albani | The Albaani Site

July 9, 2013

Al-Albaani on Dealing Gently With The People When They Are Wrong–They Are Not as Bad as Pharaoh | 1 |

Questioner: It’s as though in his books Sayyid Qutb declares communities to be disbelievers because they don’t believe in Haakimiyyah, and he also doesn’t differentiate between minor disbelief and major, and the innovations which take place around graves and the supplications to other than Allaah are not of interest to him, and other things [too], he only talks about Haakimiyyah.

Al-Albaani: Yes.

Questioner: And some people make excuses for him, so what is his excuse?

Al-Albaani: By Allaah, O Ustaadh, I hold that it is better for us that we busy ourselves with those who are alive instead of those who are dead, this is the first thing.

Secondly, I said to our brother Dr. Rabee that Sayyid Qutb is a man who is not a scholar, and that he is one of those Egyptian writers who were not nurtured on knowledge, correct knowledge.

But it seems that he had a flowing pen, and perhaps in addition to that he, like many of today’s youth, had an unruly Islamic compassion, but they, as is said:

Sa’d led the camels to water while being completely wrapped up
[with only his hands sticking out].

This is not how, O Sa’d, the camels are taken to water.

So his books, as Dr. [Rabee’ al-Madkhali] may Allaah reward him with good has explained, are full of mistakes in terms of knowledge, some of them related to ’aqidah and some to fiqh.

So when I say that it is sufficient for us to busy ourselves with those who are alive instead of those who have passed away, I mean that we should not set up enmity between ourselves and a certain person, but only between us and his da’wah, and this is especially so after he has passed away and gone on to Allaah’s Forgiveness, inshaa Allaah, and His Mercy. This is from one angle.

And I said to Dr. [Rabee’], and I remain upon this, and I think that a lot of our brothers from the students of knowledge and our Shaikhs are [also in agreement] on this, that the truth, in and of itself, is heavy on the general people except for those whom Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, wills [for it not to be as such]:

“Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.” [Muzzammil 73:5]

So when hardness and harshness is added to the da’wah and its heaviness upon the people, as we mentioned–then two types of hardness and harshness have come together, and that will be a cause which will repel people from the true call, whereas the purpose of da’wah was to draw them to it.

And there is not a single student of knowledge from us except that he remembers the aayahs in the Noble Quraan and many of the Messenger’s hadiths, عليه الصلاة والسلام, which exhort kindness and gentleness, the aayahs [in this regard] are well-known and we do not need to be reminded of them, like the aayah in which Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, ordered Moosaa عليه السلام and his brother Haaroon, saying:

“Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allaah].” [Taa Haa 20:43-44]

And I do not believe that someone who bears witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is Allaah’s Messenger and who professes this testimony, [and while we do leave] his [final] reckoning with Allaah, there is not a single person from us who will imagine that however deviated he is in his call, especially when he has not used hardness or harshness in his call with those who he is calling towards his da’wah, however deviated it is from the truth, [not a single person from us will imagine that] his situation will reach an atom’s weight in comparison to this Pharaoh to whom Moosaa and Haaroon were sent.

Despite that, Allaah the Mighty and Majestic ordered these two noble Prophets and chosen Messengers to speak gently to the greatest transgressor on the face of the earth [a level of transgression which was shown] when he [i.e., Pharaoh] said:

“Saying, ‘I am your lord, the most high.’” [Naazi’aat 79:24]

Despite that Allaah said:

“Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allaah].” [Taa Haa 20:43-44]

So I believe that Sayyid Qutb’s condition doesn’t reach that of Pharaoh at all, so it is his present followers who are intended when refuting him because he has [now] gone with all of his open and hidden flaws and defects. And so if those who are aimed at are the living, then regarding them I will say the same as that which I did about this one who has died: that the evil of these people does not reach the level of Pharaoh who claimed to be a deity worthy of worship [uluhiyyah].

Thus it is not fitting that we bring two types of hardness together, one of which is a necessity, i.e., the call to the truth which differentiates between the truth and falsehood, between a man and his brother, which was the reason one of the Noble Qur’aan’s names is Al-Furqaan [The Criterion], and which was also one of the names of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام, because he, firstly, separated truth from falsehood, tawhid from shirk, indeed between a man and his son, between a son and his father … and so on. This is the nature of the call to the truth, so it is, thus, enough for us to call the people to this da’wah as He the Most High said:

“… with wisdom and good instruction …” [Nahl 16:125]

And something which should be mentioned here, as a reminder is …

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July 7, 2013

Al-Albaani on Safar al-Hawaali’s Book

Shaikh Esaam Moosaa Haadi said, “I asked Shaikh al-Albaani about Safar al-Hawaali’s book called Dhaahiratul-Irjaa, and so he said, ‘An evil book. I hadn’t thought that he had deviated to such an extent.’”

Muhaddithul-Asr, Imaam Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani Kamaa ’Araftuhu, p. 72, of Esaam Moosaa Haadi.

