The Correct Position Toward Scholars Who Hold Ash'ari Beliefs, Such as al-Nawawi and Ibn Hajar

The questioner : The Ash'ari, whoever he may be, is not to be taken from in terms of knowledge or grammar.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : Some of the youth have even been bold enough to speak, O Shaykh, about some of the statements of the Ash'aris, such as the answer.

The Shaykh : Have you heard of this? It is a mistake and not fair to say that if a scholar makes a slip and says something that agrees with the Ash'ari school,
It diminishes his status, and it is said that he is an Ash'ari. It even reached me from some of the pretenders to knowledge that he said, "It is obligatory to burn *Fath al-Bari* and the commentary on *Sahih Muslim*." And this, may Allah protect us from it, is not a trivial matter. The truth is accepted even from the greatest of people; the truth is accepted. Even if all the statements of this man were religious innovations (bid'ah), and he came with the truth, it is obligatory for us to accept it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted it from Satan, and he accepted it from the Jews, and Allah accepted it from the polytheists. When Satan said to Abu Hurayrah, "Recite the Verse of the Throne," the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) acknowledged it and said, "You have spoken the truth, even though you are a liar," so the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) believed him. And when the Jew said, "O Muhammad, we find that Allah places the heavens on one finger and the earths on one finger," and mentioned the rest of the hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) laughed until his molars were visible, in affirmation of the truth, even though he was a Jew. And when the polytheists, when they committed the shameful act, said, Allah the Exalted said, and He remained silent regarding their statement, "We found our fathers upon it," and did not invalidate it because it was the truth. So for a person, when he sees a slip from a scholar, for that slip to erase all his statements is a great error and is not fair. Rather, we should, in the face of this slip, ask Allah for his forgiveness and pardon, knowing that he is a defender of the Sunnah and eager to purify it, and that Allah has benefited the Muslims through him. So we ask Allah for his pardon and forgiveness for what he erred in. This is the enemy of the supporters, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic says,