Can the words of the scholar Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Latif al-Shaykh, "As for our madhhab, it is the madhhab of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the Imam of the people of the Sunnah in the branches of jurisprudence and rulings, and we do not claim ijtihad, and if a sound Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) becomes clear to us, we act upon it and do not prefer the saying of anyone over it," be understood as following only the principles of the Hanbali madhhab?
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The questioner : Well, how would you interpret the words of Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn 'Abd al-Latif (may Allah have mercy on him) as intending, or as referring to, the matter we mentioned first, which is following him in the principles of the madhhab?
The Shaykh : For us to say that it should be interpreted that way, the thing being interpreted, meaning the words of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, must be applied practically by the others. And as we discussed in a previous session, as far as I know, I have not found this to be the case.
The questioner : Yes, indeed. I can give you the book and give you all these quotations. The matter I mentioned to you before, yes, because of the intense opposition, they used to call them, saying, "You claim ijtihad for yourselves, and you claim to have reached its rank, and you take directly from the Book and the Sunnah." This is what their opponents said at that time, and this undoubtedly also indicates the intensity of their following. Yes.
The Shaykh : No, it is not in it... Because for example, in our land of Sham, there is no connection between a Shami and a Najdi. As soon as one says, "I follow the Book and the Sunnah," he is labeled as a Najdi. So we do not want the testimony of the ignorant or the liars, and so on. Rather, we want to see this sound methodology, which is free from blemish, applied in their books. For example, how many books of the Hanbalis have been published and printed, and so on? Where are these scholars who apply this methodology when these books are printed, just as the previous and subsequent authors laid them down? Very few of those you see who are on this methodology apply it practically. Therefore, I am not as concerned with the call (da'wah) as I am with the application of this call, which is correct. You know that many scholars of the present age do not contradict our call when we say it is obligatory to return to the Book and the Sunnah, because no one can deny that this is the obligation. But if you study their knowledge and their fatwas, and so on, their prayers and their worship, you will find them as it is in their madhhab. So, may Allah reward you, mere calling is not enough; rather, the more important thing is applying the call to action, or conversely, applying action to the call, as is the rule in enjoining good and forbidding evil, in the saying of Allah the Exalted:[As-Saf 61:2-3] This is sound speech if this last statement is interpreted in light of the first statement. The call is correct, but we must spread among the people and publicize to them that this requires application, otherwise many scholars agree with the rule and then contradict it.
The questioner : These, O Shaykh, call to it and make it a point of contention with their opponents. Yes, they ally with it and oppose in their call, and I have their texts on this.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. Let us be frank.
The questioner : Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : How many scholars do you have today who call to this call? They can be counted on the fingers. And if we do not say one hand, then both hands. So we want it to be a practical call accompanied by action, and Allah is the Helper.
The questioner : O Shaykh, I am speaking about Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : I am speaking about Shaykh Muhammad and his descendants.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Those who spread the call.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : These, I mean, are people who have passed away.
The Shaykh : No problem, but I return to say that we must see this call applied practically in their books, and especially, in the expression of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, if he writes a book in fiqh, he does not write a book in Hanbali fiqh, but rather he writes a book in Muhammadan fiqh, if that expression is correct.
The questioner : Well, O Shaykh, let us move from this issue to the other issue.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : Which is the issue of whether, for example, was
The Shaykh : Has the time not ended?
The student: It has ended and added a quarter of an hour.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The student: Is it finished...?
Another student: No, tawassul.
Another student: Which is more important?
The questioner : Do they declare as disbelievers those who seek nearness to Allah through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his status?
The Shaykh : Well, give me a summary from your side, and you are truthful in what you say, for what reason? For the sake of saving time.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : Saving time, we believe in it, not just the Sufis.
The questioner : And some of the words of Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : But our belief is different from their belief, do you know the shortening of time among the Sufis?
The student: Later...
The Shaykh : For us to say that it should be interpreted that way, the thing being interpreted, meaning the words of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, must be applied practically by the others. And as we discussed in a previous session, as far as I know, I have not found this to be the case.
The questioner : Yes, indeed. I can give you the book and give you all these quotations. The matter I mentioned to you before, yes, because of the intense opposition, they used to call them, saying, "You claim ijtihad for yourselves, and you claim to have reached its rank, and you take directly from the Book and the Sunnah." This is what their opponents said at that time, and this undoubtedly also indicates the intensity of their following. Yes.
The Shaykh : No, it is not in it... Because for example, in our land of Sham, there is no connection between a Shami and a Najdi. As soon as one says, "I follow the Book and the Sunnah," he is labeled as a Najdi. So we do not want the testimony of the ignorant or the liars, and so on. Rather, we want to see this sound methodology, which is free from blemish, applied in their books. For example, how many books of the Hanbalis have been published and printed, and so on? Where are these scholars who apply this methodology when these books are printed, just as the previous and subsequent authors laid them down? Very few of those you see who are on this methodology apply it practically. Therefore, I am not as concerned with the call (da'wah) as I am with the application of this call, which is correct. You know that many scholars of the present age do not contradict our call when we say it is obligatory to return to the Book and the Sunnah, because no one can deny that this is the obligation. But if you study their knowledge and their fatwas, and so on, their prayers and their worship, you will find them as it is in their madhhab. So, may Allah reward you, mere calling is not enough; rather, the more important thing is applying the call to action, or conversely, applying action to the call, as is the rule in enjoining good and forbidding evil, in the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(2) O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (3) Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون كبر مقتاً عند الله أن تقولوا ما لا تفعلونThe questioner : These, O Shaykh, call to it and make it a point of contention with their opponents. Yes, they ally with it and oppose in their call, and I have their texts on this.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. Let us be frank.
The questioner : Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : How many scholars do you have today who call to this call? They can be counted on the fingers. And if we do not say one hand, then both hands. So we want it to be a practical call accompanied by action, and Allah is the Helper.
The questioner : O Shaykh, I am speaking about Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : I am speaking about Shaykh Muhammad and his descendants.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Those who spread the call.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : These, I mean, are people who have passed away.
The Shaykh : No problem, but I return to say that we must see this call applied practically in their books, and especially, in the expression of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, if he writes a book in fiqh, he does not write a book in Hanbali fiqh, but rather he writes a book in Muhammadan fiqh, if that expression is correct.
The questioner : Well, O Shaykh, let us move from this issue to the other issue.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : Which is the issue of whether, for example, was
The Shaykh : Has the time not ended?
The student: It has ended and added a quarter of an hour.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The student: Is it finished...?
Another student: No, tawassul.
Another student: Which is more important?
The questioner : Do they declare as disbelievers those who seek nearness to Allah through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his status?
The Shaykh : Well, give me a summary from your side, and you are truthful in what you say, for what reason? For the sake of saving time.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : Saving time, we believe in it, not just the Sufis.
The questioner : And some of the words of Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : But our belief is different from their belief, do you know the shortening of time among the Sufis?
The student: Later...