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June 21, 2013

Shaikh al-Albaani Reciting Surah Yusuf

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June 18, 2013

Shaikh al-Albaani’s Adhaan

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June 14, 2013

Al-Albaani’s Humility: Not Seeing Himself as The Embodiment of The Sunnah

Shaikh Esaam Moosa Haadi said, “Some brothers said to him, ‘O Shaikh of ours! There is a man by us who regards you as an enemy and speaks ill of you—should we boycott him?’

So our Shaikh replied, ‘Does he oppose Al-Albaani as a person or does he oppose the ’aqeedah which Al-Albaani holds and calls to? The ’aqeedah of the Book and the Sunnah? If he is showing enmity to the ’aqeedah of the Book and the Sunnah then one is to discuss [such issues] with him and he is to be shown patience. Thereafter if you see that it is beneficial and more advantageous to boycott him, then he is boycotted.

But if he is opposing Al-Albaani as a person whilst he agrees with us on the path of the Book and the Sunnah—then no [he is not to be boycotted].’”

Muhaddithul-Asr, Imaam Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani Kamaa ’Araftuhu, p. 94, of Esaam Moosaa Haadi.

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May 22, 2013

On Mentioning the Good Deeds of a Person When Refuting Them | 1 |

Questioner: Noble Shaikh! Is it from the methodology of the Salaf to mention the good qualities/deeds [hasanaat] of a dissenter when one is refuting him? We would like a detailed answer to this question.

Al-Albaani: If the purpose is to clarify the truth concerning an issue that has arisen, then this is something. And if the purpose is to give a biography of someone who we hold to have been mistaken in a certain issue then this is something else. In the first instance it is not a condition when answering someone who opposes [the Sunnah] that his good deeds are mentioned. But if the situation differs from that, and that is what I just alluded to, that the person himself is going to be spoken about, then there is no doubt that the one refuting/making the criticism should not turn to mentioning [just] his mistakes but should couple that with a mention of his virtues and good qualities based upon His Saying, the Blessed and Most High, “… and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just. That is nearer to righteousness.” [Maa’idah 5:8]

As for when just refuting then this [i.e., mentioning the good deeds] is in opposition to the methodology of the Salaf as-Saalih and in opposition to what is known from the Prophet’s responses عليه السلام to whoever had made a mistake from his Companions. And in my opinion, if the hadiths that have been reported concerning this issue were to be collected they would form a treatise.

For example, he said to the person who praised his brother to his face …

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March 4, 2013

Al-Albaani on Boycotting | 1

Questioner: The first is concerning the topic of the ’aqidah of loyalty and disavowal [al-Walaa wal-Baraa]: is it permissible for a Muslim that the ’aqidah of loyalty and disavowal be made apparent [i.e., implemented] before, ya’ni, establishing the proof against the other person, whether that other person is a non-Muslim or someone from other than Ahlus-Sunnah, ya’ni, someone astray …

Al-Albaani: If you were to remove the term ‘loyalty and disavowal [al-Walaa wal-Baraa],’ from your question, do you think the question still holds? Because I see that a connection which holds the question together cannot be found if you remove the term ‘loyalty and disavowal?’

Questioner: No, it does not hold.

Al-Albaani: Why … I then don’t understand the question, because the completion of your question …

Questioner: Loyalty … so, the question … it’s as though it is worded incorrectly, in the negative, I mean disavowal …

Al-Albaani: Let us repeat the question. What is the question that is connected to [the term] disavowal, is it permissible for a Muslim to what?

Questioner: That, ya’ni, he starts from the person …

Al-Albaani: Now it’s clear.

Questioner: … from the action, the basis is for him to start from the action … but from a person, [his question is jumbled and not clear, he is saying that if you want to boycott someone you boycott him for the action not because of him personally, so you say the action is misguidance etc., and then afterwards based upon that that the person is misguided etc.] ya’ni, who is involved in this action before the proof being established against him, whether he is a non-Muslim or [a Muslim but] from other than Ahlus-Sunnah.

Al-Albaani: Now the question is clear. After this clarification, maybe we can replace the term, ‘disavowal,’ with another word which will make the question aimed at clearer, i.e., ‘disassociation or boycotting,’ is this correct do you think, so I can go on to answer?

Questioner: Disassociation?

Al-Albaani: Yes, i.e., ‘Is it permissible for a Muslim to disassociate [himself] from a non-Muslim and not deal with him and to boycott him, [and] is it permissible for a Muslim to disassociate [himself] from an openly sinning Muslim who does not practice, [is it allowed for the practicing Muslim to] act upon Islaam and boycott him?’ This is what is intended from the question or something else?

Questioner: Warning, ya’ni, against him.

Al-Albaani: What?

Questioner: Warning against him and his da’wah.

Al-Albaani: Warning against him, does this warning against him necessitate cutting off and boycotting him? Say [in response to this question I just asked], ‘Of course,’ or should he maintain communication and then warn against him? Namely, the question must be clarified until we can come to know the answer.

Questioner: … so that I understand …

Al-Albaani: I’m saying, a person is warning against another, does he maintain relations with him or boycott him?

Questioner: He boycotts him.

