And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein [by Our Knowledge]. [Remember!] that the two receivers [recording angels] receive [each human being after he or she has attained the age of puberty], one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions). Not a word does he [or she] utter, but there is a watcher by him ready [to record it]

In Defence of the Salafī Callers against Evil Suspicions

The Messenger (ﷺ) said: “A man might utter a word without thinking about its implications, but because of it, he will plunge into the Hellfire further than the distance between the east and west” (Reported by Bukhārī and Muslim).

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever can guarantee to me what is between his two lips (i.e. guarding the tongue from false speech) and what is between his two legs (i.e. guarding the private parts from fornication), I can guarantee for him Paradise” (Reported by Bukhārī).

This is enough of a reminder for such people of blameworthy envy and hatred.

Giving Assistance to Those Who Call to the Authentic Sunnah

Imām Barbahārī (raḥimahullāh) said: “Whoever realizes what the innovators have abandoned of the Sunnah and left behind and he clings to it, he is a person of the Sunnah and the Jamāʿah. He should be followed, helped and protected. He is one of those whom the Prophet (ﷺ) bequeathed should be looked after.”¹ Shaykh Ṣālīḥ al Fawzān (حفظه الله) commented saying: “That is [in the saying of the Messenger (ﷺ)]: ‘They are those upon that which I and my Companions are upon today.'”

He (ﷺ) advised that one should be with them, with this Jamāʿah, with this company of people, with this group; which is upon that which the Messenger (ﷺ) and his Companions were upon. However, this requires two affairs:

The First Affair Is: Knowledge; that we learn that which the Messenger (ﷺ) and his Companions were upon. As for the Jāhil, he does not learn whilst thinking that what the one in opposition is upon is what the Messenger was upon when that is not the case.

The Second Affair Is: To be firm upon that which the Messenger (ﷺ) and his Companions were upon; because the one who traverses upon the sunnah will receive grief, trouble, and intimidation from the people; but he must exercise patience and not turn away from the truth. He does not bargain (the truth) nor leaves anything of it; and for that reason, it has been reported about the one who holds upon his Religion at the end of time, that he is like one holding onto burning coal or prickles; due to what he will receive of hardship, grief, and trouble from the people. So he requires patience.²

A Reminder To The Ṭālib al-ʿIlm And Callers In The Various Marākiz Of Salafīyyah

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) said:

‘The greatest of reliance and trust in Allāh, is to have reliance and trust with regards to Hidāyah, and in actualizing Tawḥīd, and making ittibāʿ of the Messenger (ﷺ), and striving against the people of bāṭil. This is the Reliance and Trust of the Messengers, and in particular that of their followers’ (al-Fawāʾid. p.138)

Unity Leads to Safety and Happiness and Splitting Leads to Evil and Destruction

Imām Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al Wahhāb (raḥimahullāh) stated in Uṣūl al-Sitta:

The Second Principle: Allāh has commanded Unity in the Religion and He forbade splitting in it; so Allāh has clarified this with a clear clarification understood by the common people.

Shaykh Zayd ibn Hādī Al-Madkhalī (حفظه الله) commented saying:

I say: This is truth stated in the Book of Allāh, when He (Azza-Wa-Jal) said:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ‎﴿١٠٣﴾‏

‘And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allāh [i.e. this Qurʾān], and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allāh’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren [in Islamic Faith], and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it’
[Alī-ʿImrān, 3:103]

So Allāh has commanded holding onto His Rope, and it is the Firm Religion which the Book of the Lord of the Worlds and the Sunnah of the leader of the first and later Prophets [Muḥammad (ﷺ) came with. And Allāh forbade His Messenger from division in the Religion because it is the path of the Mushrikūn and the Innovators. As for those who have understanding in the Religion, from the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet; then indeed they unite upon all of the Religion and do not split; in compliance with the command given to them in the Revelation.

