A discussion regarding the emergence of a group in Pakistan that calls itself "The Muslim Community," and a discussion of their beliefs, rulings, and opinions.

The questioner : We inform you that a group has emerged in Pakistan calling itself "The Muslim Community." First, these people claim affiliation with the People of Hadith, both the individual members of that group and their leader, "The People of Hadith." Then they became independent under the name "The Muslim Community." Now, they have become entangled and have delved into matters, among which they claim, citing a hadith in the two Sahihs, that there is a "Muslim Community," and they assert that anyone who does not pledge allegiance to this group and its leader is outside the Muslim Community, and that it is not permissible to pray behind him. At times, they rush to declare as disbelievers those who do not pledge allegiance to that group. They also say that anyone who calls themselves the People of Hadith, or the People of the Sunnah, or the Companions of Hadith, or a Hanafi or a Shafi'i, are all the same; they are all from the people of religious innovation. We have no name except one: "The Muslim Community." They hold such views. They also cling to everything mentioned in the hadiths regarding the conduct of the Prophet, whether in manners or in anything else, and they declare it an obligatory duty. Then, whoever opposes them, they rule that he is opposing the Shari'ah. Even if someone did not respond to the mu'adhdhin, they said: this is abandoning an obligatory duty. If he did not start with the right, he abandoned an obligatory duty. These are the kinds of issues. The most important and dangerous of them is that they issued a ruling that it is not permissible to pray behind the People of Hadith. So, what is your opinion?

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you. This requires a special session in which we expand on clarifying the matters, because I sense from this speech that this is a revival of the group of declaring people disbelievers. Yes, indeed, but it is not permissible for us to rush. Even this group, about whom you are speaking here, are they present here in Madinah?

The questioner : No, no, they are in Pakistan.

The Shaykh : No, the ones who conveyed this to you?

The questioner : Some of them came for 'Umrah.

The Shaykh : That is it. I am saying, are they here in Madinah?

The questioner : The People of Hadith came and complained that we built mosques... they contacted the people of the mosques, and now they have expelled the previous imams, the People of Hadith... because they claimed affiliation with the People of Hadith, and this... is a religious innovation.

The Shaykh : Very well. I will meet with you, if Allah wills, and we will set a time to meet with these brothers whom you met, and who mentioned some of what you just mentioned, or some of it, and we will discuss the topic as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) makes easy.