Al-Albaani: Okay, so there is a correlation, the two issues are linked, after this clarification I now say that I can tackle the answer to the question.

Amongst our problems in this day and age is that we deal with issues based upon emotion.

[What] I want to say is that lots of the youth today who are enthusiastic about their Islaam, their religion, deal with some critical/complex fiqh issues in a manner based upon [their] emotions for Islaam … dealing with [those issues] in a manner not accompanied by knowledge drawn from the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the Pious Predecessors.

I believe that a question such as this, i.e., warning … cutting off … boycotting … loyalty and disavowal … these are issues that are connected to a strong Islamic society which is capable of, firstly, implementing issues such as these and secondly, is capable of benefitting from their outcome.

So now, it is not necessary/a prerequisite that [such a] warning is coupled with ostracism or boycotting in this day and age, but as for when our society is an Islamic one then all of these issues must be brought together. Nowadays, for example, there is a very clear example [which I will give you] …

The next post.

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February 28, 2013

Shaikh ’Abdul-Muhsin al-’Abbaad’s Obituary of Al-Albaani

Shaikh ’Abdul-Muhsin al-’Abbaad said, “All praise is due to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds, and may He praise and send peace upon His Slave and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad and upon his Family and all of his Companions.

As for what follows:

We remember the statement of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم in the hadith whose authenticity is agreed upon, reported from ’Abdullah ibn ’Amr ibn al-’Aas, may Allaah be pleased with them both, that the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Verily, Allaah does not take away knowledge by snatching it, snatching it from men’s hearts, but He takes away knowledge through the death of the scholars.” This noble hadith shows the importance of knowledge and the greatness of the rank of the scholars, and that losing them and their going away [through death] is nothing but a taking away of knowledge, and that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, does not take it away from the hearts of men whereby a person has it and then becomes someone who does not, but He takes it away through the death of the scholars, and he has said, عليه الصلاة والسلام, “And indeed the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. And verily the Prophets do not leave behind a dinar or a dirham for inheritance–but rather they leave behind knowledge. So whoever takes hold of it, has acquired a copious share.”

This is the rank of the scholars, and this is the status of the scholars who the Chosen Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم described as being inheritors of the Prophets.

And how excellent an inheritance it is–beneficial knowledge: legislated knowledge taken from the Book of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, because this is true knowledge, that of the Book and the Sunnah.

And as is known and mentioned in the statements of some of the people of knowledge: the passing of the scholars is an occasion of a gap in the Religion and a loss for the Muslims when those scholars who are referred to, who are benefitted from, who direct and give insight and enlighten them, leave, indeed that is a huge loss for the people.

And from that which has taken place in the last few days is the passing of the formidable scholar, the illustrious Hadith authority, the ’Allaamah, the Shaikh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him and forgive him.

He was, truly, a magnificent scholar and well-known Hadith authority, who made enormous efforts in serving the Sunnah and in protecting the Hadith of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and clarifying the sources of those hadiths and the books that mentioned them, and clarifying their grading in terms of authenticity and weakness.

From those books [which Shaikh al-Albaani gave tremendous attention to] is the very book that we study [i.e., which Shaikh ’Abbaad teaches in the Prophet’s Mosque], Sunan Abu Dawud, for he expended great effort on it and others, devoting his attention to mentioning what he declared to be authentic and weak. So his efforts are enormous, and his service to the Sunnah distinguished and the student of knowledge cannot do without referring back to his books and his works, for verily there is abundant good in them, and profuse knowledge.

The passing of a scholar like this is in reality a loss and calamity upon the Muslims, and we ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to whom belongs what He took and what He gave to replace [the loss] with good for the Muslims, and to grant them success to attain that in which lies their well-being and happiness, and that He aids the students of knowledge to give due attention to attain, seek, and become acquainted with it, indeed, He, the One free of all defects and the Most High, is Munificent, Generous.

And as is known, his books are great and renowned, and the majority of libraries will not be devoid of them or some of them, for they are in the tens, some large, others small and some medium in size.

In short, the passing of such a scholar, may Allaah have mercy on him, is a great loss for the Muslims, so we ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to replace [it] with good for them, and that He aids the students of knowledge to acquire beneficial knowledge and action upon that knowledge, indeed, He, the One free of all defects and the Most High, is Munificent, Generous.

And even though he, may Allaah have mercy on him, had some opinions which we regard as being mistakes, they are however obscure in the sea, or seas, of that which he was correct in and [are overwhelmed] by the good and benefit he brought about for the Muslims in serving the Sunnah of al-Mustafaa, صلوات الله وسلامه وبركاته عليه. We regard those issues that emanated from him to be mistakes in which he strove to come to a legislated ruling [mujtahid] and [thus] he will be rewarded for his ijtihaad, but let that not make a person belittle or make slight of his vast knowledge, of his copious knowledge, of his tremendous service, of his massive benefit–for he, in truth, is from the unique scholars of this time and from those who have made strenuous efforts in the service of the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

In the first half of this year, 1420 AH [1999 CE], the Muslims lost a great scholar, a Rabbaani scholar, we regard him as such based upon what is apparent to us and we entrust the reality of his situation and ending to Allaah, and that [scholar] was his excellency, the Shaikh, the ’Allaamah ’Abdul-’Aziz ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, and in the second quarter of the same year this great scholar, the famous muhaddith, the Shaikh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani passed away, may Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, have mercy on him. And in between [the time of] both of their deaths, the Shaikh ’Atiyyah Muhammad Saalim, may Allaah have mercy on him, who used to teach in the Prophet’s Mosque, passed away. So we have lost these three scholars and we ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to forgive all of them, to overlook their sins and to raise their ranks.