So unity upon the Clear Truth is the path of the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn, those who possessed the correct understanding of Allāh’s Magnificent Book and the Sunnah of the trustworthy Prophet (ﷺ). Splitting is the path of the people of innovation, those who are misguided and misguiding others; because they are the ones who bring about splitting as a result of deviating from the Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm.

Indeed, Allāh has commanded the Ummah as a whole to traverse a singular path, and that is the Ṣirāṭ Mustaqīm, and to be warned against the crooked paths, in his truthful saying:

وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ‎﴿١٥٣﴾‏

‘And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path’
[Al-Anʿām, 6:153].

As for the people of the Qurʾān, the Sunnah and correct understanding, they embrace this divine commandment in their hearts, tongues and with the actions of their limbs. They do not turn away from the straight line that leads to Allāh and His pleasure.

As for the people of innovation, then indeed they deviate from that straight line to the other lines on the right and the left, as reported by Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh (raḍī Allāhu ʿanhu) who said:

‘We were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ), so he drew a straight line in front of him and said, ‘this is Allāh’s path.’ He then drew lines on the right and left sides of this [straight line] and said, ‘these are the path of shayṭān.’ Then he placed his finger on the line in the middle and then recited this āyah:

وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ‎﴿١٥٣﴾‏

‘And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path’
[Al-Anʿām, 6:153].

Therefore, whoever takes hold of the middle line will be safe and happy, and whoever turns away from the middle line will traverse the deviated lines. He will fall to destruction in this worldly life, in the Barsakh and in the hereafter.³

وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ ‎﴿٤٠﴾‏

‘And he for whom Allāh has not appointed light, for him there is no light’
[Al-Nūr, 24:40].

Reminder Benefits the Believer

Shaykh Rabīʿ (حفظه الله) stated in his Introduction of ‘The Methodology Of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jamāʿah In Criticizing Individuals, Books And Groups’ However, the most dangerous of these (above) categories and the ones who produced the worst consequences were the people of innovation-the spiteful ones that are filled with hatred. This is since, by their plotting scheming and their camouflaging of themselves behind the cover of the Sunnah, they were able to penetrate every barrier. Thus, they managed to pour into every crack from these schools, universities and masājid. And they were able to create a group that carried their ideologies, whether all of it or some of it, and whether intentionally or unintentionally.

So this group – which they had trained and prepared according to the way they saw fit – began to form movements calling the people towards these ideologies in the universities, schools and elsewhere, and upheld it by becoming active in this place and that place.

And these were crucial and significant times in which the daʿwah (call) to Allāh had a great need for enthusiastic and active individuals that would raise its flag with firmness and conviction, fighting the enemies of falsehood, schemes and plots, and thus turning them back upon their heels in disgrace.

So then using the name of Salafīyyah and the names of justice and fairness, this group was able to present the innovators-those who wage war against the people of Sunnah and Tawḥīd in their own land-as ones who were oppressed.

So then using the name of Salafīyyah and the names of justice and fairness, this group was able to present the innovators-those who wage war against the people of Sunnah and Tawḥīd in their own land-as ones who were oppressed.

And corrupted the minds and the beliefs of many of the youth, distorting the image of the Salafī Manhaj and its adherents in the eyes of the youth. Then the figureheads within this group began calling toward a ‘New Methodology’ with regards to criticizing the methodologies, ideologies, books and individuals – and they claimed that this was the methodology that was just and fair. So many of the youth and those who wrote in their favour began to think that such was the correct way. Rather, they even claimed that it was the Methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jamāʿah and this spread and circulated in the writings of some of those who ascribed themselves to the Salaf.

And it had an effect on many of the youth, such that they accepted it and clung to it, thinking that it was the truth and that it was just. And then, unfortunately, that began to become deeply rooted in their hearts and they did not realize that this was a way of thinking that was foreign to Islām and Muslims. This view crept into them from their enemies in the same manner that other (deviant) ideologies had crept into Islamic Societies.

