So the soundness of manhaj – or lack thereof – determines a person’s entry into Paradise or the Fire.

[Q]: Is entry into Paradise or the Fire dependent upon the soundness of manhaj (methodology)?²

[A]: Yes, if the manhaj is sound, then the person will be from amongst the people of Paradise; since he will be upon the manhaj of the Messenger ﷺ and manhaj of the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ. He will be from amongst the people of Paradise by the permission of Allāh.  If he traverses a misguided methodology, then he will be an innovator in the Fire.”³ So the soundness of manhaj – or lack thereof – determines a persons entry into Paradise or the Fire.

[Q]: What is the true statement with regards to reading the books of the innovators and listening to their tapes?

[A]: As for the person who is a beginner, or a student of knowledge, or someone from amongst the common folk, or the one who does not read, except for sake of perusal; not for the sake of refutation or explaining their condition, then these are not permissible for him to read.  This is due to the reason that they will affect his heart⁴ and cause him to have doubt, so he will fall into their evil.  So it is not permissible to read the books of the people of misguidance, except for those from amongst the people of knowledge who specialize in refuting them and warning against them.

Endnotes:

[1] The following is taken from al-Ajwibatul-Mufeedah (p. 77-79); Shaykh Ṣāliḥ Ibn Fawzān said on (p. E) of this book, “The praise is for Allāh, and may Prayers and Peace be upon our Prophet, Muḥammad, and upon his Family and his Companions.  To Proceed: So I approve the publishing of al-Ajwibatul-Mufeedah ’an As‘ilatil-Manaahijil-Jadeedah which contains my answers and notes from the brother, Jamāl Ibn Fareehaan al-Ḥārithee.  And I hope that it is of benefit in explaining aspects of the truth, which have been hidden from some of the people today.  And may the Prayers and Peace of Allāh be upon our Prophet, Muḥammad, his Family and his Companions. Signed: Ṣāliḥ Ibn Fawzān Ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Fawzān 18/4/1417.”

[2] Translator’s Note: The Scholar of Ḥadīth, Imām Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d.1420H) was asked in the 22nd issue of  al-Asaalah, “Some of the youth differentiate between the ʿaqīdah (creed) of the Salaf and the manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf.  So you see some of them upon the ʿaqīdah of the Salaf, yet they allow themselves to work with some of the methodologies that exist today, even though there may be that which opposes the manhaj of the Salaf within them in terms of practice.  So is there a ibnding link between the ʿaqīdah (creed) and manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf in the practical implementation of the Salafī methodology?”

So the Shaykh replied, “That which I believe and worship Allāh with is that there are both generalities (in similarity) and specific (aspects) between the Salafī manhaj and ʿaqīdah.  ’Aqīdah is more specific than manhaj as all of you know.  ʿAqīdah has a link with what is called – in the view of many of the jurists – the “knowledge of Tawḥīd” and this is the chief and fundamental aspect of Islām.  However, manhaj is more vast than ʿaqīdah or Tawḥīd.  As for those who claim that the differentiation has come in the question (between ʿaqīdah and manhaj), then they desire by this to make it permissible for themselves to adopt ways and means in their daʿwah (call) to Islām which the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ were not upon.  To say this in a different way, they think that they have the liberty to adopt whatever ways and means they think will help them to convey (and actualize) Islām, and you are aware of this type or these types of means.

For example, open demonstrations and rallies in order to force the rulers to turn their attention to what the society complains about and similar matters.  So we say that what has come in the Book and the Sunnah and what the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ were upon with respect to objectives, goals, ways and means are sufficient for the Ummah. However, the reason which leads some of these people to permit themselves to adopt these ways and means, in fact, it is correct for me to say that they permit themselves to blindly follow the disbelievers in the ways that they have adopted in order to actualize what they call either democracy or social justice and other such words which have no reality to them.  So they – I mean these Muslims – permit themselves to blindly follow the disbelievers in these ways and means.  We say, our Lord, Mighty and Majestic has removed us from having any need, by our Sharīʿah, of this separation which has been explained (i.e. between ʿaqīdah and manhaj) and that we should be needy of the disbelievers and that we should take from their ways and means, that which might be good for them, but only because they have no Sharīʿah by which they guide themselves.  It is for this reason that we say that manhaj is more vast than ʿaqīdah or Tawḥīd.  Hence, it is obligatory to adhere to what the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ were upon with respect to both of these affairs; the one that is vast (manhaj) first and foremost and the one that is narrow (Tawḥīd), meaning ʿaqīdah.”