Indeed these two scholars, in our opinion, are from the major, expert, investigative scholars who had a superior concern and resolute determination [in serving the Sunnah] and abundant good came about at their hands, huge benefit came to Islaam and the Muslims because of them–so may Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, reward them with the best reward, forgive them, overlook their sins, and seal all of our deaths with a blissful ending, indeed He, the One free of all defects and the Most High, is Munificent, Generous.”

Al-Asaalah Magazine, no. 23, pp. 13-14.

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January 25, 2013

Is it Allowed to Perform Ruqya on Someone Possessed by a Jinn Through a Cassette Recording?

Questioner: Is it allowed to perform ruqya [reciting aayahs/supplications on someone who is poisoned/possessed by Jinn, etc.] through a cassette?

Al-Albaani: Is it allowed to perform ruqya what?

Questioner: … through a cassette?

Al-Albaani: … through a cassette?

Questioner: Cassette.

Al-Albaani: … cassette.

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albaani: Is the adhaan allowed? Is the iqaamah allowed [through a cassette]? If you are in doubt such that I should answer you [I will], and if you know that the answer is that it is not allowed [to call the adhaan or iqaamah using a cassette] then the answer is the same [concerning ruqya]–it is not allowed.

For this reason I said on some occasions that I think, and Allaah knows best if the report is true, that sometimes a single [unified] adhaan is played on tape–if this report is true [and people are actually doing that] then I say that I fear a day will come when the people will pray behind a cassette [recording].

Al-Huda wan-Noor, 616.

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January 25, 2013

When Does a Person Know that He can Reach the Ability of Making a Ruling Concerning a Hadith?

Questioner: When does a person know that he can reach the ability of making a ruling concerning a hadith?

Al-Albaani: This is an important question. He will know that when he puts his research and personal statements before those of the people of knowledge of old whose statements have been penned down in their books–and finds that in the majority of cases he is in agreement with them. This is from one angle.

From another angle [is that he] finds that the people of knowledge value his knowledge and ijtihaad, and that they do not regard him, as we just said, as yet unqualified to prop himself up as someone who authenticates [hadiths] and declares them to be weak.

In other words: a person should be distant from being deceived by his knowledge. And it is in the nature of many people not to see their own faults but to see those of others, for this reason he should seek the aid of those people of knowledge who are around him, and thus see his faults through them, as [the Prophet] صلى الله عليه وسلم indicated in the well-known hadith, ‘The believer is his brother’s mirror.’ [As-Saheehah, no. 926, hasan]

A believer truly sees his mistakes and faults through others.

And he should seek the help of the people of knowledge in order to know whether or not he is worthy of researching or performing ijtihaad–whether that be concerning declaring matters of knowledge authentic or weak or whether that be concerning issuing religious verdicts in fiqh issues.

Al-Fataawa al-Kuwaitiyyah, pp. 83-84.

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January 23, 2013

Is it Correct that We will See the Jinn on the Day of Resurrection but They will not See us?

Questioner: Is it correct that we will see the Jinn on the Day of Resurrection but they will not see us, i.e., the opposite of how it is in the dunyaa?

Al-Albaani: That is not correct.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 326.

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January 23, 2013

Is it Possible for One’s Qareen to Become Visible?

Questioner: Everyone has a [jinn] companion [qareen], is it possible for the qareen to become visible to the eye [whether in their] true form or another?

Al-Albaani: Allaah knows best. It is possible that the jinn can manifest itself in different forms, this is something unequivocal. As for the question [specifically] about the qareen [assigned to every individual] then I don’t have an answer, since nothing has been reported to us in this regard.

Questioner: Is it true or [just something] imaginary that after a person is murdered it [i.e., his qareen] becomes visible?

Al-Albaani: No, that’s a myth.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 215.

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January 23, 2013

Is it Possible for a Person to See his Jinn?

Questioner: Is it possible for a person to see his jinn?

Al-Albaani: No, it is not possible.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 323.

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January 6, 2013

The Descent of Jesus عليه السلام

“It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “How will you be when the Son of Mary descends among you and you are led by one from among you?” I said to Ibn Abî Dhi’b, ‘Al-Awzaa’i narrated to us from Az-Zuhri, from Naafi, from Abu Hurairah, “And your Imaam is one of you.” Ibn Abi Dhi’b said. “Do you know what, ‘You are led by one from among you,’ means?” I [i.e., al-Walid ibn Muslim, one of the narrators] said, “Tell me.” He said, “He will lead you according to the Book of your Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, and the Sunnah of your Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.”” [Muslim]

Shaikh al-Albaani said, “This is forthright concerning the fact that Jesus عليه السلام will rule according to our legislation, and will judge according to the Book and the Sunnah, not with something other than these two [sources, whether that be from] the Injeel or Hanafi Fiqh or things like it!”

Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim, p. 543.

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December 12, 2012

None of the Companions said, ‘I’m a Bakri … I’m an Umari …’

“When the Companions came across an issue for which they didn’t know the ruling, they would ask Abu Bakr [about it] when they met him, they would ask Umar, they would ask Ibn Mas’ood and so on. There wasn’t anyone among them who would say, ‘I’m a Bakri,’ i.e., I don’t believe in anything except Abu Bakr’s knowledge, or, ‘I’m an Umari! I don’t believe in anything except Umar’s knowledge!’

Rather, they would ask whoever amongst them was from the people of the message [Ahlul-dhikr]—and this is how it is fitting that the course of action should be, for all good is in following the Salaf and all evil is in the innovations of those who came later [the khalaf].

When the affair became one of partisanship [hizbiyyah] to a school of thought, each person became partisan to an Imaam and fanatical towards him.”

Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor, 1/219.

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December 9, 2012

Al-Albaani and Fame

Shaikh Abu Islaam Saalih Taa Haa said, “A man one day invited the Shaikh to visit him in his house and announced the visit on some media outlets and so a large number of people gathered to see the Shaikh and listen to him. When the Shaikh came to know of that he refused to go to the invite. I later asked him about his reason for not going, and he said, ‘Showing off destroys a person.’

Al-Aqeedah Awwalan Law Kanu Ya’lamun, pp. 14-15.

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December 8, 2012

‘This is a Gift Which No-one Except al-Albaani will Give to You.’

Shaikh Abu Islaam Saalih Taa Haa said, “He used to teach us humbleness, and an example of his humility and fine behaviour towards me is that many times he would visit us after Fajr prayer and would bring a modest gift with him, may Allaah have mercy on him, and sometimes say, jokingly, ‘This is a gift which no-one except al-Albaani will give to you,’ due to [both] the modest nature of the gift and his [own] modesty.”

Al-Aqeedah Awwalan Law Kanu Ya’lamun, p. 22.

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December 6, 2012

Al-Albaani and Turning up on Time

Shaikh Abu Islaam Saalih Taa Haa said, “Shaikh al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him, used to teach us to be precise for appointments. An example of that is when I would invite him to visit me or if I accompanied him to an invite, he, may Allaah have mercy on him, would not turn up late or early for the set engagement.

Once I invited him over at 1 pm and he arrived in his car before that by a quarter of an hour, and remained seated in it and did not get out until the time was due … I was not aware of the Shaikh’s presence, it was the people who accompanied him who told me about that [later]. When I asked the Shaikh about that, he said, ‘Because before the [set] time you’re busy preparing for the guest’s arrival at [that] specified time … if we were to come in before it, we’d divert you from your preparation for your guests.’

So may Allaah have mercy on our Shaikh, how precise his understanding was! And how keen he was to act upon the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

And when he, may Allaah have mercy on him, was invited to a place he would not take anyone with him unless the host had permitted him to. One time I invited him saying, ‘Our Shaikh! I invite you to lunch with me tomorrow,’ and by that I meant him and his wife, Umm al-Fadl. The next day he came alone so I said to him, ‘Where is Umm al-Fadl?’ So he replied, ‘You didn’t mention to me that I should bring Umm al-Fadl with me. And we stick to being precise in what is said.’”

Al-Aqeedah Awwalan Law Kanu Ya’lamun, pp. 17-18.

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December 5, 2012

“We Are Not Controllers Over the People.”

The Imaam said, “From our Salafi aqidah is that we do not hold [that we have a] legislative authority over the people [Ed. Note: i.e., to force them to take our opinion], for indeed Allaah said to His Messenger, “You are not a dictator over them,” [Ghaashiyah 88:22] so we are not controllers over the people. But we say that statement mentioned by some callers, ‘Say your piece and go.’

You do not have authority with a sword, making the people follow your opinion, but rather with the true principle [that], ‘The truth is clear and falsehood defective,’ so we make clear our statement.

And of a surety, as is the case with the most true statement on the face of the earth, i.e., ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah,’—have all the people adopted it? No. So it is even more the case that the people will not adopt a [certain] opinion of this scholar or that.”

Aaraa’ul-Imaam al-Albaani at-Tarbawiyyah, p. 118.

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November 30, 2012

Al-Albaani’s Goal in Life

The Imaam said, “And in reality, my entire goal in this life–after carrying out the obligatory duties and rights that Allaah has made incumbent upon me–is but to acquaint the Muslims with the accurate biography [seerah] of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم from every aspect as far as I am able, by teaching [them], lecturing and writing, and to urge them to take him as the definitive example for themselves, as Allaah the Most High has asked them to, as occurs in His Saying:

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allaah an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allaah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allaah much.” [Al-Ahzaab 33:21]

And in that lies their happiness in this world and the Hereafter.”

