The methodology of the Muslim Brotherhood in their dealings with Al-Albani's call in Amman, Jordan, and their call to boycott him.
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The Shaykh : This is what I experienced from them here in Amman, not there in Syria. In Syria, the matter was, so to speak, for the benefit of the call, and its effects appeared among the senior officials of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as, for example, 'Isa al-'Attar and Zuheir al-Shawish. These two were among those who attended our lessons, even if only occasionally, because their commitment to a specific Brotherhood system and methodology did not allow them to be with us in all our lessons or gatherings. In fact, they and others like them considered themselves to be among my students. The same was the case when I first began visiting here; the door was opened for me to deliver some lectures at the Muslim Brotherhood center in al-Zarqa. Without a doubt, these lectures were a great opening for some of the eager and longing Brotherhood youth who desired to hear the word of the Salafi call, which distinguishes the corrupt from the good. The enthusiasm of the youth there was very unusual. Here, the effects of partisanship began to appear. It seems that when some of the leaders there felt this enthusiasm, they turned their backs on us, as the saying goes, and they no longer offered us the chance to deliver a lecture there whenever we visited them, so we understood the situation. Naturally, I am not a man who hopes to speak in such gatherings, but if it becomes possible for me, I do not refuse, because the Shari'ah commands me to do so. So I moved my call to one of the mosques in al-Zarqa, specifically the mosque of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). There, too, many young people attended, including some from the Muslim Brotherhood. This was before I settled in Amman.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Then, when I settled in Amman, there was also personal enthusiasm for me regarding questions, and from some of their leaders as well, such as Dr. 'Abdullah 'Azzam. He was very keen to catch everything he heard, writing bullet points in a small notebook he usually carried with him. In any case, the Brotherhood's resentment of the call in general, and of the caller to it in particular, began when they found that some of their young brothers had become Salafis. They sent for two of them and warned them not to attend the circles of Shaykh Al-Albani. A discussion took place between them and their leader regarding the reason for this.
The answer was very strange: that it is not possible for a member of the Brotherhood to have two loyalties in his heart, a loyalty to the call, meaning the Brotherhood's call, and a loyalty to Shaykh Al-Albani. These are two things that cannot coexist.
Their answer was: "O brothers, you know that Al-Albani has no party and no bloc. In fact, he does not approve of these blocs at all, because they divide the Muslim community. So when we attend his gatherings, it is to benefit from his knowledge. What do you fear from him, as long as he does not call for a bloc against your bloc?"
They insisted on their position: two loyalties cannot coexist, so it is either us or the Shaykh. They gave them a grace period of six months, according to their system, to review themselves and repent to their Lord!
The questioner : Glory be to Allah!
The Shaykh : The time came. They requested them, summoning them, and found them in the same state, meaning, as they were. They were gentle with them, saying, "O brothers, stay with us. We are with you, O Shaykh, but you are not pleased for us to be with you. We want to benefit from the Shaykh, and this does not harm you." So they expelled them.
Then it was Al-Albani's turn, and they issued a decision to boycott Al-Albani and everyone who takes refuge in him, his lectures and his gatherings, and so on, even greeting him on the road.
The questioner : Do they prevent them?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is a decision in this regard!
The questioner : Glory be to Allah!
The Shaykh : Yes, and this good man, 'Abdullah 'Azzam, was naturally included in the decision.
The questioner : Yes, meaning also?
The Shaykh : So he would meet us on the road and not greet us. Once, he was surprised to see me face to face in the mosque of 'Umar 'Abd al-Fattah.
What is this, O Shaykh 'Abdullah? What is this?
He said: "This is, if Allah wills, I think this or its meaning is, a summer cloud that will soon clear". Days passed, and we were more active in holding night gatherings than we are now. So when we were restricted regarding gatherings, these gatherings decreased. In one of those gatherings, the young people who were forbidden by decision from sitting with the Shaykh and attending his lectures and lessons were present.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This topic was raised, and we said to them, "O brothers, what does it mean that your call is based on gathering people? What does it mean to issue a decision preventing Muslim youth from meeting with Al-Albani? Is this not, first, a contradiction of Islam[Ar-Rum 30:31-32]?"
And secondly, this decision cannot be implemented, and the proof is you yourselves. This decision was imposed on you, yet you cannot do without attending the Shaykh, the Shaykh's lessons. I do not say this in pride, but I say it out of necessity to clarify. Approximately two years have passed since this decision, unfortunately, but as time goes on, it begins to diminish, meaning, it dissolves.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Then, when I settled in Amman, there was also personal enthusiasm for me regarding questions, and from some of their leaders as well, such as Dr. 'Abdullah 'Azzam. He was very keen to catch everything he heard, writing bullet points in a small notebook he usually carried with him. In any case, the Brotherhood's resentment of the call in general, and of the caller to it in particular, began when they found that some of their young brothers had become Salafis. They sent for two of them and warned them not to attend the circles of Shaykh Al-Albani. A discussion took place between them and their leader regarding the reason for this.
The answer was very strange: that it is not possible for a member of the Brotherhood to have two loyalties in his heart, a loyalty to the call, meaning the Brotherhood's call, and a loyalty to Shaykh Al-Albani. These are two things that cannot coexist.
Their answer was: "O brothers, you know that Al-Albani has no party and no bloc. In fact, he does not approve of these blocs at all, because they divide the Muslim community. So when we attend his gatherings, it is to benefit from his knowledge. What do you fear from him, as long as he does not call for a bloc against your bloc?"
They insisted on their position: two loyalties cannot coexist, so it is either us or the Shaykh. They gave them a grace period of six months, according to their system, to review themselves and repent to their Lord!
The questioner : Glory be to Allah!
The Shaykh : The time came. They requested them, summoning them, and found them in the same state, meaning, as they were. They were gentle with them, saying, "O brothers, stay with us. We are with you, O Shaykh, but you are not pleased for us to be with you. We want to benefit from the Shaykh, and this does not harm you." So they expelled them.
Then it was Al-Albani's turn, and they issued a decision to boycott Al-Albani and everyone who takes refuge in him, his lectures and his gatherings, and so on, even greeting him on the road.
The questioner : Do they prevent them?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is a decision in this regard!
The questioner : Glory be to Allah!
The Shaykh : Yes, and this good man, 'Abdullah 'Azzam, was naturally included in the decision.
The questioner : Yes, meaning also?
The Shaykh : So he would meet us on the road and not greet us. Once, he was surprised to see me face to face in the mosque of 'Umar 'Abd al-Fattah.
What is this, O Shaykh 'Abdullah? What is this?
He said: "This is, if Allah wills, I think this or its meaning is, a summer cloud that will soon clear". Days passed, and we were more active in holding night gatherings than we are now. So when we were restricted regarding gatherings, these gatherings decreased. In one of those gatherings, the young people who were forbidden by decision from sitting with the Shaykh and attending his lectures and lessons were present.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This topic was raised, and we said to them, "O brothers, what does it mean that your call is based on gathering people? What does it mean to issue a decision preventing Muslim youth from meeting with Al-Albani? Is this not, first, a contradiction of Islam
and do not be of those who associate others with Allah (32) [Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ * مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَAnd secondly, this decision cannot be implemented, and the proof is you yourselves. This decision was imposed on you, yet you cannot do without attending the Shaykh, the Shaykh's lessons. I do not say this in pride, but I say it out of necessity to clarify. Approximately two years have passed since this decision, unfortunately, but as time goes on, it begins to diminish, meaning, it dissolves.