[3] So he is under the will of Allāh the Exalted; this is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah.  So if soundness of manhaj, or lack of it, does not determine entry into Paradise or the Fire, then what is the benefit of the statement of the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), “And my Ummah shall split up into seventy-three sects; all of them will be in the Fire, except one.”  They said, ‘Which one is it?’  He said, “That which I am upon today, and my Companions.”  So whoever is upon the guidance of the Prophet and his Companions, then he is from the people of Paradise.  And whosoever is upon other than the correct manhaj, then for him is the Fire.  From that which is firmly established amongst Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jamāʿah is that the seventy-two destroyed sects mentioned in the ḥadīth will not abide in the Fire forever, nor does anyone from amongst Ahl al-Ḥadīth say that.  So this is the case, except for those whose innovation takes one outside of the realm of Islām, or the sects that have apostatized.  And Allāh knows best.

[4] Indeed, many narrations have come from the Salaf in cautioning from the people of desires and innovations.  So these are some of the aathaar (narrations) that we have brought for you – O brother of mine seeking the truth: Abū Qulābah (d.104H) said, “Do not sit with them – the people of innovations – and do not mix with them.  So I fear that you will become immersed in their misguidance, or they will cover up from you much of that which you used to know.” Related by al-Lālikaa‘ee (1/134), al-Bidaʿ wa-al-Naḥī ’anhaa (p. 55) and al-I’tisaam (1/172) of al-Shāṭibī.  And Ibrāhīm an-Nakha’ee (d.95H) said, “Do not sit with the people of innovation and do not speak with them, since I feel that this will affect your hearts.” Related by al-Shāṭibī in al-I’tisaam (1/172) and al-Bidaʿ wa-al-Naḥī ’anhaa (p.  56).  And Abū Qulābah said, “O Ayyūb – meaning as-Sakhtiyaanee – do not give the people of desires a chance to have you listen to them.”  Related by al-Lālikaa‘ee (1/134).  And al-Fuḍayl Ibn ’Iyāḍ (d.187H) said, “If you see an innovator upon a road, then take another road.”  Related in al-Ibānah (2/475).

When Abū Zur’ah (d.264H) was asked about al-Ḥārith Ibn Asad al-Muhaasibee and his books, he said to the questioner, “Beware of these books.  These are books of innovation and misguidance, cling firmly to the narrations.”  It was said to him, ‘But in these books is an admonition!’  So he said, “Whoever has not received an admonition from the Book of Allāh, then there is no admonition for him in the likes of these.”  Then he said, “How quickly the people rush towards innovation.” Refer to at-Tahdheeb (2/117) and Taareekh Baghdād (8/215).  And Imām Aḥmad (d.241H) spoke the truth about al-Muhaasibee when he said in stern speech, “Do not be fooled by how he lowers his head, since he is an evil man…do not speak to him, and do not honour him and do not show him a happy face.” Refer to Tabaqaatul-Hanaabilah (1/223).  So this is the methodology of the Salaf with respect to working with the people of innovations, and this is their position towards reading their books and listening to their speech, and likewise their cassettes.  How I wish that our youth were intelligent enough to apply this manhaj and to warn against the books and tapes of the people of innovation and desires in this age of ours!

When Abū Zur’ah (d.264H) was asked about al-Ḥārith Ibn Asad al-Muhaasibee and his books, he said to the questioner, “Beware of these books.  These are books of innovation and misguidance, cling firmly to the narrations.”  It was said to him, ‘But in these books is an admonition!’  So he said, “Whoever has not received an admonition from the Book of Allāh, then there is no admonition for him in the likes of these.”  Then he said, “How quickly the people rush towards innovation.” Refer to at-Tahdheeb (2/117) and Taareekh Baghdād (8/215).  And Imām Aḥmad (d.241H) spoke the truth about al-Muhaasibee when he said in stern speech, “Do not be fooled by how he lowers his head, since he is an evil man…do not speak to him, and do not honour him and do not show him a happy face.” Refer to Tabaqaatul-Hanaabilah (1/223).  So this is the methodology of the Salaf with respect to working with the people of innovations, and this is their position towards reading their books and listening to their speech, and likewise their cassettes.  How I wish that our youth were intelligent enough to apply this manhaj and to warn against the books and tapes of the people of innovation and desires in this age of ours!

Prepared by Jamāl Ibn Fareehaan al-Ḥārithee

Translated by Maaz Qureshi [1]