The Ruling on Joining Groups and Parties and Cooperating on the Book and the Sunnah
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Some of the people of this town support this group, and they try to influence other people by persuading them to join this group. Since a great deal has been said and written about this group by some scholars and students of knowledge, and it has caused confusion and division in this town, some of our zealous brothers suggested that we gather, unite, and not join any group whatsoever, but rather gather upon the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf, and in case of disagreement, return to the Book and the Sunnah. Also, there was previously a dhikr circle established by some of the brothers in this town, but this group's methodology entered that circle, demanding that the attendees leave and join this group. This was the cause of the division and the lack of brilliance. Is this permissible? Yes, yes. Based on what I consider to be the Sunnah, and with the Exalted and piety.
The Shaykh:
They are in the matter of truth by evidence, and that is good. The Tabligh group has ignorance among them, a lack of insight, or rather a lack of enthusiasm, and Allah benefits people through them in matters, but many of them are ignorant. They have insight in 'aqidah, so it is not permissible to join them except a person who has knowledge, who joins them to guide them and be with them in clarifying the truth. As for the general people, no.
The questioner:
Good, another question, O Shaykh. For a quarter of a year.
The Shaykh:
And they guide them, and you follow their calls completely and straight. And if they have enthusiasm and patience, Allah raises things through them and people submit to Islam by their hands, but they do not have insight in 'aqidah in most cases.
The questioner:
Do you have another question, Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
Therefore, you unite and utilize [this] and become one group for da'wah. Yes.
The questioner:
And what is the other thing, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
What Allah willed upon you. Yes.
The questioner:
O Shaykh, O Your Eminence, what encouraged us to continue in what we are doing of brotherhood and rejecting division is what we heard and read from the statement of the Council of Senior Scholars, regarding foreign political parties, and not being associated with their deviated methodologies and ideas. Some of the zealous brothers suggested abandoning this cause that divided us and addressing it, and silencing everyone who demands leaving and joining this group or any other group, in order to avert fitnah and block the ways of Satan.
The Shaykh:
Yes, yes, this is the way.
The questioner:
Yes, and cooperating in righteousness and piety and calling to Allah following the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the guidance of the righteous Salaf. Knowing that division has generally occurred in the regions of the Kingdom among our youth wherever this group descended and this division was found. So what is your guidance, O Your Eminence, the Father?
The Shaykh:
The way is to gather among yourselves, cooperate on the path of the Book and the Sunnah, and have gatherings and circles for learning the Book and the Sunnah, learning the rulings of the Shari'ah, the Noble Qur'an, the pure Sunnah, and the books of the known scholars like Ibn Kathir, the Islamic poet, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Rajab, the Imams of Da'wah, Fath al-Majid. All these books are the way. Yes. As for the Tabligh group or the Muslim Brotherhood or such a group, leave them alone. Knowledge of Allah and the Exalted upon righteousness and piety. Do not pray among yourselves in the da'wah to Allah and the lessons and reminders and so on.
The questioner:
Yes. There is a final question, O Your Eminence, the Father. Is the Tabligh group on the methodology of the righteous Salaf and the correct 'aqidah, and is their methodology on the Book and the Sunnah and rejecting bid'ah and superstitions, or not?
The Shaykh:
They have this methodology in calling to Allah, exalting Islam, and calling to it, as well as in prohibitions and other paths. However, they lack insight in creed; they are deficient in insight regarding creed. They fear evasion and approach the discussion of creed, seeing it as a cause of division in the disagreement between them and the people. They speak about prayer, fasting, charity, remembrance, knowledge, and the like. This is what gathers people so that they will listen to them. The reason for this is sufficient, meaning their followers adopted Islam through their means, but they do not enter into this Shari'ah in terms of creed.
The questioner:
Yes.
The Shaykh:
If he were to add that he is bound by the creed, he would rebuke them. May Allah rectify it.
