Answered by al-'Allaamah Rabee' Ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee

Review:

In the Summer of 2000, Khalid Ibnul-Waleed Masjid invited the qutbee, Adnaan `Ar’oor to Toronto in addition to Muhammad al-Jibaalee and Bilaal Philips. With the intention of safeguarding the Muslim community against the harm of the enemies of the sunnah such as `Ar’oor, the da’wah centre distributed a tape refuting ‘Ar’oor with 13 Scholars exposing his errors. The tape was presented to the Imaam of the masjid Basheer Shill, the administration and the bookstore.

The Fitnah surrounding the Adnaan `Ar'oor visit to Toronto

Since this tape clearly exposed `Ar’oor as the Shaytaan that he is (note: we call him Shaytaan since an alim has preceded us in this statement as one will hear on the tape) and incriminated the masjid as an affiliate of hizbiyyah (partisanship) and qutubiyyah, the spin-doctors of the masjid began to respond with lies and fabrications in order to delude the people from truth. Stated Afraaz Baksh upon the minbar, “...Where are the people who are distributing tapes and statements as if this is the da’wah and what they should be doing.” [note: Yes Baksh, you who aided the shaytaan, Adnaan `Ar'oor. This is what the salafiyyeen should be doing when they see a masjid in the city that falsely claims salafiyyah deluding people away from the truth and the insightful speech of the Scholars!]

This feeble khutbah aimed at pulling the wool over the eyes of the Muslims wasn’t enough. The masjid then began to present to the community with ancient taskiyyaat (recommendations) from Imaam al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) praising `Ar’oor in addition to praiseworthy commentary by Imaam Ibn Baaz (rahimahullaah). For most people, their taqleed (blind-following) and hizbiyyah (partisanship) of the masjid was enough to reject any speech from outside the realm of Basheer Shill/Afraaz Baksh and whomever they recommend. For others, the old ta’deel (praise) from Imaam al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) confused them greatly since they didn’t understand the principles of Jarh wat-Ta’deel. The community in general didn’t understand what to do in a situation where there is an old, general praise and a new criticism of the same man, so most of them sided with the majority rather than looking to the Scholars.  A brother stated, “they have a proof and you have a proof”, another stated, ‘they have Imaam al-Albaanee and you have Shaykh Rabee’, I am with al-Albaanee’. 

Ironically, Usaamah al-Qoosee personally warned Basheer Shill, the Imaam of the masjid not to bring the qutbee shaytaan, Adnaan `Ar’oor. Nonetheless, this abominable conference took place despite the advice of Shaykh al-Qoosee, the taped refutation of 13 Scholars of Arabia refuting `Ar’oor and the plea to the masjid to contact the ‘Ulamaa before proceeding.

In light of the `Ar'oor Conference continuing to take place, a brother contacted the noble shaykh, al-‘Allaamah Rabee’ Ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee. The one whom Imaam al-Albaanee praised as ‘The Imaam of Jahr wat-Ta’deel’. The noble Shaykh was presented the following questions regarding `Ar’oor and the masjid that invited him:

[Q1]: ‘O Shaykh, with regards to the brother Adnaan `Ar’oor, is it true that he took back his statements?

[Q2]: ‘O Shaykh, what is your advice to the brothers who will invite him to this community? They are aware of the tapes from the ‘Ulamaa that refuted him (`Ar’oor).

[Q3]: ‘O Shaykh, with regards to the people here in Toronto (some of them), they play down the word ‘Jarh wat-Ta’deel’ (disparaging and confirming the reliability of men) and they show animosity to anyone who transmits statements from the Scholars when they warn against certain people. Also, what do you advise to the people who say ‘if a person who is Salafee falls into some errors, then we are all humans who fall into error’ (referring to the likes of `Ar’oor and other callers to innovation)?

[Q4]: As regards to some callers who used to call to salafiyyah, then they split when they refused to take a position of opposition to Adnaan `Ar’oor or Aboo Muslimah for example. They began opposing the Scholars with their actions and by refusing to take a position in opposition to them (callers to bid’ah) and by refusing not to sell their tapes. They say there is no harm to sell their tapes. As for those who transmit the statements of the scholars such as Shaykh Rabee’ or Shaykh Muqbil (rahimahullaah) refuting those people who were warned against, they say ‘this person has hardness in his heart, this is back-biting, why don’t we spend time rectifying ourselves first’.

[Q5]: Some brothers say, ‘Why do you ask Shaykh Rabee’ only, why not ask the assembly of major scholars in Saudi Arabia?’

[Q6]: Right now Aboo Muslimah’s mistakes have been pointed out but some brothers say, ‘why can’t we listen to his other tapes on hijab…?’. 

[Q7]: We shouldn’t listen to a tape (i.e. by Aboo Muslimah) that even Salaat (is is the topic)...?

Please listen to the audio for the answers.

Why was there such confusion in the community?

The lack of understanding of manhaj in the community is a direct result of the ongoing plots of the masjid to guise their hizbiyyah and to disconnect the people from the Scholars as this would certainly expose countless errors and remove the taqleed (blind-following) of Basheer Shill as a Scholar. Whenever anyone dares to ask questions related to manhaj, they are often told to concern themselves with ibaadah and taqwaa thus subtly indoctrinating the people with the Ikwaanee principle of ‘working together in the good’ and leaving off refutation entirely. This false principle was recently exposed by al-‘Allaamah Zayd al-Madkhalee in his response the Basheer Shill’s statement, “The Refutation of so and so, the refutation of so and so, the refutation of so and so, this takes one away from the religion of Allaah.” This qutubee brainwashing has left the majority of the community feeling that the da’wah centre is a refutation centre filled with hatred, obsessed with refutation and devoid of knowledge of the usool. In addition, the embellishment of al-Qoosee’s ignorant and unjust statement praising Shill as the muhaddith of Canada by the likes of Afraaz Baksh has left the community confident that they are in the presence of a true Scholar in Basheer Shill.

We ask those who have doubts about this masjid to carefully examine the statements of al-‘Allaamah Rabee Ibn Haadee regarding `Ar’oor, the statements of al-‘Allaamah Zayd al-Madkhalee and the statements of the late Imaam Muqbil Ibn Haadee which are to follow. We will continue to make the affair of this masjid and its mouthpieces known to the people as this is necessary to defend the sunnah and to defend salafiyyah. This is not an attack as some claim rather this is a defence of the haqq, it is those who attack and detach themselves from the scholars, propagating the speech and books of Ahlul-Bid’ah who are the attackers. Rather, we are defending the sunnah and connecting the community to the Scholars.

We ask Allaah to guide the community to that which is correct, ameen.