in order to know the abrogating from the abrogated, the general from the specific, the unrestricted from that which restricts/limits, and so on–rather aqidah has a greater priority in that by far, so when the scholars explain this aayah, “Indeed, Allaah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills …” [An-Nisaa 4:48] they normally do not mention such detail, but when problems and doubts occur, it is there that the scholar is compelled to make clear the knowledge that he has.

So this man left a will which I cannot picture there being an equivalent to, in its injustice, oppression and misguidance: [he told them to] burn him so that he could get away from His Lord, and Allaah says, “And he presents for Us an example and forgets his [own] creation. He says, “Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?” [Yaa Seen 36:78] yet despite that, our Lord forgave him, because disbelief had not taken root in this person’s heart.

He pictured his sins before Allaah the Mighty and Majestic and his fear of Him and the fact that when he reaches Him, the Mighty and Majestic, He would punish him severely, this inclination and dread blinded him from seeing the correct aqidah, and so he ordered that [that] wrongful will [be carried out], and the hadith is clear, ‘Go, for I have forgiven you.’

So for example, [although] we believe he did fall into Wahdatul-Wujood, it is not fitting for us to picture that Sayyid Qutb did so intentionally and that he firmly set his heart onto it–unlike Ibn Arabi, the one who misguided millions of Sufi Muslims. Maybe this Sufi ideology, occurred to him [i.e., Qutb] while he was imprisoned and he didn’t grasp the issue based upon knowledge, and so he wrote that phrase which I was one of the first to criticise.

We do not judge him to be a disbeliever, because we do not know if disbelief took root in his heart or not, or whether the proof was established against him, especially when he was in prison–how could it have been?

For this reason we do not connect the fact that a Muslim falls into disbelief with him being a disbeliever, we do not bind these two issues together, this is the first matter and it has been repeated in order to warn [you]. Secondly, we do not differentiate between innovations in aqidah or innovations in worship, both of them are either misguidance or disbelief.

And maybe in this much there is sufficiency, O Abu Abdur-Rahmaan.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 664.

1 Comment
February 7, 2012

Visiting the Prophet’s Grave عليه السلام After Every Prayer


The Shaikh was asked a question about whether a visitor to Medinah is allowed to go to the Prophet’s grave صلى الله عليه وسلم after every prayer, so he said:

Al-Albaani: If what you mean is every time someone prays, then we say no; but it is permissible [for the visitor] to do that sometimes and likewise it is not permissible for the residents of Medinah to visit it constantly after every prayer as is the case nowadays, for in doing so they are taking his grave عليه السلام as a place of festivity [Eed], and established hadiths have been reported which prohibit taking his grave عليه السلام as a place of festivity.

But a person who does that sometimes whether he be a resident or a visitor to Medinah–then let him do it sometimes and not repeatedly.

Questioner: Wouldn’t Ibn Umar do that?

Al-Albaani: Not all the time, he would, for example, upon returning from a journey, go to the Prophet’s grave عليه السلام and give him salaam and to Abu Bakr and his father, but as for him making that his habit as the innovators do–then far be it for him to do such a thing.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 97.

1 Comment
January 27, 2012

Continuing from the Same Tape | 12 | True Mujtahid Scholars who Fall into Innovations Unintentionally are Rewarded


The Meccan Man: If you allow us, as a completion of this discussion [to discuss the following example], some of the people of knowledge whose usool are correct [may] see that a certain issue is an innovation because the basis whih the ruling [he made] is dependent on is reliable in his opinion, and another scholar does not see it as such because the basis for his ruling is reliable in his opinion [too], [this could be] because of the difference [that occurs between them] in declaring a hadith to be authentic or weak or for reasons other than that, so is it possible for us to term this as, ‘interpretative innovation [bid’ah ijtihaadiyyah]?’

Al-Albaani: I previously mentioned that if a man from the people of knowledge and ijtihaad [namely, someone who comes to an Islamic ruling through his interpretation of the texts] falls into an innovation then he is not blamed due to that, just like if he were to declare something haraam to be halaal–and this is something which is even more important than innovations: maybe a scholar will declare something that Allaah has forbidden to be permissible but through ijtihaad and without intending to [make something haraam, halaal].  So do we now say that what he says is halaal is [in fact] halaal because the ruling came from a mujtahid who is qualified to make ijtihaad?  We say no, the haraam  is haraam, and the halaal is halaal–but this mujtahid scholar … and he is not rebuked for having made a mistake for he is rewarded whatever the case … but [at the same time] this does not mean that we declare his ruling to be correct while in reality it is a total mistake.

And maybe it is more pertinent for me to say that when a mujtahid scholar falls into an innovation and in doing so opposes the Sunnah without intending to, I say that he has [indeed] fallen into an innovation but that he is rewarded for what has emanated from him, because it was based upon ijtihaad.

The Meccan Man: Maybe we can say, based upon what you just stated, that there are three conditions, in fact one condition, but maybe for elaboration [we can say that]: he has to be from the people of knowledge, and from those capable of doing ijtihaad, or that he has correct usool …

 Al-Albaani: … but is not from the people of knowledge …

The Meccan Man: … or that the basis for his rulings is correct, likewise he will not be from the people of knowledge unless the basis for his rulings is correct.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 785.

Leave a comment
January 25, 2012

Al-Albaani asked about Sayyid Qutb | 11 | Primary and Secondary Innovations


Al-Albaani referring to the previous interjector’s mention of Imaam ash-Shaatibi’s name says …

Al-Albaani: You reminded me of a statement of ash-Shaatibi, [he had a term], ‘… additional/secondary innovations [al-bidah al-idaafiyyah].’

From this man’s knowledge and understanding of Islaam is that he came up with a precise, scholarly categorisation of innovations, i.e., innovations which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم would universally declare to be misguidance in his khutbahs by saying, ‘… and every innovation is misguidance, and all misguidance is in the Fire.’

He divided innovations into real/primary innovations [al-bid’ah al-haqiqa] and additional/secondary innovations [bid’ah idaafiyyah], and he explained what was intended by both.

So he said, obviously in meaning [and not word for word], that primary innovations are those which openly oppose the Book and the Sunnah or either one of them. He gives some examples of that like the false aqidah of the Jabariyyah for example, and [also the false aqidah] of i’tizaal and khurooj, which have no basis at all in the Book and the Sunnah in any way whatsoever, these are real/primary innovations.

Additional/secondary innovations are those which if looked at from one angle are found to be legislated, and when you look at them from another you will see that they are not. It is in this way that additional/secondary innovations differ from real/primary ones.

I will explain this partially, but [before that] we must stop [to note a point] here: [when someone] goes against what has been prohibited in the Sharee’ah it is not called an innovation but a sin. Many people call cinemas or the new places of entertainment that are found nowadays, which contain lewdness and sins, innovations. It is not allowed to call these places innovations, these are rather forbidden sins, [the only way we can call them innovations is if we stretch it and] go far away from [talking about] innovations in the sharee’ah and said that linguistically these cinemas were not present–but [normally] a person who says that such places/things are misguided innovations does not mean [this linguistic meaning when he says that, and thus should not call them innovations].

