The Ruling on Criticizing Scholars and Clarifying the Difference Between Hudhayfah's Question and Attacking Scholars' Honor

The questioner : Your Eminence the Shaykh! Some students of knowledge have started criticizing scholars, saying they are clarifying their errors, whether among the early or later scholars, in defense of the religion. This is because Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said, in the meaning of which: "People used to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about good, but I used to ask about evil." What is Your Eminence's opinion on this?

The Shaykh : We say, may Allah reward him for citing this hadith, because this hadith answers his question. Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about evil for fear of falling into it. What these people have fallen into regarding the honor of scholars is, in reality, evil; it is evil itself. So the difference is great between Hudhayfah's question and attacking the honor of scholars.
Attacking the honor of scholars is evil, because it entails two great harms. The first harm is backbiting, for scholars, like other people, are respected individuals. If one attacks them, he has backbitten them. And Allah the Exalted said in the Noble Qur'an: How do you doubt the matter? The second is even more severe: disdain for the Shari'ah they possess. Thus, the Shari'ah that Allah granted these scholars knowledge of is lost due to backbiting them, because it is well known that if a scholar's status is diminished in the eyes of people, they will not accept everything he says, and a large part of the Shari'ah is thereby lost. This is similar to one who attacks the honor of rulers and those in authority. He has committed two great sins: the first is backbiting, and the second is that people rebel against them and do not care about their orders, even though obedience to those in authority in matters other than disobedience to Allah is obedience to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, as He said: . Then we say to these people: Is there anyone in this Ummah, other than the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who is free from error? Is every scholar infallible?
I answer him: No, a scholar makes mistakes and hits the mark. And if he makes a mistake, and we know that his mistake resulted from ijtihad (independent legal reasoning), then because of his great good deeds and benefit to the Ummah, it is obligatory for us to defend him and say, "He made a mistake, and the erroneous statement is not acceptable." But this man, because we know of his sincerity to the Ummah, we must defend him. I have heard something astonishing. Some people tell me that one person said, "The book *Fath al-Bari* must be burned." What is *Fath al-Bari*? It is the commentary on *Sahih al-Bukhari*, which is the foundation for many of those who came after Ibn Hajar. Why? He said, "Because in some hadiths, it interprets the attributes figuratively." Glory be to Allah! This man, whose action was based on ijtihad, we discard all his good deeds and all the benefits in this statement? This is ignorance, without a doubt. Similarly, al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), whose works indicate his sincerity. Allah the Exalted benefited creation greatly with the knowledge of this man, whom I mean by al-Nawawi. There is no one in the east or west of the earth, unless Allah wills, who does not read from *Riyad al-Salihin*, his composition? Do not these great works indicate that the man is sincere? That everyone who is not sincere with Allah will have his work wasted?
There is no good in it. So how do we say his works must be burned? This is great ignorance. Who is infallible, my brothers? Go back to the statements and fatwas of the scholars from the Companions to our day. You will hardly find that some scholars do not have many errors. One scholar may even contradict himself. The specialists in inheritance law mentioned the case of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Commander of the Faithful, and I have not fully clarified it. It is a case in inheritance called "al-Himariyyah"? Who will explain al-Himariyyah to us? Who will explain al-Himariyyah, everyone? Shaykh Sulayman, Shaykh. Come, these are your quarter. Yes, who will explain al-Himariyyah? Please. No, this is a case that was explained to us. What is it? All of it, all of it. I remember, no, no. No,