[Q]: Jazākum Allāhu khayran. The brothers ask you: If a Salafī has kinship with a person of bidʿah such that that person of bidʿah is a brother, an uncle, or a brother in law of his, and whatever resembles this (in the way of family ties). So how should a Salafī deal with him in this circumstance? May Allāh accept from you, Āmīn.

[A]: This is something that exists, without doubt. For verily, in many houses, you will find that there is only one sunnī-salafī, one man or one woman, and the rest of them are all people of bidʿah.

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That person has to have a good kind of siyāsah [i.e., a diplomatic or wise way of dealing with these people]. And he should show them love and affection, and win them over with kindness. Yes. And he should clarify the truth for them with a clarification of love, sincere affection, and honesty.

And he should not rise up against them, the rising of a lion upon its prey, nor should he manifest to them that they are deviants and that he is the one who is upon the truth and right guidance.

Rather, it is upon him to follow or to seize the opportunity of kinship — to take advantage of this kinship, and that he clarifies (the truth) to them until Allāh (عز وجل) guides them. And it is upon him to exercise patience and sacrifice. He should not be hasty, as long as the bid’ah is mufassiqah [i.e., related to matters of disobedience that do not expel from the fold of Islām]. So it is upon him to be patient and make sacrifice, and that he be serious and exert himself in this. As well, he should entrust his affairs to Allāh with supplication, seeking their guidance and their returning to the Sunnah.

Questioner interjects: May Allāh bless you in your knowledge, āmīn.

Shaykh ʿUbayd continued: As far as our experience shows, people benefit from the use of wisdom and a good siyāsah, whether they are regular people or ʿulamāʾ (scholars). As for the stubborn rejecter, then he should be dealt with according to ability and strength.

Transcribed from the audio cassette entitled: Dawābit Muʿāmalat al-Sunnī li al-Bidʿī.
Translated by: Abū Ibrāhīm al-Kanadī