[Going back to the categorisation of innovations] all innovations in the religion are blameworthy and they are of the two types just mentioned: either real/primary innovations which have no basis in the Book or the Sunnah, but which [rather] oppose the Book and the Sunnah–like those examples mentioned earlier [of the Jabariyyah etc.]–or secondary innovations which, as we said, if you look at them from one angle you will find them to be legislated but if looked at from another you will find that they are not … and most of the innovations present in the Islamic world today are of this type.

Ash-Shaatibi gives some very clear examples of this, like that of seeking forgiveness after prayer. Seeking forgiveness after prayer is established in Sahih Muslim, he صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم used to seek Allaah’s forgiveness when he would give salaam.  Ash-Shaatibi says that this is a sunnah–but [people] raising their voices together [whilst doing so] is an innovation. So by looking at the fact that this seeking of forgiveness has a basis [in Islaam], then it is a Sunnah, [but] by looking at the unlegislated method of doing it which has been added to this Sunnah, it has become an additional/secondary innovation, and thus it [i.e., the innovated way of doing it], has fallen under those hadith which warn against innovations.

Likewise, he gives another example in which he seeks to put right an issue which it seems was prevalent in his time and about which he relates his [own personal] account. [He said that] an Imaam was appointed in a mosque [where he prayed] and the people had become accustomed to the Imaam turning to face them after he had given salaam and then he would prompt/get them to repeat the words of remembrance and would then raise his hands and supplicate while they would say aameen. Ash-Shaatibi said, ‘So I was perplexed at this predicament, should I … [tape recording unclear here, the word could be ‘follow’] … the people and oppose the Sunnah? Or follow the Sunnah even if the people become hostile towards me?’ And that is what he did, and indeed the arrows of criticism and disparagement and slander were shot at him from every angle.

So he was saying that supplicating after giving salaam does have a basis in the legislation but doing so in this fashion, in unison, making it lengthy and expansive and in unison–these are additions that have been added to the basis of supplication and it has thus become an innovation, something unlegislated.

Like I said, the innovation which is prevalent amongst the Muslims today and is the easiest thing for them, the one they call, ‘A good innovation [al-bid’ah al-hasanah].’ What is their proof? They looked at the [action’s] foundation … [so] for example, adding [the sending of salutations on the Prophet] at the beginning or the end of the call to prayer, they will say, ‘My brother, sending salutations upon the Prophet … the Prophet said that whoever sends prayers upon me once, Allaah will send prayers upon him ten times [so that’s why we add it to the adhaan] …’

But they are ignorant of the fact that these additions have been added to this legislated action and have thus made it misguidance and an innovation and it is not permissible to seek closeness to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, through it.

This is what ash-Shaatibi, may Allaah have mercy on him, meant by additional/secondary innovations.

Leave a comment
December 27, 2011

Knowledge is Light


This sitting was recorded on the 1st of Rabee’ul-Awwal 1414ah which corresponds to the 18th September 1993ce.

Questioner: In the Name of Allaah. May the Prayers and Peace of Allaah be upon the Messenger.

We have a lot of brothers who have a strong, strong, focus on al-Haakimiyyah [i.e., that judgement is for Allaah alone] and who are complacent about major shirk, shirk of the graves and mausoleums.

Interjection: And that is what our companion spoke about on the tape.

Questioner: And they call it unsophisticated, primitive shirk.

Al-Albaani: What do they call it?

Questioner: ‘Unsophisticated, primitive shirk,’ they took this from their callers. So they say that if the Prophets and the righteous people waged war against shirk which contradicts Laa ilaaha illallaah until the Day of Resurrection and which is only connected to the social customs [Ed. note: i.e., connected to shirk which is widespread amongst the people in tawheed Uluhiyyah] no one except a few would have confronted them or stood in their faces. What do you say, O Shaikh? [Ed. Note: he is trying to say that these people say that if you call to tawheed you will not face any hassle but if you call to haakimiyyah [i.e., that judgement is only for Allaah] you will face a lot of opposition and so this is what should be done].

Al-Albaani: My remarks are that it is not a goal in itself and is not an objective for the caller to [seek to] have the people oppose him. Rather the objective is to convey the da’wah to the people, and if they respond then how excellent and if not then that is the way of those who have passed before them.

This statement of theirs makes the listener feel as though the religion orders one to take it upon himself to clash with others, that if today, for example, you called to tawheed then no one will oppose you but if you got busy with politics then they will and will show you enmity … etc.

This is the biggest proof that this group like many of the individuals from the Ikhwaan al-Muslimoon talk at random about what they do not know.

I’ve been asked more than once that the head of the Ikhwaan al-Muslimoon in Algeria says that if the Prophet عليه السلام were alive today in this day and age he would have worn a jacket, trousers and a tie, “When a person speaks based upon ignorance then nothing comes before his ignorance.”

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.” [Nahl 16:125] This is the objective, “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allaah an excellent pattern …” [Ahzaab 33: 21] And Allaah’s Prophet was addressed with His Saying, “… so from their guidance take an example …” [An’aam 6:90 ] So all of the Messengers began with the call to tawheed, namely, these statements [which those people who say that haakimiyyah is more important make] … I say that Noah عليه السلام who, according to the Quraan, remained amongst his people for a thousand years less fifty, what did he do in those thousand years?

These people, what they say, if they actually knew what they were saying [and it was not upon ignorance] they would have disbelieved and left Islaam–because they are saying that the Prophets were wrong generally and Noah specifically عليه السلام because he was distinct amongst all of the Prophets because Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, blessed his life such that he remained amongst his people for nine hundred and fifty years.

We know that the sharee’ahs which came before that of Islaam did not have this expansive fiqh which encompasses all aspects of one’s life, it was a simple fiqh, and for this reason during Noah’s عليه السلام long, extended, blessed life his main concern was that the people worship Allaah and refrain from worshipping false deities.

This [i.e., what the Shaikh just said] negates what they say, and for this reason they are at the limit of ignorance, and now they follow the path of the Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen, who are those whom a generation will soon have passed by without them having put anything forward for Islaam except shouting and yelling like soldiers marching on the spot not moving forward at all.

For this reason no attention is paid to what these people say. And I am amazed at some of our brothers, students of knowledge, hardly will they have heard of some misguidance from any ignoramus than they will come to you and say, ‘What do you think of so and so … who are these … by Allaah we were sitting somewhere and …’

Questioner: O Shaikh, the problem is that very many people follow them who say the same thing, like al-Jazaa’iri, the one who said that if the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم were alive in our time he would be like this and that. So the one who said this statement was a very well-known caller who lots of people follow to such an extent that if you said to some of them, “So and so [i.e., the one they follow] made a mistake …” … he is ready for you to say that Umar made a mistake, ash-Shaafi’i made a mistake but if you say that so and so [i.e., the person they follow] made a mistake he will go all out on you and there will be no stopping him.

Al-Albaani: Okay …my brother, it is not for us except to call [the people to the truth] with that which is best.

