Advising the Innovator in Secret and Refuting the People of Innovation
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. The questioner says: It is unclear to me regarding the obligation of advising in secret one whose religious innovation (bid'ah) has been established, and the prohibition of backbiting, and what you mentioned regarding the obligation of refuting the people of innovation and warning against them, and that there is no backbiting of one who displays his innovation.
The Shaykh:
Of whom?
The questioner:
Of one who displays his innovation.
The Shaykh:
If it is hoped that he will abandon his innovation and that the advice will benefit him, then start with the advice. But if there is no hope of his returning and he does not accept it, then refute him.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. The questioner says: It is unclear to me regarding the obligation of advising in secret one whose religious innovation (bid'ah) has been established, and the prohibition of backbiting, and what you mentioned regarding the obligation of refuting the people of innovation and warning against them, and that there is no backbiting of one who displays his innovation.
The Shaykh:
Of whom?
The questioner:
Of one who displays his innovation.
The Shaykh:
If it is hoped that he will abandon his innovation and that the advice will benefit him, then start with the advice. But if there is no hope of his returning and he does not accept it, then refute him.
Source
شرح إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان لابن القيم، بداية من الوجه السابع : أن اعتماد العبد على المخلوق وتوكله عليه يوجب له الضرر من جهته هو ولا بد — islamhouse.com (1:01:16)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.