The ruling on staying in gatherings of dhikr that include talk about politics
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His Eminence the Shaykh: Talk about politics is frequent in some gatherings, and when you rebuke them,They say: politics is part of the religion.
In fact, they fall into backbiting, and what distinguishes their gathering is the presence of the remembrance of Allah in it, so what is your opinion about my sitting with them?
My opinion is: Talking about politics among the general public is a mistake; because politics has its men and people, its men are those with authority and judgment. As for politics being scattered in the hands of the common people and in gatherings, this is contrary to the guidance of the righteous Salaf. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and those before him, such as Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them both), did not disseminate their politics in the assemblies of people for the young and old, the foolish and the wise, to taste it. Never! And it cannot be that politics is like this. Politics has people who are experienced in it, who know it and know its entry points, and who have connections with the outside and the inside, which many people do not know.
And it is not befitting for the youth and non-youth to spend their time and waste it in such talk that has no benefit. Then, it may appear to us, for example, that the action of one person is a mistake, and it may be that the truth is with him; because he knows of matters what we do not know. This is something observed and experienced. Most of those who talk about politics deduce it from things that have no basis or reality, but rather they are illusions they imagine and then build upon them what they speak of, so they assert what they have no knowledge of.And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Isra: 36] .
As for sitting with them, as long as they are engaged in dhikr, sit with them. If they stand up and engage in this idle talk that has no benefit, first advise them. If they are guided, that is what is desired; otherwise, leave them. Then, if your presence in their gatherings for dhikr leads to them being deceived about themselves, or leads others to be deceived by your coming to them—so it is said: "If it were not for the fact that these people are on the right path, so-and-so and so-and-so would not have come to them"—then do not come to them even for dhikr; because the avenues for dhikr—and praise be to Allah—are many.
In fact, they fall into backbiting, and what distinguishes their gathering is the presence of the remembrance of Allah in it, so what is your opinion about my sitting with them?
My opinion is: Talking about politics among the general public is a mistake; because politics has its men and people, its men are those with authority and judgment. As for politics being scattered in the hands of the common people and in gatherings, this is contrary to the guidance of the righteous Salaf. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and those before him, such as Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them both), did not disseminate their politics in the assemblies of people for the young and old, the foolish and the wise, to taste it. Never! And it cannot be that politics is like this. Politics has people who are experienced in it, who know it and know its entry points, and who have connections with the outside and the inside, which many people do not know.
And it is not befitting for the youth and non-youth to spend their time and waste it in such talk that has no benefit. Then, it may appear to us, for example, that the action of one person is a mistake, and it may be that the truth is with him; because he knows of matters what we do not know. This is something observed and experienced. Most of those who talk about politics deduce it from things that have no basis or reality, but rather they are illusions they imagine and then build upon them what they speak of, so they assert what they have no knowledge of.And Allah the Exalted said:
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
وَلا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولاًAs for sitting with them, as long as they are engaged in dhikr, sit with them. If they stand up and engage in this idle talk that has no benefit, first advise them. If they are guided, that is what is desired; otherwise, leave them. Then, if your presence in their gatherings for dhikr leads to them being deceived about themselves, or leads others to be deceived by your coming to them—so it is said: "If it were not for the fact that these people are on the right path, so-and-so and so-and-so would not have come to them"—then do not come to them even for dhikr; because the avenues for dhikr—and praise be to Allah—are many.