The effects of this methodology became clearly apparent in the conversations, debates, writing and attitudes of many of the youths and teachers.

So this methodology began to take firm root in the peoples hearts. And from its evil consequences, was that it weakened the Principles of Walāʾ wa-al-Barāʾ [Loyalty and Disassociation] to Allāh and for the sake of Allāh, and to the Methodology of Allāh and those who adhere to it-instead there became manifest the loyalty, love and esteem for the callers, books, ideologies and methodologies that were all far from the Salafī Manhaj, and for their people and not it’s people.

Rather, that became the main avenue used in fighting the salafi Manhaj and they changed it with strong determination so that it (the Manhaj) would be replaced from its original form, halting its progression in its tracks after its departure had already taken place. This (new) methodology had a great influence upon Writers who were one thought were from the best of the Salafīs and from virtuous characters, personages and figures.

We ask Allāh to grant them the ability to tread the way and methodology of their righteous predecessors in regards to calling to the Clear Methodolgy of the Salaf, the dedicated education of the youth that are upon it and implanting love for it and its followers whether they are dead or alive, and to follow their example and strengthen themselves by affiliating themselves to them.

A Final Word of Advice

[Truthfulness in Speech and Action]

[Sticking to the Sunnah and Dying upon It Unknown]

Imām Barbahārī (raḥimahullāh) said that Abū al Āliyah (raḥimahullāh) said: ‘Whoever dies unknown upon the Sunnah is indeed a truthful witness. It is said clinging to the Sunnah is salvation’

Shaykh Ṣālīḥ al Fawzān commented on the above saying: The Siddīq (the truthful one) is the one given to much truthfulness, and his status is at a level after that of the Prophets; so the station of Truthfulness is a lofty station, and what is intended by it is adherence to Truthfulness in speech and action. The Prophet (ﷺ) made known who the Truthful One is; so he said:

‘A man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a Truthful Person’

He is truthful himself and is eager for truthfulness with regards to what the people relate to him. He does not go along with everything he hears or whatever is said, rather he verifies and is eager for truthfulness; because he is a truthful person. He neither narrates nor utter except the truth. This is the Siddīq (The Truthful One).

And concerning the statement: ‘whoever dies upon the Sunnah.’

Shaykh Ṣālīḥ Al-Fawzān comments saying: That is to cling to Islām. And what is intended by As-Sunnah is ‘Islām’. Islām is the Sunnah, and whoever dies upon it Unknown and there appeared nothing from him in opposition to (that), then indeed he dies as a truthful person.

And concerning his statement: ‘Clinging to the Sunnah is Salvation’, that is: clinging to the Sunnah is safety from Fitan and Punishment; and for this reason, he (ﷺ) said: ‘whosoever lives amongst you will see lots of differences, so stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Khulafāʾ.’

Allāh (Jalla-Wa-Alā) said:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ ﴿١٠٣﴾‏

‘And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allāh, and be not divided among yourselves’
[Alī-ʿImrān, 3:103]

And He (Jalla-Wa-Alā) said:

وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ‎﴿١٥٣﴾‏

‘And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path.’
[Al-Anʿām, 6:153]

This is the advice of Allāh and that of His Messenger (ﷺ), and that is to stick and cling to sunnah.⁴

Endnotes:

1. Translated by Abū Ṭalḥah Dāwūd Burbank (حفظه الله), Explanation of the Creed
2. Ittihāful Qārī Bitta’liqāt Alā Sharḥis Sunnah Lil Imām Barbahārī, Vol 2, pp. 68-69
3. Sullamul al-Wuṣūl Ilā Bayān al-al-Sitta al-Uṣūl] by Shaykh Zayd ibn Hādī (حفظه الله), page:17-19]
4. Ittihāful Qārī Bitta’liqāt Alā Sharḥis Sunnah Lil Imām Barbahārī (raḥimahullāh), Vol:2, page:313-314

Originally posted: In Defence Of The Salafi Callers Against The Evil Suspicions