Advice on Self-Purification and to be Gentle With the People
Question:
"We have some brothers who studied for some time, but they didn’t work on self-purification. So they used their knowledge to show off and to look down on others. And they are quick in refuting others and they are one of main reasons for making others run away from the Salafi Manhaj. What is your advice to them?"
Answer:
"The Shaykh said: “first of all, my advise to those people is that Salafiyyah is not a claim that is claimed upon the tongue. Rather it is something that has to be followed up by actions. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم informed that this Ummah would split into 73 sects and that all of them would be in the Hellfire except one, he was asked, “and which is that one, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “That which I am upon and my Companions”.[1] So the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم informed that this Saved Sect, the one that will be saved from the Fire, they are the Salafus Saalih, the righteous predecessors. They are the ones who were upon that which the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم and his Companions were on. So we have to go back and look at that which the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was upon as it relates to his ‘aqeedah (belief system), as it relates to his worship, as it relates to his transactions and interactions. What was he upon? Then likewise, we look at what the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم were upon in those previously mentioned affairs.”
Then the Shaykh went on to say: “and also we need to look at what Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said to His Messenger. He said this to His Messenger, as His Messenger is the best of examples. He says as it comes in Soorah Aali ‘Imraan,
{And by the Mercy of Allaah, you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allaah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allaah, certainly, Allaah loves those who put their trust (in Him).} [Aali ‘Imraan 3:159]
So here we see that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has prohibited His Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم from evil character and He let His Messenger know that if he was evil, harsh and hardhearted they would have left from around him. So if the person is truly upon Salafiyyah, then he is upon that which the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم was upon from good characteristics, from gentleness, from leniency. And as you had mentioned in the question, some people have been made to leave the manhaj as-saheeh (the correct methodology), or they have been repelled from this manhaj, from that which they find from people from harshness and so on and so forth, then this is indeed in opposition to the Book of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم. Meaning that, that characteristic that they find from some of the Salafis, these characteristics are in opposition to what we find in the Book and the Sunnah and likewise, what the Salaf of this ummah were upon رحمهم الله.
Also, we need to look at the example of the one who was harsh and hard and stern when he came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم, and he grabbed him. He said, “Yaa Muhammad, give me from that which Allaah has given you”. So the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم they wanted to deal with this individual and the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم prevented them from doing so.[2] Even though he was the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم and this man had done what he had done to him, the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم prevented them from doing anything to this man. So whoever claims to be Salafi, then it is upon him to be patient and it is upon him to persevere and it is upon him to have forbearance. And it is upon him to guide the people to that which is good, so these callers themselves can be an example to those they are calling.”
[1] Reported by At-Tirmidhee 5/26 (#2641), Shaikh Al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) says Hasan in Jaami’ as-Sagheer (#5343)
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree in Kitaab al-Libaas (#5472) and Muslim in Kitaab az-Zakaat (#1057)
Shaykh 'Alee bin Naasir al-Faqeehee, may Allah preserve him
Translated by Albaseerah.org.
Source: Questions and Answers Session, delivered on the 7th of May, 2005. [Click here for a screenshot in PDF format]
Use the player below or download the MP3 here.
"We have some brothers who studied for some time, but they didn’t work on self-purification. So they used their knowledge to show off and to look down on others. And they are quick in refuting others and they are one of main reasons for making others run away from the Salafi Manhaj. What is your advice to them?"
Answer:
"The Shaykh said: “first of all, my advise to those people is that Salafiyyah is not a claim that is claimed upon the tongue. Rather it is something that has to be followed up by actions. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم informed that this Ummah would split into 73 sects and that all of them would be in the Hellfire except one, he was asked, “and which is that one, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “That which I am upon and my Companions”.[1] So the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم informed that this Saved Sect, the one that will be saved from the Fire, they are the Salafus Saalih, the righteous predecessors. They are the ones who were upon that which the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم and his Companions were on. So we have to go back and look at that which the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was upon as it relates to his ‘aqeedah (belief system), as it relates to his worship, as it relates to his transactions and interactions. What was he upon? Then likewise, we look at what the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم were upon in those previously mentioned affairs.”
Then the Shaykh went on to say: “and also we need to look at what Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said to His Messenger. He said this to His Messenger, as His Messenger is the best of examples. He says as it comes in Soorah Aali ‘Imraan,
{And by the Mercy of Allaah, you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allaah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allaah, certainly, Allaah loves those who put their trust (in Him).} [Aali ‘Imraan 3:159]
So here we see that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has prohibited His Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم from evil character and He let His Messenger know that if he was evil, harsh and hardhearted they would have left from around him. So if the person is truly upon Salafiyyah, then he is upon that which the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم was upon from good characteristics, from gentleness, from leniency. And as you had mentioned in the question, some people have been made to leave the manhaj as-saheeh (the correct methodology), or they have been repelled from this manhaj, from that which they find from people from harshness and so on and so forth, then this is indeed in opposition to the Book of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم. Meaning that, that characteristic that they find from some of the Salafis, these characteristics are in opposition to what we find in the Book and the Sunnah and likewise, what the Salaf of this ummah were upon رحمهم الله.
Also, we need to look at the example of the one who was harsh and hard and stern when he came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم, and he grabbed him. He said, “Yaa Muhammad, give me from that which Allaah has given you”. So the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم they wanted to deal with this individual and the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم prevented them from doing so.[2] Even though he was the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم and this man had done what he had done to him, the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم prevented them from doing anything to this man. So whoever claims to be Salafi, then it is upon him to be patient and it is upon him to persevere and it is upon him to have forbearance. And it is upon him to guide the people to that which is good, so these callers themselves can be an example to those they are calling.”
[1] Reported by At-Tirmidhee 5/26 (#2641), Shaikh Al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) says Hasan in Jaami’ as-Sagheer (#5343)
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree in Kitaab al-Libaas (#5472) and Muslim in Kitaab az-Zakaat (#1057)
Shaykh 'Alee bin Naasir al-Faqeehee, may Allah preserve him
Translated by Albaseerah.org.
Source: Questions and Answers Session, delivered on the 7th of May, 2005. [Click here for a screenshot in PDF format]
Use the player below or download the MP3 here.