Bidaayatus-Sool fi Tafdeelir-Rasool, p. 7.

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September 6, 2012

Hizbiyyah That Resembles Taking Rabbis and Monks as Lords Besides Allaah

The Imaam said, “And it has reached the extent that one of those factions [hizbs] made it obligatory on all its members to adopt any opinion the hizb adopts, whatever that opinion maybe–even if it has no value from an Islamic point of view–and if that individual is not convinced with a particular opinion of the hizb, he is excommunicated and is not regarded as being part of the hizb, [a hizb] which calls itself a [so called], ‘Islamic’ one.

And what that means is that they are going back to what resembles the Jews and the Christians when they follow whatever their rabbis and monks make halaal or haram, for indeed Allaah, the Most High, has said, “They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allaah and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God–there is no deity [who has the right to be worshipped] except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.”” [Tawbah 9:31]

Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor, 1/320.

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September 5, 2012

A Lovely Letter From Ibn Baaz to Al-Albaani

In the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

From Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz to the honourable, revered brother, the eminent Shaikh, Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani, may Allaah grant him success.

Salaamun alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu.

As for what follows:

Your amicable letter reached me through Shaikh Muhammad ibn Naasir al-Aboodi, may Allaah bestow His Guidance upon you and it pleased me greatly due to its informing me of your good health and the fact that you are continuing to write and teach and call to Allaah, all praise is due to Allaah for that, and I ask Him, the Most High, to give you even more success and that He grants you continued vigour to do everything that benefits the Muslims, indeed He is Most Gracious, Most Generous.

Just as I was also pleased at your completion of the summarisation of the Saheeh of Imaam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaaj and your resolve to summarise the Saheeh of Imaam al-Bukhaari whilst paying attention to the [core] meanings and without their being any detriment to it, I ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to give you the good that you hope for, and that He helps you in everything in which there is good for the Muslims and in which lies their deliverance in this world and the next.

There is no doubt that the people of knowledge are in need of a summary of the Saheeh of Imaam al-Bukhaari whilst paying attention to [preserving] the [core] meanings, but that requires a huge effort and a long time, so if that [task] does not disrupt you from doing what is more important like directing [the people], teaching, da’wah and writing against innovations and superstitions/myths, and making authentic hadiths clear from the weak–then there is no harm in that.

In any case, my advice to your eminence is to fear Allaah in all matters and to seek His Guidance [istikhaarah], subhaanah, concerning this lofty project and to seek the counsel of those whose knowledge and advice you trust, and then if you are pleased with that then seek Allaah’s Aid and act–and [we] ask Allaah to grant you what is correct, and [to grant you] support and facilitation, and that He makes us and you and all of our brothers callers to guidance, helpers of the truth, indeed He is All-Hearing, the One who is Near, and we will spare no effort, inshaa Allaah, in seeking the help of some of those who love good to undertake the printing of your summary of Saheeh Muslim, and I will inform you of what comes of that, inshaa Allaah.

As for volumes nine, ten and eleven of Fathul-Baari, then we have taken them from Shaikh Muhammad Abdul-Muhsin al-Kutbi, and they will reach you, inshaa Allaah, via some of the students.

And the one who loves you [i.e., Shaikh Ibn Baaz is referring to himself as someone who loves Shaikh al-Albaani] is ready to provide every necessity and [fulfil every] need that he is able to, may Allaah make me and you from those who love each other for His Sake until the time we meet Him, subhaanah, and I hope that my greeting of salaam be conveyed to [my] sons [i.e., the youth] , and the notable Shaikhs and brothers especially Shaikh Zuhair, just as all the sons, Shaikhs and brothers amongst us are fine and in good health.

Was-salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu.

PS. We have made a copy of Kitaabus-Sunnah of Ibn Abi Aasim with costs covered by the esteemed sir, Hasan ash-Sharbatli, and we indicated to him that a [fair] amount be printed, and he agreed to that.

We attained a manuscript of the aforementioned book and Shaikh Hammaad al-Ansaari, the one whom all love, informed me that it is written in a good [clear] script, so we borrowed it from its owner, and saw fit that two copies be sent to your eminence to correct, check and annotate after you tell us how much [monetary] compensation you deem to be appropriate for this project so that we can inform ash-Sharbatli about that and get his approval.

We have handed over the two books to Shaikh Ameen Lutfi to pass on to your eminence, and we are waiting for a speedy response from you concerning this issue.

Shaikh Zuhair mentioned to me that he has decided to print the aforementioned book and so I would hope that contact be made with him and that he be informed, so that I can [then] be notified of both of your opinions regarding that, for I fear that he may have a specific opinion concerning the topic since he has resolved to print the book.

And I ask Allaah to grant everyone the success to do what pleases Him.

Wa sallallaahu alaa Nabiyyinaa Muhammad wa Aalihi wa Sahbihi wa sallam.

29/3/1390ah [4/6/1970ce]

Ar-Rasaa’il al-Mutabaadilah Bainash-Shaikh Ibn Baaz wal-Ulemaa,pp. 53-54.