Knowledge is light.

These people fall into such misguidance due to their ignorance of Islaam, for this reason we have to be kind to them and regard them as being ill and try to cure them with wisdom and beautiful preaching as much as we are able to.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 784.

1 Comment
December 25, 2011

Asking For Allaah’s Mercy For Those who Fell into Innovations Connected to Aqidah | End | If we open the door to boycotting, ostracising and declaring people to be innovators, we will have to go and live in the mountains.


 

Maybe it is pertinent on this occasion to mention the well-known narration from Imaam Maalik when a man came to him and said, ‘O Maalik! Allaah’s Ascendancy?’ He replied, ‘Al-Istiwaa is known. The ‘how’ is not and asking about it is an innovation. Remove the man for he is an innovator.’ So the man didn’t become an innovator just because he asked a question, he wanted to understand something but Imaam Maalik feared that as a result an objection to the Salafi Aqidah would occur, so he said, ‘Remove the man, for he is an innovator.’

Look now how the means differ, do you or me, or Bakr, or Umar or Zaid and so on think that … if we were to ask a person from the common folk of the Muslims let alone their elite a question like this … shall we give him the same answer that [Imaam] Maalik gave and put him in the same category as that man, saying, ‘Remove him for he is an innovator?’

No. Why?

Because the time [we live in] differs, the means which in those days were accepted are not acceptable today–because they harm more than they benefit. And this speech has a connection with the well-known principle of boycotting in Islaam, or ostracizing for the Sake of Allaah.

Many times I am asked that so and so is my friend and companion but he does not pray, he smokes, does such and such … and so on, shall I boycott him? I say [in answer]: do not boycott him, because you ostracizing him is what he wants. Your leaving him will not benefit him, on the contrary, it will make him happy and will [just] leave him in his misguidance.

And I remember on this occasion the example of that sinner, someone who had abandoned the prayer but who repented. He went to pray his first prayer at the mosque and lo and behold [when he gets there] he finds the door closed, and so says, ‘You’re closed and I have a day off [from praying]!’ [i.e., the first chance he got he went back to his old ways].

So this sinner which the [practicing] Muslim wants to boycott, it is as though from his behaviour he is saying [the same thing as the person in the example above], ‘You’re closed and I have a day off …’ [i.e., he wants the practicing Muslim to leave him so he can carry on as he is].

Because a righteous person accompanying a sinner hinders that sinner from committing his sins, and that sinner does not want that. So if a righteous person boycotts him, it is what the sinner wants. For this reason, boycotting is a legislated means through which the realization of a legislated benefit is desired, i.e., to educate/discipline the person being ostracized. So if the boycotting does not educate him, and in fact just causes him to increase in misguidance upon misguidance, then it is not applied.

Today we live in a time in which it is not right that we stick to the means that the Salaf used to use, because they were moving forth from a position where [the sunnah] was strong and [innovation was] weak.

Today, have a look at the state of the Muslims, they are weak in everything, not only in the governments, individuals [too], the state of affairs is as he عليه السلام said, “Indeed Islaam began as something strange and will return to being strange. So glad-tidings to the strangers.” They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Who are the strangers?’ He replied, “They are the righteous few among the evil masses, those who disobey them are more than those obey them.”

So if we open the door to boycotting, ostracising and declaring people to be innovators–we will have to go and live in the mountains.

Rather it is obligatory on us today to, “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.” [Nahl 16:125]

Questioner: As a completion of this discussion, O Shaikh, this issue as you have noticed is something which repeats itself often these days … in the following comments I wanted to point to something so that the benefit [from this discussion] will be complete, inshaa Allaah. And this is something which the brothers who adopt this stance mention.

They say that, “We say that mercy should not be sought for them [i.e., for those scholars] because asking for Allaah’s Mercy for them is permissible but not obligatory. We do not prevent nor declare to be forbidden the asking of Mercy for them but we refrain [from doing so] so that it does not show some form of praise, or recommendation, or commendation for the people of innovation.  We may say that these people are not innovators for example and are not from the major innovators, but we do not praise them or say they are scholars. For example, when mention is made of Al-Nawawi we do not say, ‘Imaam al-Nawawi,’” rather sometimes they refrain from and shun quoting from them or referring to them.

Such that in a talk one of our brothers was giving he quoted something from one of these, and the thing he quoted was quite frankly a Salafi quote which aided the manhaj, [but] they said to him, ‘How can you quote from these people?’ And by ‘these people’ I am not referring to those who our Shaikh [al-Albaani] mentioned, like Ibn Hajr or al-Nawawi, but let’s say, for example, Sayyid Qutb, Muhammad Qutb, so he [i.e., the people who say you should not ask for mercy] said, ‘How can you quote these people when they are known not to be Salafi, so when you, being a Salafi, quote from them, it is as though you are praising them and as a result the people will say that these people are Salafis. And this is a way of deceiving the people regarding them and maybe [as a result] they will become like them in innovations and deviance and being far from seriousness.”

So if you, O Shaikh, see fit to comment on this.

Al-Albaani: Firstly, I don’t think this is what their objective is, and secondly, if their objective [by not quoting from these scholars or asking for Allaah’s Mercy for them] is a way of warning then I say:

These people [i.e., the ones who hold the views mentioned above of not asking for Allaah’s Mercy] who you just alluded to, do they read Fathul-Baari [i.e., the explanation of Sahih Bukhaari by Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaani] or not?

Whichever of the two answers we assume, then it is a mistake in relation to them. If it is said they do not read it, then where do they understand Sahih al-Bukhaari from, its explanation, its understanding, the differences of opinion, the terminology, [things related to the] hadith and so on …

They will not find, in the whole world, explanations of Sahih Bukhaari that are entirely Salafi.

They will not find a [totally] Salafi explanation of Sahih Bukhaari like we want, and even if they did it would only have the main points [and wouldn’t be as detailed as Fathul-Baari]. As for this ocean replete with comprehensive knowledge, which Allaah granted to the author of Fath [ul-Baari] they will not find what it contains in any of the books that have taken up the task of explaining Sahih Bukhaari.

Thus, they will lose out on a huge amount of knowledge. So if they mean or what they say includes, amongst the things they warn against, preventing people from benefitting from what this Imaam [i.e., Ibn Hajr] says, then they will lose out on knowledge whereas it is possible for them to gather between taking the benefit and repelling the harm which is what the scholars do.

In the [whole] world now, not a scholar after al-Asqalaani and al-Nawawi can be found, to this day, who can do without benefitting from both of their explanations–this one’s [i.e., Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaani’s] explanation of Bukhaari and that one’s [i.e., Imaam al-Nawawi’s] explanation of Muslim.

Yet along with that, when they [i.e., the scholars] take benefits from both of their books, they know that in many issues they were Ash’aris and were contrary to the methodology of the Salaf as-Saalih [in those particular issues]. So with their knowledge and not with ignorance they [i.e., the scholars] were able to take the knowledge which benefits them from these two books or their authors, and turn away from what would harm them and not benefit them.