The questioner:
What is your guidance, O Shaykh, for us in this town and others?
The Shaykh:
This is another sunnah (recommended practice); they gather around the method of the Ikhwan device, they united upon it and cooperated upon it. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. May Allah bless you. Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh:
Welcome. Restricting oneself to a specific group is not correct; it is not permissible. Rather, a person must restrict himself to the Shari'ah: what Allah said, what the Messenger said, the Book and the Sunnah. Yes. But among the groups of the Salaf, the prominent ones are the Supporters of the Sunnah, who affiliate with the path of the righteous scholar al-Sharh, and the like of the Supporters of the Sunnah in Egypt, and the Supporters of the Sunnah in Sudan, and their counterparts who cling to the Sunnah and exalt it. That is, they cling to the Book and the Sunnah, whether they name it one thing or another, or do not name it anything. The important thing is that their concern is clinging to the Sunnah, implementing it, and striving to act upon it. As for mere partisanship for the sake of the group, if one is satisfied with that or strikes out to the beginning of this, it is not correct. It is necessary to implement the entire call according to the Shari'ah, to have insight, and to ask about what is difficult for him. He should not join these people in all matters, but rather be satisfied with what is good. Yes. Also, as for the brothers who have devoted themselves to the Qur'an and the Hadith, the brothers should search with them, study with them, search with them, and ask about what has affected you.
The questioner:
Yes, meaning, O Shaykh, do I join the Salafi methodology? Yes, yes, do I join the Salafi methodology?
The Shaykh:
The companions of the Prophet and their followers, this is a Salafi.
The questioner:
Yes, well, O Shaykh, could you direct us to the names of the Salafi scholars with whom we participate in unity and cooperation to revive the methodology of the righteous Salaf?
The Shaykh:
If something is difficult, he tells you: "Write to Shaykh 'Abd al-Jamil, the owner of al-Wazan, regarding the call to prayer, the obligation for the Shaykh, along with many others. How was it established?"
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
Some of the people of this town support this group, and they try to influence other people by persuading them to join this group. Since a great deal has been said and written about this group by some scholars and students of knowledge, and it has caused confusion and division in this town, some of our zealous brothers suggested that we gather, unite, and not join any group whatsoever, but rather gather upon the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf, and in case of disagreement, return to the Book and the Sunnah. Also, there was previously a dhikr circle established by some of the brothers in this town, but this group's methodology entered that circle, demanding that the attendees leave and join this group. This was the cause of the division and the lack of brilliance. Is this permissible? Yes, yes. Based on what I consider to be the Sunnah, and with the Exalted and piety.
The Shaykh:
They are in the matter of truth by evidence, and that is good. The Tabligh group has ignorance among them, a lack of insight, or rather a lack of enthusiasm, and Allah benefits people through them in matters, but many of them are ignorant. They have insight in 'aqidah, so it is not permissible to join them except a person who has knowledge, who joins them to guide them and be with them in clarifying the truth. As for the general people, no.
The questioner:
Good, another question, O Shaykh. For a quarter of a year.
The Shaykh:
And they guide them, and you follow their calls completely and straight. And if they have enthusiasm and patience, Allah raises things through them and people submit to Islam by their hands, but they do not have insight in 'aqidah in most cases.
The questioner:
Do you have another question, Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
Therefore, you unite and utilize [this] and become one group for da'wah. Yes.
The questioner:
And what is the other thing, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
What Allah willed upon you. Yes.
The questioner:
O Shaykh, O Your Eminence, what encouraged us to continue in what we are doing of brotherhood and rejecting division is what we heard and read from the statement of the Council of Senior Scholars, regarding foreign political parties, and not being associated with their deviated methodologies and ideas. Some of the zealous brothers suggested abandoning this cause that divided us and addressing it, and silencing everyone who demands leaving and joining this group or any other group, in order to avert fitnah and block the ways of Satan.
The Shaykh:
Yes, yes, this is the way.
