An interjection to clarify what has been raised regarding the book by 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq: Collective Action and the claim that he called for partisanship in the legal sense.
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The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I read his book, *Collective Action*. Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman focuses on collective action based on the Book and the Sunnah, not on the basis of multiple political parties. Therefore, we reserve judgment on the wording of the question as it was posed, and we rephrase the question in a different way.
The Shaykh : No problem!
The questioner : I read the book.
Another questioner: O Shaykh 'Abd Allah, I also read the book and followed Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq's articles in *Al-Furqan* magazine, and in some of the cassettes where he speaks. I found that the man wants collective action in the sense of political parties and nothing else. I have the evidence, and it is very close at hand; I mean, if you wish, I am ready to bring it in a little while.
The Shaykh : No, we want you to present it to the people.
The questioner : Yes, the evidence is there. He attributes to the Shaykh al-Islam, who was in prison in Egypt (may Allah have mercy on him), a letter he wrote to his group, or in the correct sense to his students in Damascus, saying: "What is the news of the group?" This is a common term where "group" means companions and close friends and the like. So he uses these phrases of the Shaykh al-Islam as evidence that there is a group with an entity and an organization in the sense of political parties that he wants. Similarly, he published this book in response to Shaykh Mubarak when he spoke about rejecting partisanship and hating partisanship. So he published this book and criticized him, even if he did not state his name explicitly, but it is known, because Shaykh Mubarak has a cassette in which he spoke about this, and perhaps the cassette reached your eminence.
The Shaykh : It reached me and I supported it.
The questioner : So in this book, he criticizes Shaykh Mubarak for what he issued in this cassette, and we know that Shaykh Mubarak's cassette on this matter is of the highest quality, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : I supported him in this.
The questioner : Who did you support, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Shaykh Mubarak, and I sent the cassette to the brother 'Abd al-Rahman. But may Allah bless you, the important thing in the matter is that the research be scientific and not just circulated like this among the people, because it will cause more confusion, and we need to reduce that. If you are able to study his statements and gather what you see of his errors in a paper and respond to him in your calm, scientific style—if Allah wills—there will be benefit in that.
The questioner : This is if it is published. What if it is not published?
Another questioner: But since it has been published and the near and the far have seen it.
The Shaykh : I am telling you, publish it as he published it; you publish it.
The questioner : So this question in such a context is exactly like publishing it.
The Shaykh : Correct, but may Allah bless you, it requires comprehending what he said, comprehending what he argued with, and comprehending what is refuted against him. And this is not possible in the situation I am in now.
The questioner : I read his book, *Collective Action*. Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman focuses on collective action based on the Book and the Sunnah, not on the basis of multiple political parties. Therefore, we reserve judgment on the wording of the question as it was posed, and we rephrase the question in a different way.
The Shaykh : No problem!
The questioner : I read the book.
Another questioner: O Shaykh 'Abd Allah, I also read the book and followed Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq's articles in *Al-Furqan* magazine, and in some of the cassettes where he speaks. I found that the man wants collective action in the sense of political parties and nothing else. I have the evidence, and it is very close at hand; I mean, if you wish, I am ready to bring it in a little while.
The Shaykh : No, we want you to present it to the people.
The questioner : Yes, the evidence is there. He attributes to the Shaykh al-Islam, who was in prison in Egypt (may Allah have mercy on him), a letter he wrote to his group, or in the correct sense to his students in Damascus, saying: "What is the news of the group?" This is a common term where "group" means companions and close friends and the like. So he uses these phrases of the Shaykh al-Islam as evidence that there is a group with an entity and an organization in the sense of political parties that he wants. Similarly, he published this book in response to Shaykh Mubarak when he spoke about rejecting partisanship and hating partisanship. So he published this book and criticized him, even if he did not state his name explicitly, but it is known, because Shaykh Mubarak has a cassette in which he spoke about this, and perhaps the cassette reached your eminence.
The Shaykh : It reached me and I supported it.
The questioner : So in this book, he criticizes Shaykh Mubarak for what he issued in this cassette, and we know that Shaykh Mubarak's cassette on this matter is of the highest quality, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : I supported him in this.
The questioner : Who did you support, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Shaykh Mubarak, and I sent the cassette to the brother 'Abd al-Rahman. But may Allah bless you, the important thing in the matter is that the research be scientific and not just circulated like this among the people, because it will cause more confusion, and we need to reduce that. If you are able to study his statements and gather what you see of his errors in a paper and respond to him in your calm, scientific style—if Allah wills—there will be benefit in that.
The questioner : This is if it is published. What if it is not published?
Another questioner: But since it has been published and the near and the far have seen it.
The Shaykh : I am telling you, publish it as he published it; you publish it.
The questioner : So this question in such a context is exactly like publishing it.
The Shaykh : Correct, but may Allah bless you, it requires comprehending what he said, comprehending what he argued with, and comprehending what is refuted against him. And this is not possible in the situation I am in now.