Some people are fanatical about certain shaykhs, so what advice do you give them?
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The questioner : The fourth question says: There are some people who are fanatical about certain shaykhs, so what do you say to these people?
The Shaykh : What do they do?
The questioner : They are fanatical about certain shaykhs.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that it is not permissible for a Muslim to be fanatical about a person in this world except for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he is the one who was sent as a mercy and guidance to all mankind, and he is the one, (peace and blessings be upon him), whom we were commanded to take as a good example. All the scholars from whom we benefit from their knowledge, we benefit from them not for their own selves or their persons, but because they are guides who direct us to the guidance and light of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If a Muslim becomes fanatical about one of the shaykhs, whether he is among the living or the dead, that means he has forgotten the message of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and has clung to this person whom it is not permissible to equate with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in knowledge, character, or perfection. Therefore, it is no surprise when I say that a Muslim’s fanaticism for a person or a single shaykh is a failure on his part in his testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Thus, when I explain the testimony that Allah alone has no partner and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, I say that the first testimony requires the Muslim not to take any object of worship alongside Allah, otherwise it is shirk itself. Likewise, regarding the second testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, or His slave and Messenger, whoever takes an example or role model in this life other than the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as many of the fanatics do today, and as is the doctrine of the Sufis who follow their shaykhs, and some of these people have gone so far as to plot this great misguidance for their followers: not to take any other example besides the shaykh. They said, without shame or modesty, "The one who takes two shaykhs is like a woman who takes two husbands". Therefore, they enslaved their followers and made them slaves to them, to the point that we used to hear about some of them that they did not act in any of the affairs of their lives except to consult their shaykh. They took the shaykhs as examples more than the Companions of the Prophet took the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as an example, because the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask him about matters related to their acts of worship, but in their worldly affairs, in their buying and selling and trade, whether they should go, whether they should travel or not, they were free. This was because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), in the perfection of his call and his conveying of his Lord’s Shari'ah, said to them: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to his Companions that he did not come to teach them the affairs of this world, or to strive and travel across the land in pursuit of sustenance, but rather he came to teach them what enables them to fear Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) through obedience and worship, and to avoid what is forbidden. As for the Sufi shaykhs, they enslaved their followers completely and deluded them into thinking that they must consult them in every matter of their worldly affairs, let alone their religion. There were people we know by name who did not get married except with the shaykh’s opinion, and did not travel anywhere except with the shaykh’s opinion. If he told him to travel, he traveled, and if he told him not to travel, he did not travel. This is enslavement, surpassing any enslavement by a disbeliever, however high he may be... because disbelievers enslave people in the material aspect, whereas these people enslaved them in the psychological aspect. They are more humble than slaves with their shaykhs, their masters.
The Shaykh : What do they do?
The questioner : They are fanatical about certain shaykhs.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that it is not permissible for a Muslim to be fanatical about a person in this world except for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he is the one who was sent as a mercy and guidance to all mankind, and he is the one, (peace and blessings be upon him), whom we were commanded to take as a good example. All the scholars from whom we benefit from their knowledge, we benefit from them not for their own selves or their persons, but because they are guides who direct us to the guidance and light of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If a Muslim becomes fanatical about one of the shaykhs, whether he is among the living or the dead, that means he has forgotten the message of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and has clung to this person whom it is not permissible to equate with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in knowledge, character, or perfection. Therefore, it is no surprise when I say that a Muslim’s fanaticism for a person or a single shaykh is a failure on his part in his testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Thus, when I explain the testimony that Allah alone has no partner and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, I say that the first testimony requires the Muslim not to take any object of worship alongside Allah, otherwise it is shirk itself. Likewise, regarding the second testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, or His slave and Messenger, whoever takes an example or role model in this life other than the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as many of the fanatics do today, and as is the doctrine of the Sufis who follow their shaykhs, and some of these people have gone so far as to plot this great misguidance for their followers: not to take any other example besides the shaykh. They said, without shame or modesty, "The one who takes two shaykhs is like a woman who takes two husbands". Therefore, they enslaved their followers and made them slaves to them, to the point that we used to hear about some of them that they did not act in any of the affairs of their lives except to consult their shaykh. They took the shaykhs as examples more than the Companions of the Prophet took the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as an example, because the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask him about matters related to their acts of worship, but in their worldly affairs, in their buying and selling and trade, whether they should go, whether they should travel or not, they were free. This was because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), in the perfection of his call and his conveying of his Lord’s Shari'ah, said to them: