A book... it has many objections against it; many scholars refuted it; what is your opinion of the book? And what is your opinion of the refutations?

The questioner : ...the hadith, and objections were raised against it. Naturally, it has objections against many hadiths and...; many scholars refuted it; what is your opinion of the book? And what is your opinion of the refutations?

The Shaykh : The book is very dangerous for the Sunnah, for the scholars of the Sunnah, and for the followers of the Sunnah. And those who refuted him, without doubt, they = -- may Allah have mercy on you -- = without doubt, they agreed upon the truth in refuting him, even though their methods differed; some were strict, some were lenient, and some were moderate. The man was not just a critic; rather, he added to his criticism, and he is not based on knowledge of hadith or on the principles of jurisprudence; despite that, he added his mockery of the opinions of others, a mockery that one whose goal is to advise people would not do. Therefore, his text was exposed to many, and very many, objections that he deserves. It is enough for him that he attacked hadiths found in the authentic collections. When asked how the critic scholars, as they did in the past, like al-Daraqutni, like Ibn Taymiyyah, and like Ibn al-Qayyim, when they transmit some of the hadiths found in some of the authentic collections, but they critique with knowledge and deliberation...; as for this man, he does not critique except with delusion on one hand, and ignorance of the hadiths and their texts on the other hand. Therefore, the scope for refuting him is very wide. Perhaps those who spoke in refutation, despite the difference in their methods, did what is obligatory upon them in critiquing the hadith first, and the scholars of hadith and their followers second. This is a brief word as you requested.

The questioner : Do you not see, Your Eminence,The Shaykh : in this field that, in order to preserve the contemporary scholars of Islam, a council and a debate be held on this topic, this is from one aspect? Second, do you not see that it is obligatory for the eminent scholars of Islam, like yourselves, to write refutations against him, as... these great refutations, because of their great impact on people? Then, do you not see that the refutations against him be raised in more than one lecture and gathering, because it has affected many individuals among the Muslims?

The Shaykh : This is the truth, without doubt or doubt in it, but the matter, as was said in the past:
Not everything a man wishes can he attain *** The winds blow not as the ships desire
I have, unfortunately, so many tasks that they do not allow me the space to perform some of the other religious obligations; because of the many projects I am pursued by. But perhaps those who refuted him can form a committee to study these refutations and to select the best of them, then print and distribute them to the people to bring this refutation closer to the youth... and especially those who may have been misled by the man's philosophy and his language. As for me personally, by Allah, I... and I am not able.
I was invited, for example, to go to Afghanistan, at least to call to the Book and the Sunnah, and at least among the different Arab tribes; so I excused myself, as you see, due to my old age. Otherwise, it is necessary to perform the refutation of this man. And those who did, among them, for example, our brother Dr. al-Rabi' ibn Hadi, and perhaps you, the professor who teaches the subject of hadith at the university, perhaps you have come across his refutation; for this man has more knowledge of hadith than others. In any case, your suggestion to form a group of scholars to debate the man, I do not think this will benefit anything; because you have been afflicted by some of the Sufis who defended some of the Sufi innovations and superstitions, and were requested... or to debate them, and that did not benefit anything. Perhaps the more beneficial or better is to form a committee... from some of the noble scholars to... from these refutations the strongest and the clearest in understanding, or that they select from this group of refutations the issues that were presented and... at that time in... phrases that are clear and understandable to the general people. This is what I have, and Allah knows best.