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September 2, 2012

Correspondence Between the Two Imaams, Al-Albaani and Ibn Baaz | A Letter Concerning the Printing of Fathul-Baari

In the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

From Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani, to His Eminence, Shaikh Abdul-Aziz ibn Baaz

Wa alaikum as-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu.

So I praise Allaah, besides whom none has the right to be worshipped, [mentioning this praise] to you and I ask Him to continue to give us and you His Blessings, both hidden and apparent.

As for what follows:

I received your [most] gracious letter dated 20^th Shawwaal 1378ah [29/4/1959ce] some time ago and through it came to understand your resolve to print a new edition of Fathul-Baari. I thank you for the good opinion you have of your brother in that you nominated me to carry out the checking of the copy being prepared for publishing, and to compare it to other printed copies and manuscripts.

But I feel you should excuse me from that [duty] and charge it to someone else, for no other reason than the fact that I think it is more appropriate if I were to [instead] spend the time that that crucial work would demand by doing what is in dire need of my specialty [like] aiding the Sunnah by distinguishing between its authentic and weak hadiths and deriving rulings and understanding them.

For this reason I propose you look at the following suggestions:

That you ask someone to send the final draft [[fascicle] to me] after it has been corrected and prepared for print so that I can take a quick look at it, perchance I may come across some mistakes and thus correct them, and so that I can make notes in some places which it appears to me are in need of being annotated, something which can be limited according to the following:

1) Pointing out an authentic hadith which the author declared to be weak, or which he kept silent about.

2) [Likewise] pointing out a weak hadith which the author declared to be strong, or which he kept silent about.

3) Declaring the truth which is in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah about those issues which the commentator mentioned in detail but concerning which he did not then go on to choose a particular statement as being the one closest to the truth.

4) Clarifying some areas that need elucidation, especially those that are connected to the Salafi creed and doing that not by way of examination and scrutiny, for that would require free time and a huge effort, but rather according to what is easy for me to do.

In short, I hold that publishing the explanation with these verifications is more beneficial for the people, especially when it has reached me from a reliable source that one of the Moroccan hadith scholars from the Sufis has also made preparations to print this book. And there is no doubt that he will annotate it with comments which will direct the readers to his misguidance and innovations, from which is his taking the hadith, ‘O Allaah, bless us in our Shaam …’ They said, ‘And our Najd, O Messenger of Allaah,’ He replied, ‘Earthquakes and trials/tribulations are there …’ the hadith, which he uses against our monotheistic brothers from Najd and he calls them, rather he labels them [derogatively] as, ‘Qarniyyin.’

And this hadith is in Bukhaari as you know, do you not see the need to comment on it and others like it whose reality the innovators turn away from, and which they exploit to refute the monotheists, and which they use as a support in causing the misguided Muslims to fall into polytheism [shirk]?

Thereafter, I will seize this opportunity to present some suggestions to you which are connected to the printing of the book so that it can be published in an elegant and pleasing fashion:

1) Mentioning the chapter in the middle of the line.

2) Numbering the chapters and sections in an ordinal fashion to narrow down the number of sections in each chapter, for that helps in benefitting from the index of Bukhaari as is done in the book Miftaah Kunooz as-Sunnah.

3) Numbering each hadith sequentially to the end of the book, and with that, the number of hadith of Bukhaari will become clear, placing the numbering at the start of the line.

4) Writing the title of the chapter in the middle of the exegesis.

5) Mentioning the chapter in a header on each page.

6) Clarifying the confusing parts of the explanation through the use of diacritical marks.

7) Publishing each volume in a number of [smaller] volumes as they finally did with Lisaanul-Arab and Tabaqaatul-Kubraa, making it easier for those who want to buy it to do so [i.e., instead of having to buy the whole collection in one go].

8) Covering each volume with an engraved, colour binding in the manner done with Lisaan and Tabaqaat.

This is what I saw fit to mention as suggestions.

And I ask Allaah, the Most High, to grant you the success to print the book in the most correct and perfect manner, and your reward is upon Allaah, the Blessed and Most High.

Was-Salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu and [may this greeting also go] to all of the Shaikhs, teachers and brothers with you.

Your brother,

Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani
Damascus
28/11/1378ah [5/6/1959ce]

Ar-Rasaa’il al-Mutabaadilah Bainash-Shaikh Ibn Baaz wal-Ulemaa,pp. 51-53.

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August 31, 2012

A Forgotten Sunnah: Two Units of Prayer After an Argument

From Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, in marfoo’ form, “The expiation for every argument/dispute is two units of prayer.”

As-Saheehah, vol. 4, p. 397.

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August 30, 2012

Seeking Refuge from The Fire and Asking for Paradise Seven Times a Day

From Abu Hurairah who said, “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘No servant seeks refuge from the Fire seven times in a day except that the Fire says, ‘O Lord! Indeed your servant, [called] so and so, has sought refuge with You from me, so grant him refuge. And no servant asks Allaah for Paradise seven times in a day except that Paradise says, ‘O Lord! Indeed your servant, [called] so and so, has asked for me, so make him enter Paradise.’’”