So I want to say that the thing I fear the most is that behind all of this [apparently] favourable but in reality false talk is a warning from benefitting from their books, and [that being the case] then there is a loss.

And if they say that we do benefit from both of their books and read them ourselves and to others too–if that is the case then what is the point of this procedure of refraining from asking for Allaah’s mercy for them when they are Muslims as we said at the beginning of this answer?

Additionally, what is the benefit or the fruit of their saying, “We do not say that it is not permissible to ask for Allaah’s Mercy for them, but we [personally] don’t, because he fell into innovation,” we just mentioned that not everyone who falls into innovation is called an innovator, not everyone who falls into disbelief is declared a disbeliever, the disbelief may have been unclear to this one and the innovation unclear to that one, we already said this.

Thus, there is no benefit from this cautiousness now. Thereafter, O my brother … the scholars who we inherited this good da’wah from–was their stance like this towards these Imaams? Was it like the stance of these new, novice, youngsters who claim Salafiyyah? They [i.e., those scholars] were like these [youngsters]? The opposite is the case. It is only natural that these [ignorant youth should try to] be like those who preceded us to this righteous da’wah.

Is there anything else?

End.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 666.

2 Comments
December 22, 2011

Asking For Allaah’s Mercy For Those who Fell into Innovations Connected to Aqidah | 4 | If You Call Someone an Innovator Either He Really is or it Goes Back on You


And finally I want to remind you of a reality about which there is no difference but I wanted to add something else to it which many of our youth in this day and age do not ponder over.

This reality is the statement he عليه السلام made in many hadiths, “Whoever declares a Muslim to be a disbeliever has committed disbelief,” this is a reality about which there is no doubt, and the detailed explanation of this is well-known from some other hadiths, i.e., if the one he has declared to be a disbeliever is [in fact] a disbeliever then he is correct but if not then it goes back on him.

This does not require a discussion because the hadith about it is clear, but I wanted to add to it and say: whoever declares a Muslim to be an innovator then either that Muslim [who he declared to be an innovator really] is an innovator or if not then he [i.e., the one who accused the other of being an innovator] is the innovator.

And this is the reality which I mentioned to you just now: that our youth declare the scholars to be innovators and they are the ones who have fall into innovation whilst they know not, and they [i.e., these hasty youth] do not want to commit innovations in fact they fight them, but the saying of the poet applies to them:

Sa’d led the camels to water while being wrapped up
Not like this, O Sa’d, are the camels taken to drink

[Ed. Note: namely he led the camels to water while being wrapped up such that he could not take his hands out of his garment, and thus did not perform his duty of tending to the camels correctly, and it is an example used for someone who falls short in carrying out a matter.]

For this reason, I advise our youth to stick to acting upon the Book and the Sunnah within the limits of their knowledge and not to tower over others who they cannot match in either knowledge or understanding, and maybe even righteousness.

So people like [Imaam] An-Nawawi and Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaani–give me someone in the [whole of the] Islamic world like these two men.

Leave Sayyid Qutb, he was a man we revere for his striving but he was no more than an author, a man of letters, a composer [of words]–but he was not a scholar so there is nothing odd about the fact that things and things and things emanated from him which opposed the correct methodology.

As for the ones who alongside him mention An-Nawawi and Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaani and others like them … it is oppression to say about them that they are from the people of innovation, I know that they were both Ash’aris but they both did not intend to [wilfully] oppose the Book and the Sunnah, they erred and thought two things about the Ash’ari aqidah that they inherited: firstly that Imaam al-Asha’ri held that view but he only did so in the earlier days because he came back from holding that opinion, and secondly, they were under the false impression that it was correct, but it is not.

[Addressing the questioner:] Bring what you have [i.e., mention what beneficial points of knowledge you have] …

Questioner: O Shaikh, from the manhaj of the Salaf was that they would not judge a man to be from Ahlus-Sunnah except when he would have the characteristics of the [Ahlus-]Sunnah, and that if he innovated or praised the people of innovation then he would be counted as one of them, as the Salaf would say for example, “Whoever says that Allaah is not above the Heavens then he is a Jahmee.”

Al-Albaani: Some of that is present, but do not forget what I just said to you: this does not mean that he is not a Muslim, just as when the Prophet عليه السلام did not pray over the one who died whilst having a debt or the one who acted unfaithfully regarding the war booty or the one who killed someone [all of this] does not mean that such a person is not a Muslim.  This, O my brother, is to educate as we explained before, this is something else.

If the Salafi narrations are not complementing each other or unanimous [mutawaatir] then it is not fitting that a manhaj is based upon a saying from an individual from the Salaf. Thereafter this manhaj is in opposition to what is known from the Salaf themselves: that a Muslim does not leave the fold of Islaam simply by committing an act of disobedience or an innovation or a sin which he perpetrates. So when we find someone who differed with this principle we go back to explaining it as I just mentioned to you, that it is to reprimand and discipline/educate.

We have [an example] in Imaam Bukhaari, and what will explain to you what Imaam Bukhaari was? [i.e., how great a scholar he truly was] Some of the scholars of hadith left Imaam Bukhaari and would not narrate from him, why? Because Imaam Bukhaari differentiated between the one who says the Quraan is created–[for he regarded the one who said this as being] misguided, an innovator, a disbeliever, according to the terminology the scholars have used concerning such people–and the one who said, ‘My pronunciation of the Quraan is created.”

Imaam Ahmad stated that the one who said this statement, i.e., that my pronunciation of the Quraan is created, is a Jahmee, and based upon this ruling some of the people who came after Imaam Ahmad ruled that Imaam Bukhaari is not to be taken from because he has made a statement of the Jahmees. The Jahmiyyah do not say that only one’s pronunciation of the Quraan is created, they [in fact] say that the Quraan is not the Speech of Allaah but is just another part of Allaah’s creation.

So what is then said about [Imaam] al-Bukhaari who made the statement, ‘My pronunciation of the Quraan is created?’ and [what is said about] Imaam Ahmad who said that whoever makes that statement is a Jahmi?

It is not possible for us to reconcile between both issues except by interpreting it correctly in a way which corresponds to the principles … and before I continue, I think along with me, you [do] differentiate between the one who says the Quraan is created and the one who says that his pronunciation of the Quraan is created, don’t you?

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albaani: So, how will we answer the statement of Imaam Ahmad that whoever says my pronunciation of the Quraan is created is a Jahmi? How do we answer this statement?

There is no answer except for what I mentioned to you, that it was to warn the Muslims from saying something which the people of innovation and misguidance, i.e., the Jahmiyyah, will take as a means [of calling the people to their falsehood]. So maybe someone, to try to make those around him fall into a problem they will have no way of escaping from, will say, ‘My pronunciation of the Quraan is created,’ but who [really] intends [that] the Quraan itself [is created] when he says that, but it is not necessary that everyone who says this statement intends that same evil meaning.

So now, Imaam Bukhaari has no need for anyone to claim that he is pure–for Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has shown him to be pure, since [right] after the Noble Quraan, Allaah made all of his book [i.e., Sahih Bukhari] accepted amongst the generality of Muslims despite the differences amongst those Muslims.