The questioner:
Yes, and cooperating in righteousness and piety and calling to Allah following the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the guidance of the righteous Salaf. Knowing that division has generally occurred in the regions of the Kingdom among our youth wherever this group descended and this division was found. So what is your guidance, O Your Eminence, the Father?
The Shaykh:
The way is to gather among yourselves, cooperate on the path of the Book and the Sunnah, and have gatherings and circles for learning the Book and the Sunnah, learning the rulings of the Shari'ah, the Noble Qur'an, the pure Sunnah, and the books of the known scholars like Ibn Kathir, the Islamic poet, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Rajab, the Imams of Da'wah, Fath al-Majid. All these books are the way. Yes. As for the Tabligh group or the Muslim Brotherhood or such a group, leave them alone. Knowledge of Allah and the Exalted upon righteousness and piety. Do not pray among yourselves in the da'wah to Allah and the lessons and reminders and so on.
The questioner:
Yes. There is a final question, O Your Eminence, the Father. Is the Tabligh group on the methodology of the righteous Salaf and the correct 'aqidah, and is their methodology on the Book and the Sunnah and rejecting bid'ah and superstitions, or not?
The Shaykh:
They have this methodology in calling to Allah, exalting Islam, and calling to it, as well as in prohibitions and other paths. However, they lack insight in creed; they are deficient in insight regarding creed. They fear evasion and approach the discussion of creed, seeing it as a cause of division in the disagreement between them and the people. They speak about prayer, fasting, charity, remembrance, knowledge, and the like. This is what gathers people so that they will listen to them. The reason for this is sufficient, meaning their followers adopted Islam through their means, but they do not enter into this Shari'ah in terms of creed.
The questioner:
Yes.
The Shaykh:
If he were to add that he is bound by the creed, he would rebuke them. May Allah rectify it.
The questioner:
What is your guidance, O Shaykh, for us in this town and others?
The Shaykh:
This is another sunnah (recommended practice); they gather around the method of the Ikhwan device, they united upon it and cooperated upon it. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. May Allah bless you. Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh:
Welcome. Restricting oneself to a specific group is not correct; it is not permissible. Rather, a person must restrict himself to the Shari'ah: what Allah said, what the Messenger said, the Book and the Sunnah. Yes. But among the groups of the Salaf, the prominent ones are the Supporters of the Sunnah, who affiliate with the path of the righteous scholar al-Sharh, and the like of the Supporters of the Sunnah in Egypt, and the Supporters of the Sunnah in Sudan, and their counterparts who cling to the Sunnah and exalt it. That is, they cling to the Book and the Sunnah, whether they name it one thing or another, or do not name it anything. The important thing is that their concern is clinging to the Sunnah, implementing it, and striving to act upon it. As for mere partisanship for the sake of the group, if one is satisfied with that or strikes out to the beginning of this, it is not correct. It is necessary to implement the entire call according to the Shari'ah, to have insight, and to ask about what is difficult for him. He should not join these people in all matters, but rather be satisfied with what is good. Yes. Also, as for the brothers who have devoted themselves to the Qur'an and the Hadith, the brothers should search with them, study with them, search with them, and ask about what has affected you.
The questioner:
Yes, meaning, O Shaykh, do I join the Salafi methodology? Yes, yes, do I join the Salafi methodology?
The Shaykh:
The companions of the Prophet and their followers, this is a Salafi.
The questioner:
Yes, well, O Shaykh, could you direct us to the names of the Salafi scholars with whom we participate in unity and cooperation to revive the methodology of the righteous Salaf?
The Shaykh:
If something is difficult, he tells you: "Write to Shaykh 'Abd al-Jamil, the owner of al-Wazan, regarding the call to prayer, the obligation for the Shaykh, along with many others. How was it established?"
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
Source
لقاءات لابن باز - لقاء مع الشيخ ابن باز - ٣ — archive.org (53:56)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.