Shaikh al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “This hadith is authentic without doubt.

A point of benefit: Some people in Damascus and other places have made it a habit to seek refuge seven times as mentioned in the hadith loudly and in one voice after the morning prayer, and that is something which I know of no basis for in the pure Sunnah, and nor is this hadith suitable for them to draw upon [for saying it loudly and in unison] because it is unrestricted and is not limited to the morning prayer or the jamaa’ah, and it is not allowed to limit what the Wise Legislator has left unrestricted just as it is not allowed to make unlimited what He has restricted, for all of that is legislation which is specific to the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

So let whoever wants to act upon this hadith do so at any time of the night or day, before the prayer or after it—and that is a pure/unadulterated following [of the Sunnah] and pure sincerity, may Allaah the Blessed and Most High grant us it.”

As-Saheehah, vol. 6, pp. 22-23.

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August 28, 2012

Ibn Baaz: ‘We spent our time with the speech of the scholars of fiqh, and al-Albaani spent his time with the hadiths of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’

Shaikh Mashoor Hasan, may Allaah protect him, said, “A student of the Shaikh, the Allaamah, the Faqih of his time, Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, visited me, being very enthusiastic about meeting our Shaikh al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him. When I asked him why he was so eager, he said, ‘I heard my Shaikh, Shaikh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, saying:

‘We spent our time with the speech of the scholars of fiqh [the fuqahaa], and al-Albaani spent his time with the hadiths of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.’’”

From this tape, at 22:40.

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August 27, 2012

What is the Ruling Concerning Reading the Du’aa Upon Finishing the Recital of the Quraan Which is Printed at the End of Some Mushafs?

“Indeed the supplication printed at the end of some of the mushafs published in Turkey and other places with the title, ‘The Supplication for Completing [the Recital of] the Quraan,’ which is attributed to the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah the Most High have mercy on him, is something for which we do not know of any original source from Ibn Taymiyyah or any other scholar of Islaam.

And I didn’t like that it should be added to the end of the mushaf printed by Al-Maktab al-Islaami in Beirut in 1386ah [1966ce] under the donation of the Shaikh Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Abdullaah Aal-Thaani, may Allaah have mercy on him. And even though it was printed with the phrase, ‘Attributed to the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah,’ that will not [sufficiently] convey to the common folk the fact that its attribution to him is not correct, and we have been ordered to speak to the people in terms they can understand!

And there is no doubt that sticking to a particular supplication at the end of the recital of the Quraan is an innovation which is not permissible, due to the generality of the proofs, like his saying صلى الله عليه وسلم, ‘Every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire,’ and it is an innovation which Imaam ash-Shaatibi calls a, ‘secondary/supplementary innovation.’

And the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah is one of those furthest away from bringing forth such innovations, and how could he when, in his time and afterwards, the initial merit for reviving Sunnahs and killing innovations was his.

May Allaah reward him with good.”

Ad-Da’eefah, vol. 13, p. 315.

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August 27, 2012

Why Shouldn’t Allaah be Asked About What He Does?

“Because of Allaah, the Most High’s, Wisdom and Justice in His Judgements, it is not for anyone to ask about what He does, because all of His Judgements, the Most High, are unequivocally just, so there is no need to ask.”

As-Saheehah, vol. 1, p. 117.

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August 25, 2012

Al-Albaani’s Daughters Mentioning Their Father’s Answer to a Question About Memorising the Quraan

In their book, Hassaanah and Sukainah, the daughters of Shaikh al-Albaani said, “And our father, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, ‘If I have memorised a quarter of the Quraan and then I move on to the second quarter [but] I haven’t memorised the previous quarter properly, will I be sinful?’ So he replied, ‘You won’t be sinful inshaa Allaah, but you would not have responded appropriately to the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, “Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Quraan, for by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, it is more inclined to escape than a camel from its rope,” [Muslim] in this hadith is an encouragement to refresh one’s knowledge of the Quraan and to be persistent in reciting it, because it escapes from the breasts of men due to the loftiness of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic’s Speech and its exaltedness.’”

Ad-Daleel ilaa Ta’lim Kitaabil-Laahil-Jalil, vol.3, p. 127.

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August 24, 2012

Al-Albaani Destroys the Stance of One Salafi Trying to Impose His Opinion on Another Salafi

The Imaam said, “Your imposition on another to adopt your opinion whilst he is not convinced of it negates one of the principles of the Salafi da’wah—which is that judgement [Haakimiyyah] is for Allaah Alone, and I reminded him of the Most High’s Statement about the Christians, ‘They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allaah,’ [Tawbah 8:31] thus it is enough for you that each one of you remains on his opinion—since neither one of you is convinced of the other’s—and that you should not declare him to be misguided, as he should not declare you to be misguided, and through that it is possible for you to continue cooperating with him in those principles of the da’wah and their subsidiary issues that you are both agreed upon.”

As-Saheehah, vol. 6, p. 30.

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