Thus, when he [i.e., Imaam Bukhaari] said, ‘My pronunciation of the Quraan is created,’ he meant something correct by it [and not the evil meaning intended by the innovators], but Imaam Ahmad feared [the outcome of this] and so said, ‘Whoever says that is such and such,’ to warn [the people] and not by way of believing that everyone who says that is truly a Jahmi, no.

For this reason when we find a ruling in the statements of some of the Salaf that whoever falls into innovation then he is an innovator it is to rebuke and not by way of believing [that everyone who does so is an innovator].

 

See here for the last part.

1 Comment
December 19, 2011

Asking For Allaah’s Mercy For Those who Fell into Innovations Connected to Aqidah | 3 | Practising Youth Falling into Innovations Themselves Without Even Realising, Slow Down


 

For this reason I say that one of the onerous mistakes of today is that the practising youth, the ones who think that they are clinging to the Book and the Sunnah, [actually] oppose the Book and the Sunnah without even realising it. And as a result, I have the right to, based upon their madhhab, call them innovators, because they have opposed the Book and the Sunnah–but I will not go against my madhhab [and call them innovators when the proof has not been established against them].

The foundation concerning these people [i.e., the youth mentioned above] is that they are Muslims and that they didn’t intend to commit any innovations and that they do not haughtily reject the truth and nor do they reject the evidence and proof. For this reason we say they wanted what was correct but made a mistake.

When we come to realise this reality we will be saved from a lot of the difficult issues of this time. One of them is the Jamaa’ah Al-Takfeer wal-Hijrah which used to be in Egypt and which had spread some of its ideology to Syria when I used to be there, then it reached here too.

We used to have some brothers on the Salafi methodology, the Book and the Sunnah, who were influenced by their false claims and who [as a result] stopped praying in congregation in the mosque, in fact, they stopped praying Jumu’ah [in the mosque] too. They would pray in their areas and houses, until the time we sat with them.

We held three sittings. The first was between maghrib and ishaa, [after this meeting] they refrained from praying behind us, i.e., from praying behind us Salafis, and I don’t want to just say myself … they used to say, ‘We rely on your books,’ but they still wouldn’t pray behind me, why? Because they [i.e., the Salafis] do not call those Muslims who they call disbelievers, to be disbelievers. So this was the first sitting.

The second was in their own house and it continued to midnight, but the glad tidings of their responding to the true call started to show, walhamdulillaah, such that we made the call to prayer and stood to pray and we prayed there just before midnight and they prayed behind us. This was the second sitting.

As for the third, then it continued from after ishaa prayer up until the adhaan of fajr, one [continual] sitting. And it was, alhamdulillaah, the death knell [of their false ideology]–to this day they are with us, and about twelve years have passed since this event, walhamdulillaah.

So they were only doubts that came over them due to their lack of understanding of the Book and the Sunnah. And maybe you know, O brother Khaalid, that understanding the Book and the Sunnah is not something easy [to achieve] today after we have inherited numerous madhhabs and [split into] very many groups in [issues] of creed [aqidah] and in Islamic jurisprudence [fiqh].

So the beginner student of knowledge cannot dive into this ocean of differences except after a very long, prolonged time of study in what today is called comparative fiqh [fiqh al-muqaarin] and a study of the proofs of the differing sides in usool and furoo, and in reality, [like I said] this, firstly, requires a long lifetime, and the tawfiq of the Lord of the Worlds, secondly, until Allaah will make true the Muslim’s supplication which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم made it a sunnah for him to say, which he would say as part of the supplications uttered during the night prayer, ‘O Allaah! Guide me concerning that which they differed in over the truth with Your Permission! Indeed, You guide whoever You want to [guide] to the Straight Path.’

For this reason, I advise our youth of today being brought up on the Book and the Sunnah to slow down and to be more reflective/patient and not to issue rulings which they base upon what is [just] apparent from the texts, because it is not for a Muslim to go by every [seemingly] apparent thing, for if not then in terms of knowledge he will live a life of chaos which has no end.

I think you know that the closest of the madhhabs to the Book and the Sunnah is the Ahlul-Hadith, and you also know that the Ahlul-Hadith relied on the narrating of the innovators if they were trustworthy, truthful and great memorisers. The meaning of this is that they did not include them amongst the disbelievers and neither did they include them amongst those for whom mercy is not sought.

Rather, you know that some of the Imaams who are followed today and whose being a Muslim no true Muslim scholar doubts, and not only [do they not doubt that those Imaams are Muslims] but [in fact they affirm that] they are scholars of excellence, yet along with that [these Imaams who are followed] may oppose the Book and the Sunnah and the Salaf as-Saalih in more than one issue.

By that I mean, for example, An-Nu’maan ibn Thaabit, Abu Hanifah, may Allaah have mercy on him, who used to say that eemaan does not increase or decrease and who used to say that it is not allowed for a Muslim to say, ‘I am a believer, ‘inshaa Allaah,’’ and that whoever does say, ‘inshaa Allaah’ [in that phrase] then he is not a Muslim. There is no doubt that this saying [of Imaam Abu Hanifah, may Allaah have mercy on him] is an innovation in the religion, because it opposes the Book and the Sunnah, but he didn’t intend to commit an innovation, he wanted the truth but made a mistake.

For this reason, opening this door of doubting the scholars of the Muslims whether they be from the Salaf or those who came later [khalaf] is an opposition to what the Muslims are upon. And our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic says in the Noble Quraan, “And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers–We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.” Nisaa 4:115


See part four here.

2 Comments
December 17, 2011

The Shaikh’s Opinion About Those Who Do Not Ask For Allaah’s Mercy [e.g., by Saying, ‘May Allaah have mercy on so and so,’] For Those who Fell into Innovations Connected to Aqidah | 2 |


 

Thereafter, my brother, may Allaah bless you, these are just claims that the Salaf would not pray over the generality of innovators, or over all innovators, this is just a claim which is present in the minds of some good people who deal with issues based on zealousness and emotion that is not coupled with sound knowledge, [sound knowledge which is] based upon, ‘Allaah said … Allaah’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said.’

And I presented a reality to you which no two will differ over, which is that there is either a Muslim or a non-Muslim.  So the Muslim, whatever his state, is prayed over and inherits and is inherited from, is washed, shrouded and buried in the graveyard of the Muslims, and if he is not a Muslim … he is buried in the graveyard of the non-Muslims. We do not have an in-between.

But if a certain worshipper or a certain scholar does not pray over a certain Muslim, then that does not mean that praying over that Muslim is not permissible, it only means that he is aiming at some wisdom which may not by realised without that [action].

Like the hadiths which you must remember some of, where the Prophet عليه السلام said, ‘Pray over your companion.’ The Prophet never prayed over him.

Would you say that the Prophet not praying over a Muslim is more important or a Salafi scholar refusing to pray over a Muslim? Tell me, what is more important?

Questioner: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم leaving [praying over a Muslim].

