"The Book of Da'wah and the Da'i" by "Hassan al-Banna," with a commentary on it?

The Shaykh : What is the matter with the book "The Da'wah and the Da'i"?

The questioner : Shaykh, have you read it? Do you mean have you read it?

The Shaykh : Me?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : By Allah, I read it a long time ago in its first edition, as I do not find any effect of it in my soul, good or bad. But it is known that Hassan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him) was not a scholar; he had a strong Islamic emotion, and he has writings in which he contradicts the Sunnah and the Salafi methodology. This is known about him. As for this book, I have no idea about it. So bring it and let us see what you have about it? Is there a cup of water, Abu Ahmad?

The questioner : ... we hear about SufismThe Shaykh : Hassan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him)?

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : And this is hinted at in some of his books. I have been reading this book, "Memoirs of the Da'wah and the Da'i," these days, and perhaps this book is one of his later works?

The Shaykh : Perhaps?

The questioner : It is perhaps one of his later works, because he mentions things about his da'wah, what happened to him, what they did, the organization, and his life. He spoke about his life even when he was young, in school, and in... He mentions his Sufi shaykhs, praises them, and sanctifies them. He mentions al-Badawi, and mentions names that may be famous, and names that are not known. He mentions al-Dasوقي and many of these people.

The Shaykh : When he mentions al-Badawi, what does he say about him?

The questioner : This is what he says about al-Badawi. He talks about a young man who died, though he was among the youth, as if he is speaking on the occasion of the anniversary of his death.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : And he mentions that he had a story with this young man, which was that he took to talking with him. He was his contemporary before the young man's death. He says: "We began to talk about the awliya (close friends of Allah) and knowledge, and our conversation turned to Sayyid Ibrahim al-Dasوقي, then to Sayyid Ahmad al-Badawi in Tanta. He said: Do you know the news of Sayyid Ahmad al-Badawi? I said to him: He was a noble wali (close friend of Allah), a pious righteous man, and an excellent scholar. He said: Is that all? I said: This is what we know, this is the limit of my knowledge, so bring what you have. Then this young farmer, who says he had not learned the basic teachings, began to ramble on, and made it seem that everything that existed, and the pulse of Islam, and so on, and so on, was on the hand of his master al-Badawi, in a full page. Al-Banna was listening. At the end of the speech, al-Banna commented, saying: I was listening to this commentary, and the sequence in the history of Sayyid al-Badawi, and I was amazed at the intellect of this young farmer who had not learned more than the basic teachings in the village. How much buried intelligence and abundant mind there is in Egypt!"

The Shaykh : What Allah willed!

The questioner : Because this young man brought what was not broughtThe Shaykh : , and did not mean what he spoke about al-Badawi as al-Badawi deserves. So this one praised him for this speech. This is on page thirty-five of "Memoirs of the Da'wah and the Da'i."
...

The Shaykh : What edition is this, my professor? First, second, third, what is written on it?

The questioner : This is a late edition, perhaps the last edition of al-Maktab al-Islami, and al-Nidawi wrote the introduction.

Another questioner : The fifth edition.

The Shaykh : The fifth.

The questioner : This fifth edition is from the year one thousand four hundred and three.

The Shaykh : four hundred and three.

The questioner : And three, and on page twenty-one he saysThe Shaykh : about Sufism, he says: "Perhaps it is useful that I record in these memoirs some thoughts about Sufism and the orders in the history of Islam, and in the history of the Islamic da'wah, dealing with the scene of Sufism, its effects, and what it has become, and how these orders can be beneficial to the Muslim society."

The Shaykh : What Allah willed!

The questioner : Then he came, and jumped from his many words and said: "And what happened to these truths - the truths of Sufism - happened to other truths of Islamic knowledge, so it took the form of a science that organizes human behavior, and draws for it a special path in life, its stages being dhikr (the remembrance of Allah) and worship, and knowing Allah, and its end being reaching Paradise and the pleasure of Allah. This section of Sufi sciences - and I call it the sciences of education and behavior - is undoubtedly from the core and essence of Islam. And undoubtedly the Sufis have reached with it a level of treating the souls, curing them, healing them, and elevating them, which no other educators have reached. And undoubtedly they carried the people with this style to a practical plan regarding the performance of the obligations of Allah, avoiding His prohibitions, and sincere turning to Him."
...

The Shaykh : There is no power and no strength except by Allah!

The questioner : On page twenty-three, the days of Damanhour.

