The Ruling on Attacking the Honor of Students of Knowledge and Speaking About Quran Memorization Circles

Question:
The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, I am a young man who found the path of truth and guidance through some well-known scholars, and praise be to Allah for the soundness of my belief and for following the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then I got to know some young men in the mosques who appear to follow the Sunnah, and I found that these young men have no business in their gatherings except assassinating some scholars, callers, and students of knowledge, attacking their honor, tracking their slips, and casting doubt among some young people about following their methodology, claiming that it deviates from the methodology of the pious predecessors. They did not stop there, but their affair reached the point where they expelled some young men from the Quran memorization circles, claiming that these circles contain secret organizations and followers of the Muslim Brotherhood. They say that the apostasy of these young men is better for them than these circles. We ask you, Honorable Shaykh, to advise me: should I continue with these latter people, or what do you advise? May Allah grant you success for all.

Answer:
We advise everyone to fear Allah the Mighty and Majestic and to leave off attacking the honor of students of knowledge and the honor of Muslims in general. The honor of Muslims is forbidden to be spoken about, so one should not engage in this base profession, which is backbiting. Allah the Exalted said: So you forget. Backbiting in general is forbidden, and backbiting students of knowledge and scholars is more severe, because in this there is a destruction of their knowledge and a turning of people away from benefiting from them. This is from Shaytan. What has happened now between some young men is from Shaytan, so they should repent to Allah. If they see a person committing a sin or making a mistake, they should alert him and advise him without backbiting him in their gatherings. They should advise him and point out the mistake to him. If he accepts it, fine; if he does not accept it, it is on his conscience. As for assassination and engaging in the honor of people, this is not permissible at all.
As for the Quran memorization circles and groups, this is a great good, praise be to Allah. We must thank Allah for that. Was there not, in a time not long ago, no one who could lead the people in prayer except a few of the old men? I remember them pushing each other in the mosque, finding no one to pray with because there was no one who was skilled in reading the Quran. But today, praise be to Allah, this blessing, these charitable groups for Quran memorization, and these schools for Quran memorization, and this news, is a great blessing, praise be to Allah. If it is known about someone, if it is known about someone that he is guiding people in a bad way, whether from the teachers or from the students, if this is known about him, that he is reported to the authorities, the authorities are informed about this person in order to take action against him. As for destroying the Quran memorization circles, this is not permissible. That is, destroying the Quran memorization circles for the sake of one person or people who have misconduct or who have an unsound direction, this is not permissible. Quran memorization is good. So if it is found that some people have an unsound direction, it is upon us to report to the authorities, and I know the authorities, the authorities over these schools and this association, the managers in charge of them, in order that they remove this person or these people from their groups or from their schools, so that the rest will be disciplined.
If the school manager does not respond to this, then there are those above him among the authorities who are above him, and they are informed about this person or these people. If this is established, not just accusations or people's stories without proof. It is necessary to have proof in this matter. And Allah the Exalted will guide everyone to what is in their well-being and rectification.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.