What is the guidance for students who speak ill of some of the shaykhs?

Question : Another question says: Shaykh, may Allah guide them, some students speak ill of some of the shaykhs. What is your guidance for such people?

Answer : Well, the reality is that speaking ill of the shaykhs, or of other Muslims, is forbidden (haram). In fact, it is among the major sins, as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) explicitly stated that backbiting is among the major sins. It is mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes. When it occurs regarding scholars, its sin and negative impact are multiplied. The backbiting of scholars does not limit its sin and calamity to the scholars themselves; rather, it extends to them and to the Shari'ah of Allah that they carry. Consequently, speaking ill of scholars entails two great sins: the first is backbiting, and the second is the rejection of what they convey from the Shari'ah of Allah. This is because when people hear a bad reputation about the scholars, they do not trust them, as is apparent. Thus, the one who speaks ill of them commits a sin against them and against the Shari'ah of Allah the Exalted and Majestic that they convey to people. He must repent to Allah the Exalted and seek forgiveness from the scholar about whom he spoke ill. I do not say that scholars are infallible; scholars make mistakes just as others do. However, when a mistake is attributed to a scholar, the obligatory thing above all is to verify the accuracy of the transmission, because something may be transmitted from a scholar that he did not say. A scholar may say something based on a question posed to him, but the questioner did not ask it well, so the scholar answered according to his understanding, and the questioner or someone else understood it in a different way. First, it is obligatory to verify the accuracy of the transmission from this scholar above all else. This is the path our Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) taught us in his response to the Rafidah in *Manhaj al-Sunnah*. When he transmitted a phrase from Ibn al-Muthanna, he first demanded the accuracy of the transmission, because if the transmission is not authentic, it suffices us. So first, verify. Then, if you verify that the scholar said this thing that led to criticizing him for it, reflect on what the scholar said. It may appear to be a mistake at first, but upon reflection, it may be correct. Reflect on whether what was transmitted from the scholar is correct or not. If it is a mistake, pause until you reach the third stage. If it is correct, it is obligatory for you to defend the scholar's honor. Start with the one who transmitted it to you and say, "So-and-so said such and such, and this is correct," and explain the aspect of its correctness. By doing so, you defend your brother's honor and deserve reward. If the aspect of correctness does not become clear to you, meaning after complete reflection, and you do not see anything in what was transmitted from this scholar except that it is correct, it is obligatory to contact the scholar.
And discuss with him. When contacting the scholar, the contact should be with etiquette, dignity, and seeking guidance, not criticism and arrogance. Because some students, while they are young, come to the great scholar in order to debate him on an issue, and you find him addressing him as an equal. This is bad etiquette, and it is one of the barriers that stand between the truth and this scholar. Perhaps the scholar's pride in sin takes over. The best of you are those who are most knowledgeable in the discussion.
And perhaps the truth becomes clear to him, but he does not accept it. All of this is due to the bad etiquette of this student who wanted to debate the scholar. Rather, his discussion should be with calmness, respect, and seeking guidance so that the desired outcome is achieved. This stage is the final one. If the truth is in what the scholar said, it is obligatory for this critic to defend him, spread his statement, and correct it. If the mistake is from the scholar, it is obligatory for the scholar to return to the truth, because returning to the truth is better than persisting in falsehood. Returning to the truth is a virtue. When a person is known to be one who returns to the truth, people will trust him more. Some people tell themselves, "If I return to the truth, this is a withdrawal, and my status in the eyes of people will be lowered." This is always a mistake. By Allah, this is courage. This is boldness. To return to the truth, to the truth. This is what makes people trust you. These are the stages regarding what is heard about some of the scholars. In any case, we advise you all not to fall into speaking ill of the scholars, especially, and of your Muslim brothers in general.