A group has emerged on the scene attempting to combine the Salafis with the Muslim Brotherhood, arguing that the Salafis are disorganized and unrealistic. Is this
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The questioner : Shaykh, there is a new group on the scene that seeks to combine the Salafi group with the Muslim Brotherhood. They believe that the Salafi group is disorganized and unrealistic, so they come to the Salafi group with organization or realism, as they claim. Is this group, I mean, legitimate?
The Shaykh : By Allah, the answer to this depends on knowing what they mean by organization. As we have said many times, organizing lessons and meetings is similar to formal schools. No one disputes the permissibility of that. Opening schools was not customary in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); rather, that occurred after his time. There is no doubt that this is a type of organization, and there is no objection to it. However, if they mean by organization what is the reality of many groups, namely secret work and preparing to rise up against the Muslim ruler, then this is, first of all, not permissible. Second, the fate of the Salafi group that tries to combine calling to the Salaf with the style of organization of some of the later generations will be that they will be neither Salafis nor Brotherhood members, as it is said of some birds that they forgot their walk. The call does not succeed unless one devotes oneself to it, as is the case with any scientific work that requires specialization. If a person mixes one type of work with another, he will not master either. However, we always say that it is necessary for every group to perform one of the collective obligations, but on the condition that it is within the circle that unites them, which is the circle of Islam, based on the Book and the Sunnah, and in accordance with what our righteous predecessors were upon. Specialization in work is not denied, but mixing this with that is not permissible. For example, the administrative manager of a school cannot be a teacher; he cannot be a teacher of hadith or tafsir, and so on. His work is administrative. Likewise, the hadith scholar or exegete cannot be a manager because his work is educational. And what is said about individuals is said about groups exactly. If a group of Salafis wants to combine teaching and the call with organization, especially if it is of a type that is not prescribed, they will have lost and gained nothing.
The Shaykh : By Allah, the answer to this depends on knowing what they mean by organization. As we have said many times, organizing lessons and meetings is similar to formal schools. No one disputes the permissibility of that. Opening schools was not customary in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); rather, that occurred after his time. There is no doubt that this is a type of organization, and there is no objection to it. However, if they mean by organization what is the reality of many groups, namely secret work and preparing to rise up against the Muslim ruler, then this is, first of all, not permissible. Second, the fate of the Salafi group that tries to combine calling to the Salaf with the style of organization of some of the later generations will be that they will be neither Salafis nor Brotherhood members, as it is said of some birds that they forgot their walk. The call does not succeed unless one devotes oneself to it, as is the case with any scientific work that requires specialization. If a person mixes one type of work with another, he will not master either. However, we always say that it is necessary for every group to perform one of the collective obligations, but on the condition that it is within the circle that unites them, which is the circle of Islam, based on the Book and the Sunnah, and in accordance with what our righteous predecessors were upon. Specialization in work is not denied, but mixing this with that is not permissible. For example, the administrative manager of a school cannot be a teacher; he cannot be a teacher of hadith or tafsir, and so on. His work is administrative. Likewise, the hadith scholar or exegete cannot be a manager because his work is educational. And what is said about individuals is said about groups exactly. If a group of Salafis wants to combine teaching and the call with organization, especially if it is of a type that is not prescribed, they will have lost and gained nothing.