Al-Albaani: Good. So if the Prophet’s abstention from praying over a Muslim does not show that it is not permissible to pray over him, then it is even more correct that the abstention of a scholar from the Salaf from praying over an innovating Muslim does not show that he is not prayed over.

Thereafter, even if it did show that he is not prayed over, does that mean that supplications of mercy and forgiveness are not made for him, as long as we believe that he is a Muslim?

So, in short, the abstention of some of the Salaf from praying over some of the Muslims due to an innovation does not negate the legitimacy of praying over every Muslim because that [action of the Salaf] was to reprimand and chastise those people like him, as the Prophet عليه السلام did regarding the one he didn’t pray over and whose only sin was that he died whilst having a debt to clear, and the one who acted unfaithfully regarding war booty and so on.

Thus, this abstention, i.e., the abstention of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is more important than the abstention of some of the Salaf, and this and that [i.e., the abstention of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Salaf] do not prove that it is not permissible to pray over the Muslim innovator.

At this point something has to be researched/discussed: we have to know who an innovator is, exactly like we must understand who a disbeliever is. So here the question that presents itself, as they say these days, is: does everyone who falls into disbelief have [the ruling of] disbelief applied to him?[/Is everyone who falls into disbelief declared a disbeliever?], likewise, is everyone who falls into an innovation declared an innovator? Or is it not like that?

If the answer is that it is not like that then we can continue this topic, and if the answer is obscure then it must be clarified. I will repeat the question with some detail.

What is an innovation? It is a newly-invented matter which is in opposition to the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم and through which the person performing it wants to get closer to Allaah, the Blessed and Most High.

So is everyone who innovates an innovation an innovator?

I want to hear the answer in short, ‘No,’ [or] ‘Of course he is.’

Questioner: No.

Al-Albaani: So who is an innovator?

Questioner: The one whom the proof has been established against yet after that he still persists in his innovation?

Al-Albaani: Good. So these people [mentioned in the question] whom they say mercy should not be asked for: has the proof been established against them?

Allaah knows best.

I personally say Allaah knows best. As for you, what do you say … personally?

Questioner: The same answer as you, O Shaikh.

Al-Albaani: May Allaah reward you with good. So, what is the foundation of these people, Islaam or disbelief?

Questioner: Islaam.

Al-Albaani: Okay. Thus, the principle is that mercy is sought for them, isn’t that so?

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albaani: Thus the issue is over.

So it is not allowed for us to build a fifth madhhab and say, ‘It is not permissible to ask for mercy for so and so and so and so,’ from the common folk of the Muslims, let alone their elite, let alone their scholars, for two reasons, and this is a summary of what has preceded:

  • The first reason: is that they are Muslims.
  • The second reason: is that if they are innovators we do not know if the proof was established against them and they [thereafter] continued in their innovations and their misguidance …

 

See part three here.

Leave a comment
December 16, 2011

The Shaikh’s Opinion About Those Who Do Not Ask For Allaah’s Mercy [e.g., by Saying, ‘May Allaah have mercy on so and so,’] For Those who Fell into Innovations Connected to Aqidah | 1 |



Questioner: What do you say, O Shaikh, about someone who says, ‘You do not ask for [Allaah’s] Mercy for those who opposed the Aqidah of the Salaf, like Al-Nawawi, Ibn Hajr, Ibn Hazm, Ibn al-Jawzi and others, and those from this day and age like Sayyid Qutb and Hasan al-Banna,’ bearing in mind that you know what Al-Banna [has written] in his Memoirs and [what] Sayyid Qutb has in [his book], ‘In the Shade of the Quraan?’

Al-Albaani: We believe that mercy, or to be more precise, asking for mercy is permissible for every Muslim and impermissible for every non-Muslim. So the answer depends on what the person believes–[i.e.,] whoever thinks that these people and those like them who were named in the question are Muslims then the answer is known from what has preceded: that it is permissible for a person to supplicate for mercy and forgiveness for them.

And whoever thinks, Allaah forbid, that these Muslims who were mentioned in the question are not Muslims then it is not permissible to ask for mercy for them, because [asking for] mercy has been forbidden for the unbelievers. This is the answer regarding what was asked in the question.

Questioner: Theysay this based upon [their assumption] that the manhaj of the Salaf was that they would not ask for mercy for the people of innovation, and following on from that they regard these people who were mentioned in the question as being from the people of innovation, so it is from this angle that they do not ask for Allaah’s Mercy for them.

Al-Albaani: We now made a statement, [that] asking for Allaah’s Mercy is permissible for every Muslim and not permissible for a non-Muslim, is this statement correct or not?

Questioner: It’s correct.

Al-Albaani: If it is correct then the second question is not valid, and if it is not correct then the discussion can continue.

Are not those, who some of these name as being from the people of innovations, prayed over? Is the prayer of the Muslims not performed over them?

And from the aqidah of the Salaf which the khalaf inherited from the Salaf is that prayer is performed behind every righteous or sinful [Imaam] and it is [also] performed over every righteous and sinful person, as for the non-Muslim, then he is not prayed over.

So, these people who I do not think the second question applies to, are they prayed over or are they not prayed over?

I do not want to get into a debate unless I am forced to, so if the answer is that they are prayed over the topic is over and no tenable position remains for the second question, and if not, then the discussion is open and possible.

Questioner: Okay, the person who says they shouldn’t be prayed over, O Shaikh, does so based upon [their assumption] that they are from the people of innovation, so what is the answer to that?

Al-Albaani: What is the proof?

Questioner: He uses the Salaf as proof, for example, he will differentiate between sins and immorality [on one hand] and the people of innovation who innovate into the religion [on the other]. And the Salaf never used to pray over the people of innovation nor sit with them nor eat or drink with them, so it is from this angle that he says this thing.

Al-Albaani: You have digressed, so pay attention. What was the question?

Questioner: About praying over them?

Al-Albaani: No. And [indeed] you had to have digressed because you gave a long answer that was misplaced. The question was, ‘What is the proof?’ You mentioned a claim, and a claim is not proof. Who is the one who says that the Muslim who innovates is not prayed over? What is the proof?

Questioner: He doesn’t have any proof except, just … only … that he uses the action of the Salaf as proof.

Al-Albaani: Are the actions of the Salaf proof?

Questioner: This is what he says.

Al-Albaani: Okay. Where is the proof?

Questioner: He doesn’t mention any, but the statements in this regard are always general.

Al-Albaani: Okay, the Salaf, wouldn’t the Salaf boycott people for committing a certain sin or for a certain innovation, does this then mean that they declared them to be disbelievers?

Questioner: No.

Al-Albaani: So they judged that he was [still] a Muslim.

Questioner: Of course.

Al-Albaani: Okay, we do not have a middle way between a Muslim and a non-Muslim, i.e., we do not have a station between two stations as the Mu’tazilah do. [A person is either] a Muslim and so is treated as a Muslim, or a disbeliever and is treated as such.

Thereafter, my brother, may Allaah bless you, these are just claims, that the Salaf would not pray over the generality of innovators, or over all innovators, this is just a claim which is present in the minds of some good people who …

See part two here.

Leave a comment
September 9, 2011

From the Innovations of the Allies of the Devil is to Declare Sayings of the Prophet to be Authentic by Way of Sufi ‘Kashf’


 

It is narrated from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said, ‘My Companions are like the stars. Whoever amongst them you follow, you will be rightly guided.”

Fabricated.

Al-Albani said, “And as for the saying of ash-Sha’raani in Al-Meezaan, (1/28), ‘Even if the scholars of hadith have written [critically] about this hadith, it is authentic in the eyes of the People of Kashf [i.e., ‘Sufi disclosure’, unveiling, insight into the Unseen through karaamah],’ then it is falsehood and nonsense not to be given any attention!

And that is because declaring hadiths to be authentic by way of kashf is an abominable, Sufi innovation, relying on it results in the authentication of false hadiths which have no basis, like this one.

Due to the fact that the most that can be said about kashf–if it is correct–is that it is just like [someone’s] opinion, it can be correct and incorrect, and [even] this is if desires do not enter [the equation].

We ask Allaah to safeguard us from that and from everything that does not please Him.”

Ad-Da’eefah, 1/144-155.

1 Comment
August 10, 2011

Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle? | End


 

I had travelled to Aleppo from Damascus for da’wah and gave a lesson after which the people dispersed. Normally four to five people from our brothers, our friends, stay behind. [This time] another person stayed behind with them who I had never seen before. He was sitting there, far away from me. His stomach was like this, he was not overweight, slim, yet along with that his stomach was like this [i.e., sticking out].

I said to him, ‘What is this?’

He said, ‘This is ‘Rahmaaniyyah.’’ That was the first time I heard this word, [I heard it] there in Aleppo. I said, ‘What does Rahmaaniyyah mean?’

He said, ‘It means the skewers.’

I said, ‘So why did you come to me?’ I knew why.  He said:

‘To show you our miracles [karaamaat].’

I said to him, ‘This is easy [to deal with].’  That day I had a two-sided blade with me to sharpen my pencil, each side was like this, small.

I said to him, ‘[If that’s the case], I’ll hit you with this blade using my hand.’

So he said, ‘[No], with my hand,’ i.e., he wanted to strike himself with the blade which I would give him.

So I said, ‘No, with my hand.’

He said, ‘With my hand.’ So the people started to look at these words being repeated by both sides, I was saying, ‘With my hand,’ and he was saying, ‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

 ‘With my hand.’

‘With my hand.’

And I naturally was more patient than him because firstly, I knew I was upon the truth and secondly so many years have passed by me, as many as Allaah has willed, calling all types of people to the true religion of Allaah.

So he became tired and fed up.

[And when he did] the last thing he said was, ‘What’s the difference?’

I was saying to him, ‘With my hand.’ And he was saying to me, ‘With my hand. With my hand.’ Afterwards he got tired and became fed up, and said, ‘What’s the difference?’

I said, ‘If there is no difference, [then] with my hand.’  He then turned the topic on its head, and this is from their ignorance.

He called the person whose house it was, and his name was Abu Ahmad, he said to him, ‘O Abu Ahmad! Bring the brazier [i.e., a metal container for carrying hot coal, etc.].’

I understood what he meant and so I said, ‘O Abu Ahmad, don’t bring the brazier, bring a matchstick.’ Subhaanallaah, he was from the Sufis and they were used to wearing a white head covering without the head cord [iqaal, the round black cord Arabs wear to keep the head covering in place].

So he brought the matchstick. I lit it and got up going towards him and said, ‘You will denounce this false claim of yours or otherwise I will burn you.’

Miskeen, he was speechless, silent, not saying a single word.

I was moving towards him step by step until I came close to him–and I really put the matchstick onto his head covering, and it started to catch fire.

Then I took it and rubbed it against itself like this [i.e., put it out after having proved the falsehood of his claim], fearing that the sparks would increase, I [put it out] like this, and then said to him, ‘Go to those Shaikhs of yours and tell them:

‘These are the miracles [karaamaat] of the Salafis.’

Mawsoo’atul-Allaamah, al-Imaam, Mujaddidil-Asr, Muhammad Naasirid-Deen al-Albaani, of Shaikh Shady Noaman, vol. 3, pp. 965-972.

11 Comments
August 9, 2011

Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle? | 2


 

So these are two forbidden matters that have come together in these people: beating the daff during the remembrance of Allaah, and stabbing themselves with skewers.  Along with harming oneself, this is something which misguides the Muslims in addition to the fact that they try to deceive the people into thinking that this act is a miracle [karaamah].

Whereas the reality is that, firstly, it is not a miracle but rather indignity. Secondly it is [but] an exercise which the most profligate of sinners can do just like them.  The non-Muslim can do it. The non-Muslim who doesn’t believe in Allaah and His Messenger [can do it], why?

Because it is [acquired by] practice, [just] an exercise. And maybe all of you have heard of some of the strange things the Hindus and idol worshippers do; those who bury themselves alive in plain view of the people and examining doctors, who have gathered specifically to see how this person can be buried underground and then come out alive, [and to see] how he can breathe?

Does this then mean that this idol worshipper who survived underground for days not just hours and then comes out alive is from the major Allies of Allaah [Awliyaa’ullaah]?  How perfect is Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic!/Allaah forbid!

This is practise and exercise, and exercise can result in some strange things. For example you have seen many, many incidents … a rope stretched out on to the sea–if we were to walk on a narrow bridge [it would be something!]–but as for this person he is walking on a rope–so [now] what, this is a miracle?

This has no connection whatsoever to do with miracles.

This is practice.  The righteous and the sinner, the believer and the disbeliever all share in it. And the Muslim’s scholars, both past and present, have experience with these people who do not know anything about their religion except these exercises which they have become accustomed to and by which they then misguide the people, whereas the scholars say:

If you see a person who may fly
And on the ocean does walk
Yet does not stop at the limits of the Legislation
Then an innovator is he
being lead to destruction progressively

Why did they say that? Because supernatural events can be split into three categories:

1) Miracles [Mu’jizah].

2) Miracles of a lesser degree [karaamah].

3) And something which leads to destruction progressively [istidraaj].

Miracles [Mu’jizah] are done by a Prophet. Miracles but of a lesser degree [karaamah] are done by an Ally of Allaah [Waliyullaah]. And istidraaj is performed by the disbeliever and the hypocrite.

You are not in need of us speaking about miracles, they are mentioned in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah, maa shaa Allaah, extensively, as are karaamaat.

The karaamaat of the true Allies of Allaah and the righteous people, alhamdulillaah, are many. He, the Most High, says, “Everytime Zakariyyaa entered the Mihraab [prayer room] to visit her, he found her supplied with sustenance.” [Aali Imraan 3:37]. This was a karaamah of Maryam عليها السلام. And there are books written about this topic, from the best of them is that of Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, what is it called?

Questioner: …

Al-Albani: Yes?

