Statement: We found Islam among the Westerners, but we did not find the Muslims

Question:
This person is asking about a statement that some preachers make. They say: We went and visited the lands of the Muslims, and we found the Muslims but we did not find Islam. And we visited the lands of the Westerners, and we did not find the Muslims, but we found Islam among them. Is this statement a praise of their dealings? And is it permissible for a person to utter such a statement?

Answer:
This is a statement that is not permissible. The first person to whom this statement is attributed is Muhammad 'Abd al-Wahhab, the mufti of Egypt in his time; he is the one to whom this statement is attributed, and we seek help from Allah. The Muslims are better than the disbelievers, no matter who they are, even if they are weak. Even a Muslim who is an open sinner, a Muslim who is an open sinner and disobedient, is better than a disbeliever. A disbeliever is never preferred over a Muslim, and this is not permissible. Yes.