Clarification regarding the book by 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq: On the permissibility of collective action and the call to partisanship and bloc formation, and the danger of that to Islam.
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The Shaykh : Do not differ, everyone, do not differ, yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, Shaykh, returning to the beginning:
Also, Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq wrote his book *The Permissibility of Collective Action*, and its concept in this book is the call to partisanship and organization in the partisan sense. He went further than that, as you know, by publishing *Al-Furqan Magazine* and increasing his articles on the concept of this book. He also attributes this to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), where he picked up some texts and interpreted them according to the concept he wants. Many of the youth may be deceived by what he writes in this concept. If you would clarify this in a satisfying manner, may Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : The truth is, I have not read all of his books, especially the recent ones, and I am not able to respond to them in detail, especially regarding what you mentioned about him quoting the words of Ibn Taymiyyah and interpreting them in a way that aligns with his call to partisanship. However, I have seen that he approves of partisanship and groups. But I see that the matter is not so absolute. My belief is that all Islamic groups must agree on a common word between them, which, as we always say, is that they should all be upon the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih, and that they should not split into sects and parties, because this is prohibited in the texts of the Book and the Sunnah with an explicit prohibition, such as His saying, the Exalted:[Ar-Rum 30:31-32] So we do not support partisanship; rather, the party is one, and it is the party of the Book and the Sunnah. So, generalizing the approval of partisanship and bloc formation while there is a difference in methodologies and no agreement on a general methodology that encompasses them all, and it is not sufficient that it be Islam only with its many concepts, but it must be with the clear and evident concept, as it came to us from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and as our Salaf al-Salih were upon. So, generalizing the statement that permits partisanship, while every group has its methodology and its call, and it may differ from the call of another group, and one may be upon the truth while the other is upon error, this is undoubtedly such that everyone who calls for the establishment of this partisanship is calling for making this division a prescribed matter. There may be a matter contrary to the Shari'ah, but the Muslim or Muslims know that it is contrary to the Shari'ah, so they try to get rid of it, like the issue of riba (usury or interest) and the like of the forbidden things. But to stamp the legitimacy of the Shari'ah on a matter contrary to the Shari'ah, here lies the error. So, if the brother 'Abd al-Rahman calls for such bloc formation and partisanship despite the differences between them, and the conflicts between them as a result of this difference, I do not approve of this. And now something has become apparent to me, which is:
that the attempt at the difference that has appeared now among some of our brothers is that we have set and made our goal now to respond to a specific person. And this, in reality, while it is obligatory that the discussion be necessary, it should not be public, because the man, even if he stumbled in some points and exaggerated as we mentioned earlier, has not gone beyond the Book and the Sunnah such that we consider him from the misguided sects. Rather, he should be treated with gentleness, and we should try to guide him to what he stumbled in in some matters. And this, in reality, does not happen merely by directing a question to someone like me, whose mind is empty of exactly what he said and what he cited. This requires presenting what he said on the carpet of research and discussing it. And I believe that such a gathering is not a place for such a discussion. But at the same time, I see that if he has erred in some of what he wrote—and I testify to this, unfortunately—then whoever has a certain level of knowledge, culture, and understanding of the Islamic Shari'ah, it is obligatory for him to respond to him in the best manner, so that perhaps Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will guide him and guide through him those who may have deviated with him. This is what I have as an answer to such a question.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, Shaykh, returning to the beginning:
Also, Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq wrote his book *The Permissibility of Collective Action*, and its concept in this book is the call to partisanship and organization in the partisan sense. He went further than that, as you know, by publishing *Al-Furqan Magazine* and increasing his articles on the concept of this book. He also attributes this to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), where he picked up some texts and interpreted them according to the concept he wants. Many of the youth may be deceived by what he writes in this concept. If you would clarify this in a satisfying manner, may Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : The truth is, I have not read all of his books, especially the recent ones, and I am not able to respond to them in detail, especially regarding what you mentioned about him quoting the words of Ibn Taymiyyah and interpreting them in a way that aligns with his call to partisanship. However, I have seen that he approves of partisanship and groups. But I see that the matter is not so absolute. My belief is that all Islamic groups must agree on a common word between them, which, as we always say, is that they should all be upon the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih, and that they should not split into sects and parties, because this is prohibited in the texts of the Book and the Sunnah with an explicit prohibition, such as His saying, the Exalted:
and do not be of those who associate others with Allah (32) [Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.
ولا تكونوا مِن المشركين * من الذين فرقوا دينهم وكانوا شيعًا كل حزب بما لديهم فرحونthat the attempt at the difference that has appeared now among some of our brothers is that we have set and made our goal now to respond to a specific person. And this, in reality, while it is obligatory that the discussion be necessary, it should not be public, because the man, even if he stumbled in some points and exaggerated as we mentioned earlier, has not gone beyond the Book and the Sunnah such that we consider him from the misguided sects. Rather, he should be treated with gentleness, and we should try to guide him to what he stumbled in in some matters. And this, in reality, does not happen merely by directing a question to someone like me, whose mind is empty of exactly what he said and what he cited. This requires presenting what he said on the carpet of research and discussing it. And I believe that such a gathering is not a place for such a discussion. But at the same time, I see that if he has erred in some of what he wrote—and I testify to this, unfortunately—then whoever has a certain level of knowledge, culture, and understanding of the Islamic Shari'ah, it is obligatory for him to respond to him in the best manner, so that perhaps Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will guide him and guide through him those who may have deviated with him. This is what I have as an answer to such a question.