Questioner: The Maxim of the Miracles of the Allies of Allaah …

Al-Albani: No, no, remind us of its name, O people.

Questioner: Al-Karaamah and the Miracles of the Messengers and Prophets of Allaah.

Al-Albani: No.

Questioner: The Maxim of the Miracles of the Allies of Allaah … [The compiler of the book, Shaikh Shady Noaman said, ‘It appears to me that the Shaikh, may Allaah have mercy on him, meant the book called, ‘The Criterion between the Allies of The Most Merciful and the Allies of the Devil. [Al-Furqaan bayna Awliyaa’ir-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa’ish-Shaitaan].

Al-Albani: In summary, the topic that we should talk about is istidraaj. In many authentic hadiths, rather mutawaatir even, it is mentioned that the greatest Dajjaal at the end of time will say to the sky, ‘Rain.’ And it will.

He will say to the earth, ‘Bring forth your produce.’ And it will.

He will say to some desolate land, ‘Bring out your treasures.’ And it will and will follow him.

He will cut a man into two with a sword and will then bring him back to life–are these miracles of an Ally of Allaah [karaamaat]?

These are extraordinary/supernatural occurrences which Allaah will cause to happen at the hands of this great Dajjaal who the Prophet عليه السلام told us about, saying, “There is not, between the creation of Aadam and the Hour, a trial greater than that of Al-Masih ad-Dajjaal.’ So here is this Al-Masih ad-Dajjaal coming with these supernatural occurrences.

Thus, supernatural events do not show the validity of something, ever.

Validity/goodness is only through righteous actions. For this reason the previously mentioned poet said:

If you see a person who may fly

Namely, he flies without wings, not in a plane, the non-Muslims fly in planes and beat us to it.

If you see a person who may fly
And on the ocean does walk
Yet does not stop at the limits of the Legislation
Then an innovator is he
being lead to destruction progressively

So these people who strike themselves with skewers, these are exercises, and from the greatest proofs of that is that if you were to say to one of them, ‘Come, I’m going to strike you with a small pin, he will say to you, ‘No.’ Why? If he really is a person who can perform miracles, let him bring his miracle to any person who wants to hit him in any place.

[But, no] he will say to you, ‘No.’ Why? Because he’s not trained to have himself struck here in his chest, in the heart, nor here, or here, but only here, where there is muscle, where there is meat, not where the nerves and bones are.

I said to you just now, throughout time the scholars of the Muslims have had a lot of experience with these Dajjaals.

The most famous of them was the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, who challenged the Shaikh of the Rifaa’ees of his time. [The Rifaa’ees] were known as Battaa’ihiyyah [in attribution to al-Bataa’ih, the village where Ahmad ar-Rifaa’ee, the founder of the Rifaa’eeyah came from].

This Rifaa’ee Shaikh used to make it appear as though he could enter fire without getting burnt.

So Ibn Taymiyyah challenged him.

News of this challenge reached the then Amir of Damascus who accordingly summoned the Shaikh of the [Rifaa’ee Sufi] Tariqah, along with Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, so that he could see how they would debate and what they would do in the end. So Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah spoke with the knowledge he had, [stating] that these people were from the worst of the creation, from the worst of creation, that they have no knowledge nor piety [taqwaa] and no righteousness and that they only deceive the people through matters which both the righteous and the wicked, the believer and the disbeliever, share in.

Part of what he said was that they oil their bodies with a special substance, and their thowbs too, and then enter the oven and the fire does not burn them. And I challenge them with one condition, O Amir, that they take off these thowbs and are given thowbs that have been washed by you, and that you order them to wash their bodies with water and vinegar, then they are to wear those [clean], white thowbs–and at that time I too will enter the fire with them, and whoever from us burns is the liar.

So when the [truth of the] matter concerning that Dajjaal was uncovered, he turned and fled.

[And there are] many, many [such] incidents–and maybe it is beneficial that I mention a very short story about something that happened to me, and I am the poor, needy servant of Allaah …

3 Comments
August 8, 2011

Is the Sufi’s Stabbing themselves with Skewers a Miracle? | 1


 

Questioner: In relation to some of the Sufis lodges [zawaayaa], they beat the daff and use skewers, yes, what is the ruling regarding this issue?

Al-Albani: Striking the daff for entertainment is haram, but that which is even more severe than this haram is to include it as a part of worship in the remembrance of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic.

This is haram and is not permissible.

Because committing an act of disobedience is [in and of itself] disobedience, but more severe than that is seeking nearness to Allaah the Blessed and Most High, through it.

These Sufis or those who follow these tariqahs who dance when performing dhikr and beat the daff, indeed even the drum [tabl], the saying of one of the people of knowledge applies to them:

“When did the people come to know that in our religion singing is a Sunnah which is followed

And that a man eats just as a donkey does and dances amongst hordes until he falls

And they say, ‘We are drunk with the love of Allaah.’ But nothing intoxicated them except a platter stuffed with food

Just like the animals who prance around once quenched and satiated

So O People of Intellect and O Men of Understanding! Is there not one from you to denounce such innovations?

Our Mosques are disgraced by listening [to Music] and are now ‘honoured’ as churches are?” [i.e., singing and dancing is part of worship in churches under the pretense that they are honouring their places of worship through that, so these Sufis have imitated them in this by dancing and singing in the mosques].

And another said:

“O You evil, innovating generation!
You have come with an affair which is inconceivable.
Was it in the Quraan that my Lord told you–
to ‘Eat like animals and dance for Me?!”

Far be it.

So, the forbiddance of beating the daff or the drum [tabl] as part of dhikr is more severe than beating the daff as part of mere entertainment. Because the [following] Saying of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic in His Book applies to them, “Those who took their religion as amusement and play and the life of the world deceived them.” [Al-A’raaf 7:51]. And the Blessed and Most High said regarding the polytheists, “Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and the clapping of hands.” [An’aam 8:35].

“Their prayer …” i.e., their worship, “… at the House …” the Haram, [Ka’bah].

“… was nothing but whistling …” whistling, and nowadays you see how the youth whistle. This is a legacy which the disbelievers have inherited one from another. During the Days of Ignorance the polytheists would seek nearness to Allaah through whistling and clapping.

“Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and the clapping of hands.” Likewise some of the Muslims today do the same thing, and you have come to know the censure of the faqihs of the Muslims and their severe repudiation of them. So much so that some of them declared that the place where these eating dancers perform their ‘remembrance’ be razed because it is impure, i.e., the disobedience of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic having occurred therein.

That dhikr which they regard as being remembrance [of Allaah] is only idle speech.

As for striking oneself with skewers, this is the calamity of all calamities–that there are hundreds of thousands of Muslims who falsely assume that harming oneself in this way is a miracle. It is a miracle [karaamah] for those people who falsely think that they are on some [sort of Truth] in regards to the religion.

But they follow nothing.

Because the religion is [nothing but] following what the Prophet was upon عليه السلام. And neither the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم nor his noble Companions remembered Allaah in this manner. [A method of remembrance] which you have come to know something about from the lines of poetry that I recited to you.

Leave a comment