Another questioner : He talks a lot between these pages about Sufism and immersion in it and so on, but here he says on page twenty-four of the book: "And we used to, on many Fridays that happened to be spent in Damanhour, propose a trip to visit one of the awliya (close friends of Allah) near Damanhour. So we would sometimes visit al-Dasوقي, and we would walk on our feet immediately after the Fajr prayer, where we would arrive around eight in the morning. We would cover the distance in three hours, which is about twenty kilometers. We would visit and pray Jumu'ah, rest after lunch, pray 'Asr, and return to Damanhour, where we would arrive after Maghrib approximately. And we would sometimes visit 'Albat al-Nuwwam, where Sayyid Sanjar was buried in its cemeteryThe Shaykh : Sayyid Sanjar, from the special men of the Khassafiyyah order, known for their righteousness and piety. And we would spend a full day there and then return." What is he talking about? He is talking and boasting about the fact that he was raised with this upbringing and did this toward the awliya (close friends of Allah) and toward their graves.

The Shaykh : You mentioned that this edition is from al-Maktab al-Islami? How did he comment on it?

The questioner : Al-Nidawi wrote the introduction.

The Shaykh : He comments on it like me?! Allahu Akbar!

The questioner : "The days of silence and pride, and we had days in which we would vow silence" - and now, although he is talking about his life, he sees that this is what built him, and brought him to where he is - "and we had days in which we would vow silence and distance from people, so none of us would speak except with dhikr (the remembrance of Allah) or Qur'an. And the students, as is their custom, would take advantage of it as an opportunity for mischief, so they would go to the principal or the teachers reporting that so-and-soThe student : has been afflicted with his tongue. The teacher would come to clarify the matter, so we would answer him with a verse from the Qur'an, and he would leave. And I remember with good my teacherThe Shaykh : Farhat." This is the silence of the lines.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : And he has a passion for al-Ghazali... and he praises al-Ghazali, and makes him an imam, then he says: I was not able to detach myself from the education of al-Ghazali and his style of education.

The Shaykh : A dangerous testimony.

The questioner : And indeed, I was not able to, he says this about himself on page thirty-three.
The majlis (spiritual gathering) on page forty-one, in the majlis... he saysThe Shaykh : "I was happy with life in Cairo this year, as my arrangement appeared until he said... As I used to find great pleasure in the majlis after the Jumu'ah prayer of every week at the house ofThe Shaykh : al-Hassafi, then in many nights of the week at the house of the first khalifah of Shaykh al-Hassafi, 'Ali Afandi Ghalib, or our master Afandi."

The Shaykh : This is all translation, it is just to gather the people around him, so that if he runs in the election he succeeds.

The questioner : Here on page forty-four about his going out for the Mawlid.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : And I remember: "That it was our custom to go out on the anniversary of the birth of the Messenger of Allah."

Another questioner : The majlis, how is the majlis?

The Shaykh : Dancing with dhikr (the remembrance of Allah).

Another questioner : Dancing and dhikr.

The Shaykh : Yes.

Another questioner : Dhikr and dancing.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : And he says under a title, but the title is perhaps from the printer... he says: "And I remember that it was our custom to go out on the anniversary of the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with the procession after the majlis."

The Shaykh : What Allah willed!

The questioner : "Every night from the first of Rabi' al-Awwal to the twelfth of it, from the house of one of the brothers. He says from the first of Rabi' al-Awwal to the twelfth of it, from the house of one of the brothers. And it happened that on one of the nights, the turn was on our brotherThe Shaykh : Shalabi al-Rajal, so we went as usual after 'Isha', and we found the house lit, clean, and equipped. And he distributed sherbet, coffee, and cinnamon as usual. And we went out with the procession, reciting the usual poems in complete joy and full happiness. And after returning, we sat withThe Shaykh : Shalabi was a little quiet, and we wanted to leave, when he said with a gentle, pleasant smile: "If Allah wills, you will visit me early tomorrow to bury Rukiyyah." Rukiyyah was his only child, and he was granted her after approximately eleven years of marriage. He was deeply attached to her and did not leave her even at work. She grew up, and he named her Rukiyyah because she held in his soul the position of the soul. We were surprised and asked when she passed away. He said, "Today, before Maghrib." We said, "Why did you not inform us so we could come out from another house with the funeral procession?" He said, "What happened? Our sadness has turned into joy; do you not want a blessing from Allah greater than this blessing?" The conversation turned into a lesson in Sufism that he was delivering.The Shaykh : Shalabi was explaining the death of his daughter by attributing it to Allah's jealousy over his heart, for Allah is jealous over the hearts of His righteous servants that they become attached to other than Him or turn away to something else. He cited Ibrahim (peace be upon him), whose heart became attached to Ismail, so Allah commanded him to sacrifice him, and Ya'qub (peace be upon him), whose heart became attached to Yusuf.

