The Salafis in Egypt do not have a head to whom they return and submit to his command when any disagreement arises among them. So what is your guidance, advice, or view on this?
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The questioner : I mean, for example, we, my Shaykh, in Egypt, unfortunately, are lacking a head. I mean, we in Egypt are all, for the most part, of the same age.
The Shaykh : That is the problem.
The questioner : Yes, there is not, for example, a man like Shaykh Nasir al-Din al-Albani around whom they gather or to whose command they submit.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So the way here is that there is no head for the Salafis in Egypt, so that we may avoid the issue of collision driven by the desire for leadership and preeminence and the like. So what is your guidance, advice, or view regarding the reality of this dispute, which may be?
The Shaykh : By Allah, this is a problem that cannot be solved except by a miracle from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Because at the time when we feel—and I have mentioned this in past gatherings—that there is an Islamic awakening, as they call it, and we say: "a Salafi awakening", but this awakening was not accompanied by a moral awakening. And I attribute this, and perhaps I have explained before, that the intellectual and scholarly awakening is easy and does not take a long time. A person reads in one session a book that points out weak and fabricated hadiths, and he becomes aware. He reads a book on Salafi creed, and he is guided and rejects the creeds he had received from his society. As for morals, the morals by which he was raised in his corrupt society—in reality, it is an Islamic society in name only—its reform requires a long, very long time. But there is no way to bring about this reform initially except that every person strives against his own self, fears Allah (Mighty and Majestic), flees from the love of leadership and preeminence over people, and says in this time: "Myself, myself." If he is able to walk with some of his peers and those below him in knowledge, he walks with them. As for gathering these groups, and for every group, for example, a person who sees himself as the best and most excellent of them, this is not easy to achieve now.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But it is necessary to strive for what leads to the establishment of the group that has a responsible head, and that head can only be the Muslim caliph. This requires from us striving and diligence in work, each within the limits of his ability. But let no one think of taking the lead over others. And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you as well.
The Shaykh : That is the problem.
The questioner : Yes, there is not, for example, a man like Shaykh Nasir al-Din al-Albani around whom they gather or to whose command they submit.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So the way here is that there is no head for the Salafis in Egypt, so that we may avoid the issue of collision driven by the desire for leadership and preeminence and the like. So what is your guidance, advice, or view regarding the reality of this dispute, which may be?
The Shaykh : By Allah, this is a problem that cannot be solved except by a miracle from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Because at the time when we feel—and I have mentioned this in past gatherings—that there is an Islamic awakening, as they call it, and we say: "a Salafi awakening", but this awakening was not accompanied by a moral awakening. And I attribute this, and perhaps I have explained before, that the intellectual and scholarly awakening is easy and does not take a long time. A person reads in one session a book that points out weak and fabricated hadiths, and he becomes aware. He reads a book on Salafi creed, and he is guided and rejects the creeds he had received from his society. As for morals, the morals by which he was raised in his corrupt society—in reality, it is an Islamic society in name only—its reform requires a long, very long time. But there is no way to bring about this reform initially except that every person strives against his own self, fears Allah (Mighty and Majestic), flees from the love of leadership and preeminence over people, and says in this time: "Myself, myself." If he is able to walk with some of his peers and those below him in knowledge, he walks with them. As for gathering these groups, and for every group, for example, a person who sees himself as the best and most excellent of them, this is not easy to achieve now.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But it is necessary to strive for what leads to the establishment of the group that has a responsible head, and that head can only be the Muslim caliph. This requires from us striving and diligence in work, each within the limits of his ability. But let no one think of taking the lead over others. And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you as well.