Another questioner: This is a greater karamah than the karamah of Ibrahim; because Allah ... Ibrahim ... .

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner: "He said, 'His heart became attached to Ismail, so Allah commanded him to sacrifice him, and Ya'qub (peace be upon him), whose heart became attached to Yusuf, so Allah lost him from him for several years.'" I do not know why he left out Muhammad, for his son Ibrahim died?

The Shaykh : There is no power nor strength except with Allah!

The questioner: "Therefore, the heart must not become attached to other than Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), otherwise he is a liar in his claim of love."

The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest! Ibrahim's heart became attached to Ismail, so he was rewarded.

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : How?

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: If you wish, I will answer you. What is this? This is kufr (disbelief).

Another questioner: I do not remember. Speech like this exists in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim.

The Shaykh : How?

Another questioner: Speech like this exists in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim.

The Shaykh: It exists in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim?

The questioner: "Therefore, the heart of the servant must not become attached to other than Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), otherwise he is a liar in his claim of love." He narrated the story of al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad, who held the hand of his youngest daughter and kissed her. She said to him, "O my father, do you love me?" He said, "Yes, my daughter." She said, "By Allah, I did not think you were a liar before today." He said, "How so? How many times have you lied?" She said, "I thought that with your state with Allah, you do not love anyone else with Him." He wept. Look, ignorance does not distinguish between natural love and love with Allah.

The Shaykh: I seek refuge in Allah from this speech. This speech touches the station of prophethood; , the Messenger spoke about al-Hasan and al-Husayn, so he associated them in love!!

The questioner: "The daughter said, 'I thought that with your state with Allah, you do not love anyone else with Him.' The man wept and said, 'O my Master, even the children have discovered the riya' (showing off) of your servant al-Fudayl.'" And so on from these hadiths that wereThe Shaykh : Shalabi ... .

Another questioner: And then the Messenger wept, he wept for his son Ibrahim, and he wept for his daughter's son.

The questioner: ... This was delivering a lesson, and in his lesson was a Salafi.

The Shaykh : In his lesson?

The questioner: A Salafi, one of the Salafis.

The Shaykh : Ah, okay.

The questioner: One of the Salafis.

The Shaykh : Ah, good.

The questioner: One of them was carrying the Sunnah, and it seemed the Salafi wanted to remindThe Shaykh : to touch upon the important matters in 'aqidah (creed), butThe Shaykh : he was tricked, then he clarified that he was laughed at, and that he was tricked in the end. We now hear what he saysThe Shaykh : , he says: "One night, I felt a strange spirit, a spirit of hatred and division, and I saw that my listeners had distinguished themselves against me in my lesson, some of them distinguishing themselves from others even in their seating. I had barely settled when I was surprised by a question: 'What is the professor's opinion on the issue of tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means)?' I said to him, 'My brother, I think you do not want to ask me about this issue alone, but you also want to ask me about the salawat (blessings) after the adhan, and about reading Surat al-Kahf on Friday, and about the wording of 'sayyid' (master) for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the tashahhud, and about the parents of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and where their abode is, and about reading the Qur'an, and whether its reward reaches the deceased or not, and about these gatherings held by the people of the tariqahs (Sufi orders), and whether they are a sin or a means of nearness to Allah?' And I began to list for him all the issues of disagreement that had been the center of a previous fitnah (trial) and severe disagreement between us. The man was surprised and said, 'Yes, I want the answer to all of this.' I said to him, 'My brother, I am not a scholar, but I am a civilian teacher who memorizes some verses and some hadiths.'" Subhan Allah! How did the Tabligh Jama'at gather? This is their style, withThe Shaykh : there is this style with this man. Look at what he says at the end - also: "But I am a civilian teacher who memorizes some verses, and some noble Prophetic hadiths, and some religious rulings from my reading of books, and I volunteer to teach them to people. If you take me beyond this scope, you have put me in an awkward position. And whoever says 'I do not know' has issued a fatwa. If you like what I say and see good in it, listen with thanks. And if you want to expand your knowledge, ask other specialized scholars and virtuous people; they are able to issue fatwas for you as you wish. As for me, this is the extent of my knowledge, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity."

Another questioner: So he did well ... .

The questioner: He does not clarify his lie now. He is saying he will now speak about himself. Listen now: "So the man took this statement, and did not find an answer, and I took him with this style ... and he was relievedThose present : or most of them were relieved by this escape, but I did not want the opportunity to be wasted, so I turned to them and said to them: 'My brothers, I know fully that this brotherThe questioner : , and that many of you did not want anything behind this question except to know which party this new teacher belongs to? Is he from the party ofThe Shaykh : Musa? Or from the party ofThe Shaykh : 'Abd al-Sami'? And this knowledge does not benefit you anything. And you have spent eight years in the day of fitnah, and that is sufficient. And these issues have been disputed by Muslims for hundreds of years, and they are still disagreeing. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) is pleased with us for love and unity, and He dislikes disagreement and division from us. So I hope you will pledge to Allah to leave these matters now, and strive to learn the principles and rules of the religion."

Another questioner: Unity of the ummah or unity of existence?

The questioner: All of it is with each other, unity of the ummah. The result is that he says: "He is pleased with us for love and unity," on what basis? It does not matter!

The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!

The questioner: And that - also - he admits that he did not give that answer for the exit, meaning he is silenced. This is an expression of fallacy, and laughing at the people. So a person asks him and he answers him with this answer, and then afterwards he says: "I answered him with this answer in order to get rid of him, and otherwise it is not the truth."

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : He lied at the same time.

Another questioner: Meaning, as if he is teaching the da'is (callers) that if a Salafi comes to you asking you, dismiss him like this.

The Shaykh: Yes.

Another questioner: Frankly, in the book, this is in "The Memoirs," he explicitly mentions that he took his 'aqidah from "Jawharat al-Tawhid" (The Jewel of Tawhid).

The Shaykh : Do you have this book?

Another questioner : Yes, it is available, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh: And the edition of the Islamic Office?

Another questioner: Ah, and the first edition of the book that I have is older than this ... .

The Shaykh: How many years? How many?

Another questioner: Fifteen years before this ... .

Another questioner: One thousand four hundred and three.

Another questioner: No, it is more ... .

The Shaykh: Okay, take your time.

The questioner: I actually wanted us to hear this speech; because even our brothers who write, of course, they do not mention the Sufism of al-Banna except that it is on the Husayniyyah way, and they do not mention these great matters that he raises the youth of the ummah upon. And "his Memoirs" are available to all the youth of the Ikhwan (Brothers), without exception. The one who does not have it has looked at it. So they read the books of al-Banna and live with them at all times. And these partisan people do not read except the books of their leaders. It should not be silenced about something like this, and the youth of the ummah are raised upon it. This speech should be brought out for them to know it, and many of the youth, if they knew this from al-Banna, would spit in their hands from his call.

The Shaykh: This is if they are Salafis!

The questioner: If they are Salafis and have been deceived?

The Shaykh: As for the non-Salafis.

The questioner: If the truth is shown to them, they will take it.

The Shaykh : I want to say: Your statement in its generality is not accepted; because most of the Muslim Brothers were not raised with a correct Salafi Islamic upbringing. Some individuals among them were helped by circumstances and connected with some Salafis, so their ideas became correct and their creed was rectified. Only these few, who are a small minority of the majority, if they look into this, they will reject it as one rejects the breath of a camel.

The questioner : This is what I mean.

The Shaykh : That is what you are referring to.

The questioner : And the writings I mean are those written by the Salafis.

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : I mean, there are sheikhs among the Muslim Brothers and the Salafis who have zeal for these people so that they are not deceived.

Another questioner: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh: And upon you peace.

The questioner : With slogans, they write and say, warning these people that al-Banna has such and such, and that he has a Sufi method, but they overlook or feign ignorance of such sites that al-Banna himself mentions.

The Shaykh : Look, Professor.

The questioner : And they may mention it regarding the followers, like Sa'id Hawwa and al-Tilimsani, and so-and-so and so-and-so, and they mention their passion for graves and their attachment to them, and they remain silent about what is with al-Banna. This is my intention.

The Shaykh : You cannot find a Salafi who joined the Muslim Brothers, but you will find many Muslim Brothers; I do not say they joined the Salafis, but they became Salafis in creed. The difference between a Muslim Brother who became a Salafi but did not join the Salafis is that he does not leave his partisanship; unlike if he joined the Salafis, in which case he would leave the partisanship of the Muslim Brothers. And what I know is that many of the Muslim Brothers, when the clear and evident Salafi call came to them, they responded to it and became Salafis in themselves, but they did not become Salafis for others. Therefore, you will not be able to get one of them to criticize al-Banna rightly, because by doing so, he would leave being one of the Muslim Brothers.

Another questioner : Or he would leave if he is a leader.

The Shaykh : No, if he is expelled, that would be good, but they should not give them a clear way to expel him.

The questioner : Is that clear?

The Shaykh : And therefore, unfortunately, you will not find one of these Salafi Muslim Brothers who can criticize the Muslim Brothers.